New 2011 - 2012 Dance Teacher

Sarah Symons Mountain View HS

High School Dance Program Description

Knowledge is power! One of the goals of Dance in Gwinnett County Public Schools is to afford every student the opportunity to obtain knowledge through a comprehensive dance curriculum. Together students and teachers explore ideas about dance, art and humanity. A major goal is to provide a high quality educational dance experience for high school students and to offer them opportunities to explore dance options at the postsecondary level.

Gwinnett County Public Schools dance students have many opportunities to perform and study with master teachers. Students take dance technique classes on a daily basis. Along with the technique classes, students study dance history, anatomy, injury prevention, and general nutrition for dancers. Gwinnett County Public Schools dance students participate in the Governor’s Honors Program, become members of the Nu Delta Alpha Honor Society, and receive scholarship opportunities through the National High School Dance Association.

In 2008 Gwinnett County Public Schools dance students traveled to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the National High School Dance Association’s Festival. Brookwood High School became the first non-performing arts high school to adjudicate at this national level. As well as providing an excellent performance opportunity, the National High School Dance Association (NHSDA) encourages students to explore dance composition and provides numerous scholarship opportunities. The NHSDA Festival has gained an outstanding reputation for embracing and perpetuating the standard for quality in dance education at the high school level. Many GCPS dance students received scholarships as a result of their participation at this dance festival.

The Gwinnett County Public Schools Dance Curriculum consists of the following courses: Introduction to Dance, Intermediate Dance, Advanced Dance, Dance Composition, and Theater Dance. Courses are intended for those students who have no dance background as well as those students who have an extensive dance background and who are considering a career in the performing arts. Areas of concentration include dance history, dance technique, ballet, jazz, modern, choreography, movement theory, and analysis. Students utilize their dance techniques and understanding of dance elements to create a dance production which is performed publically.

• Refine skills in techniques of various dance forms and develop artistry and individuality of expression through various dance styles.
• Develop proficiency in the use of terminology.
• Develop an understanding of the importance of a dance warm-up and the health issues important to dance training.
• Develop conceptual thinking through choreography and explore dance as a means of artistic expression and communication allowing for creative thinking.
• Develop an understanding of the history of dance and prominent historical figures in dance.
• Develop critical thinking through critiquing dance works and analyzing personal progress.
• Explore both the ad vocational and vocational possibilities of dance.
• Explore and integrate dance with other arts, sciences and humanities.

An audition may be required in many of the high schools for placement in upper level courses. Auditions afford the dance teachers an opportunity to properly place the students in the appropriate level classes. Opportunities for advanced dance students are provided through extensions.