DANCE PROGRAM
The McCallum High School Fine Arts Academy Dance Program offers a rigorous dance curriculum in a public high school setting to prepare students for both professional and academic excellence. The core dance curriculum has its foundation in the study of ballet, modern/contemporary, and jazz dance techniques, composition/choreography, performance, aesthetics, anatomy/somatics, cultural/historical studies and analysis. The program develops expertise in these areas that can be applied to the various creative and intellectual interests of the student. To this end, the program is committed to providing the study of global dance forms such as African dance, Latin dance, Hip Hop etc., in order to develop student leadership and learning in a 21st century context. The Dance Majors’ curriculum meets the requirements for the National Honor Society for Dance Arts.
Learning outcomes include artistic/aesthetic development, technical acuity, dance/movement theory: inquiry and application, creative process and dance design, performance intention and virtuosity, critical reasoning and analysis, and inter and intra-personal skill development. The Dance Department produces two main-stage productions each year with numerous other performance opportunities including student-run productions. Upon acceptance into the Fine Arts Academy, dance majors become part of the McCallum Youth Dance Company and are required to perform in both main-stage dance productions for all four years in order to maintain their status as dance majors in The Academy.
Principles of Dance I, II, III, and IV students have the opportunity to increase their dance knowledge by enrolling in dance classes through the comprehensive high school procedures. There is an annual informal dance concert for these students to provide the opportunity to perform. As well, students are invited to audition for specific projects and productions. Non-majors can decide to audition for the dance program provided they qualify based on the Academy requirements.
MASTER CLASSES:
Modern & Contemporary Dance
Jazz
Salsa
Flamenco
Language of Dance ®
Argentine Tango
Gaga Movement Language
Lectures/Workshops: portfolios, auditions, health & nutrition, somatics
RECENT GUEST TEACHERS:
Olivia Chacon of Flamencura Dance Company
Alyson Dolan of Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company
Amy Morrow of AMARTS
Tina Curran, Professor of Dance at UT Austin
Kelsey Oliver of KOgraphy
Rachel Meador, local dance journalist and dance professional
Brooke Schlecte, Baylor University, Out on a Limb Dance Company
Ashlee Langas, Season 3 So You Think You Can Dance
Jean Claude-Lessou, West African Dancing
Stephanie Keeton, Dancer and Teacher at Esquina Tango
MISSION:
I Our Mission is to inspire dance artists to achieve academic and creative success. Dancers will graduate from McCallum Dance prepared to enter top university dance programs and pursue a career in dance. We recognize that not all dancers want to become professional artists but we believe that the skills of the artist are transferrable into all areas of academic study and professional pursuits.
II We build an artistic community through diversity and respect for dance as culture. Most of our dance majors come into the department with a movement style preference, we encourage them to branch away from their norm to study and understand dances different from their own. Our dance majors graduate with a broad range of social and emotional experiences and movement capabilities that expand their ideas about art, dance, culture and community.
III Enforcing a “learning how to learn” curriculum allows our dance majors to recognize design concepts and patterns of movements in order to create things and solve problems in unique ways.
IV We believe that dance becomes even more important in a technological society. Our curriculum incorporates technological advances in art and commerce and education.
PROGRAM LEVELS:
<Non-Majors>
Aerobic Dance A/B & Principles of Dance I
Principles of Dance II, III, and IV*
Ballet*
World Dance
*Any general dance class above Aerobic Dance A/B and Dance I requires teacher approval.
<Dance Majors, The McCallum Youth Dance Company>
The Emerging Dance Troupe
The Intermediate Ensemble
The Pre-Professional Dance Group
DANCE CURRICULUM:
Ballet
Modern Dance
Jazz Dance: classic jazz, contemporary jazz, Latin jazz, Afro-jazz, tap
Hip-Hop Dance
Contemporary Topics in ballet, modern, jazz and hip-hop dance
Social Dance: vernacular and partner dances
World Dance Forms
Improvisation/Composition/Choreography
Laban Movement Analysis and Theory
Language of Dance ®
Dance History
Applied Anatomy and Kinesiology
DANCE MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
ACADEMY DANCE COURSE(S)
To be taken every year. Faculty assigned.
BALLET
Recommended in 10th grade.
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
Recommended in 11th or 12th grade.
