Dance
The Dance Program provides rigorous technical and artistic training designed to develop versatile, expressive, knowledgeable, and disciplined dancers. Students study dance as both a performing art and a means of creative and cultural expression.
The curriculum may include ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, African/African Diasporic dance, hip-hop, musical theatre dance, improvisation, and choreography. Students develop strength, flexibility, coordination, alignment, balance, musicality, spatial awareness, endurance, and performance quality.
Students learn proper dance terminology, anatomical awareness, injury-prevention strategies, conditioning practices, and techniques for maintaining physical wellness. Instruction emphasizes safe and healthy approaches to training rather than simply achieving technical results.
Dance history and cultural studies help students understand the origins and development of various dance traditions and recognize the contributions of significant choreographers, dancers, and companies.
Choreography and composition are also important components of the program. Students learn to generate movement, develop choreographic themes, manipulate space, time, energy, and form, and create original works individually and collaboratively.
Performance opportunities may include annual dance concerts, student choreography showcases, musical theatre productions, interdisciplinary performances, community events, festivals, competitions, and guest-artist residencies.
Advanced students develop audition skills, dance résumés, performance reels, and repertory appropriate for college, conservatory, scholarship, and professional auditions.
Potential career pathways: professional dancer, choreographer, dance educator, teaching artist, dance company director, movement coach, dance therapist, arts administrator, commercial dancer, musical theatre performer, and dance production professional.