Dance Syllabus - Beginning/Intermediate

                           

Dance Syllabus - Beginning/Intermediate

Instructor:   Dr. Palmen               

Email: karen.palmen@spps.org

Office:        Dance Room             

Video Submission:

1^st Hour:      palmencentral1@gmail.com

2^nd Hour:     palmencentral2@gmail.com

        

Description:

Beginning Dance students develop perceptual thinking and movement abilities in daily life that promote understanding of themselves and others and allow them to interact effectively in the community. By mastering movement principles and skills, students develop self-discipline, and healthy bodies that move expressively, efficiently, and safely through space and time with controlled energy.  Students recognize dance as a vehicle for understanding cultural and historical contexts, increasing awareness of their own and others' heritage and traditions, thus helping them to participate in a diverse society. Evaluating and analyzing dance strengthen decision-making skills, develop critical and creative thinking, and enable students to make informed decisions about dance and the world around them.

Standards Addressed in this Course:

·      Standard 9.1.1: Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of dance.

·      Standard 9.1.2: Demonstrate knowledge and use of the technical skills of dance, integrating technology when applicable.

·      Standard 9.1.3: Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts that influence dance.

·      Standard 9.2: Create or make in a variety of contexts dance using the artistic foundations.

·      Standard 9.3: Perform or present in a variety of contexts in dance using the artistic foundations.

·      Standard 9.4: Respond to or critique a variety of creations and performances using dance foundations.

You will receive elective or fine arts credit for taking beginning dance.  You have to have both elective and fine arts credit to graduate from high school.

This course lasts four quarters, two quarters of beginning dance and two quarters of intermediate dance.

Goals:

·      To develop an awareness of the body’s movement using sensory information.

·      To apply body sciences (kinesiology, physiology, anatomy) to dance.

·      To demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental concepts and technical skills of ballet, modern dance, jazz dance, percussive dance styles and folk/world dance.

·      To demonstrate an understanding of cultural, historical, and artistic diversity.

·      To make informed judgments about dance’s form, meaning, and role in society.

·      To develop knowledge and skills of dance elements and of choreographic processes and forms in a variety of dance styles.

·      To improve self-confidence in performing in front of others.

Requirements:

·      All dancers are expected to be dressed and on the floor 3 minutes after the bell rings; we start class at 7:33 (1^st hour) or 8:22 (2^nd hour) and NO LATER. If you are not on the floor at one of these times, you are LATE! 

·      No street shoes, food or drink (except water) are allowed in the Dance Studio. 

·      NO GUM!

Attire

Dancers are expected to dress in attire that is appropriate for and conducive to movement that allows the instructor to see your alignment.

   Women

1.    Bottom: yoga pants, dance pants, leggings or shorts. NO JEANS, NO loose fitting SWEAT PANTS

2.    Top: t-shirt, tank top and a tight fitting sweater or sweatshirt for cold days.

3.    Feet: Ballet slippers or gymnastic shoes for ballet (you will be fitted for and purchase these week 1, $25). Tap Shoes will be purchased 3^rd quarter. You have the option to buy jazz shoes or other dance shoes for modern dance and jazz. We will always wear dance shoes in this class.

4.    Hydration: a water bottle

   Men

1.    Bottom: dance pants, tight fitting thin sweat pants or shorts. NO JEANS, NO loose fitting SWEAT PANTS

2.    Top: t-shirt, tank top and a tight fitting sweatshirt for cold days.

3.    Feet: Ballet slippers or gymnastic shoes for ballet (you will be fitted for and purchase these week 1, $25). Tap Shoes will be purchased 3^rd quarter. You have the option to buy jazz shoes or other dance shoes for modern dance and jazz. We will always wear dance shoes in this class.

4.    Hydration: a water bottle

You will be sweating therefore the clothes you wear should be clothes other than what you are going to wear the rest of the day.

Sitting Out

A sick dancer is allowed to sit out (with instructor’s permission) and complete an alternative assignment.  This will be allowed once without a note and once with a parent’s note.  A doctor’s excuse is expected for continuing non-participation and alternative arrangements will need to be made for credit.

Course Topics and Genres

Ballet, Jazz, Modern, African Dance and other folk/performance style, and Tap dance(3 or 4^th quarter). Along with that, you will be studying the history of dance, anatomy, physiology and kinesiology as it relates to dance. You will learn the practice and art of choreography.

Evaluation

60%   daily participation, dance papers, and performance skills

         40%   in – class journals, dance video journal, critiques

Examinations

Written and Performance in class and at the end of the year dance concert.

Make-up/Extra Credit

Make-up work for classes missed should be requested as soon as the dancer returns.  Make-up performances/exams should be taken before or after school with appropriate arrangements within the same amount of time that was missed.  (If you were absent one day and the assignment was given that day and due the next day, you have one day to get it completed.)

Expectations and Grading

Students must:

·      Be prepared to participate in movement lessons, oral discussions, and written work.

·      Be dressed in the appropriate dance attire.

·      Have hair secured out of the face/off neck. No necklaces, rings, and bracelets are to be worn.

·      Arrive on time (by the bell) and be on the floor 3 minutes thereafter excited to dance.

·      Be respectful of others and the space.

·      Leave all food, gum and drinks (except water) outside of the studio as well as remove all belongings from the dance floor. Water is allowed in the studio.

·      Be engaged every day or receive a daily grade of zero for lack of participation.

·      Please put away all electronics unless they are required for class.

Dance Supply List

1.    Dance clothes as listed above
2.  A towel or yoga mat for floor work

3.    One composition book for in – class notes and journaling

4.    Writing Utensil

5.    Personal hygiene products (deodorant, powder etc)

6.    iPad for dance video journal

“The most important lesson for a dancer to learn is that his/her instrument will only perform equal to the effort they put into developing it.”

Arthur Mitchell, Dance Theatre of Harlem