PERFORM IN THE FALL AND SPRING FACULTY-DIRECTED DANCE CONCERTS
Required every year. Freshmen in the fall semester will work as "crew" for the Fall Dance Concert.
EARN A MINIMUM GRADE OF 70 IN EVERY CLASS
Evaluated every six weeks grading period.
EARN A MINIMUM GRADE OF 80 IN ALL FINE ARTS CLASSES LISTED ABOVE
Evaluated every six weeks grading period.
MAINTAIN A 90% OR ABOVE IN-CLASS ATTENDANCE RATE & HAVE NO SERIOUS BEHAVIOR INFRACTIONS
Evaluated every six weeks grading period and as needed.
ACADEMY ENRICHMENT PARTICIPATION ASSIGNMENT
To be completed in 9th, 10th and 11th grade.
GRADUATE ON THE DISTINGUISHED PLAN
(4 core academic courses all 4 years)
MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE - FOR DANCE MAJORS
This is an optional pursuit you can choose to do or not to do. In addition to your Major requirements, you would need to complete the following expectations.
The Musical Theatre Performance Certificate program is an add-on to the primary major in Choral Studies, Performance Theatre, or Dance. To graduate with the performance certificate, students complete the additional four courses linked below in addition to all courses in the primary major.
CURRICULUM:
Acting the Song
Choreography
College Audition Prep.
Contemporary and Golden Age Performance Styles
Musical Theatre Dance Styles
Musical Theatre History
Musical Theatre Writing
Voice
EACH OF THESE COURSES ARE REQUIRED FOR THE MTPC:
MUSICAL THEATRE I & II
THEATRE ARTS I
CHOIR I
PARTICIPATION AS CAST IN FACULTY-DIRECTED SHOW
THEATRE PRODUCTION FEES
DANCE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Take note of those courses for Majors vs. those for non-majors.
All Dance Majors (and non-majors enrolled in Dance Major’s classes) are required to pay yearly fair share fees. Contact the Directors for more information.
Anatomy & Physiology is not listed below.
Majors
THE EMERGING DANCE TROUPE
This double blocked course is designed for the first year dance majors. The course introduces integration in four major areas of study within the dance field: dancer/performer, choreographer/dance maker, theatre production and technology and scholarship in dance.
Majors
THE INTERMEDIATE ENSEMBLE
This course is designed for second year dance majors. The course provides integration of four major areas of study within the dance field: dancer/performer, choreographer/dance maker, theatre production and technology and scholarship in dance. Students who complete this course with a ‘B’ or above will be inducted into The National Honors Society for Dance Arts.
Majors
THE PRE-PROFESSIONAL DANCE GROUP
This double blocked course is audition based for sophomore, juniors and senior dance majors and is the most advanced level of study at McCallum. The course provides honors level integration in four major areas of study within the dance field: dancer/performer, choreographer/dance maker, theatre production and technology and scholarship in dance. Students, upon graduation from this class will receive a cord and certificate from The National Honors Society for Dance Arts.
Majors & Non Majors
BALLET (I, II, III & IV)
This class is open to majors and non-majors. An intensive study of ballet barre, adagio, pirouette, center work, petite and grande allegro are studied and practiced. The class includes performance, composition, choreography, dance analysis and dance history
Non Majors
AEROBIC DANCE A & B / PRINCIPLES OF DANCE I
A survey course that explores various dance forms including social dance, ballet, hip-hop, jazz, modern and contemporary dance including performance, composition, choreography, analysis and history – predominantly non-majors for PE/Fine Arts Credit.
Non-Majors
PRINCIPLES OF DANCE II, III & IV
(Teacher approval required.)
A continuation of the information covered in Aerobic Dance A & B/Principles of Dance I on a more advanced level – predominantly non-majors for Fine Arts credit.
Non-Majors
WORLD DANCE
This class explores dance from a global perspective. Dance is explored as a cultural aesthetic and expression. Classes include study of social dance, ballet, Latin jazz and Afro-jazz. Dances from all of the continents of the world are explored and practiced through choreography and online research. Projects integrate technology in order to reach past the boundaries of the classroom.
Majors pursuing the Musical Theatre Performance Certicate
MUSICAL THEATRE
This is a course in which students develop skills in singing, dancing, and acting for musical theatre, while learning about musical theatre history. Students also get the opportunity to write and workshop their own original musical.