Boulder Creek High School

BOULDERCREEKHIGH SCHOOL

DANCE FUNDAMENTALS

FALL 2015- SPRING 2016

Teacher: Ms. Stacy ShanePhone Number: 623-445-8704

Classroom: Dance Studio (130)Email Address:

Prep Hour: 7th hourWebsite:

Remind101 Sign-up Text to 81010, Message @dancefund

Course Description

Dance Fundamentals is an introductory course that will focus on modern, ballet, jazz, and tap dance techniques as well as related topics. In a performing arts class such as Dance Fundamentals, students will learn to trust, take risks, create, and perform, all vital aspects to the development and success of the student and the class. Dance Fundamentals is aligned with the district and state standards and supports school- wide efforts in increasing student achievement.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course of study, the student will know or be able to:

Identify and perform skills in four dance forms: modern, ballet, jazz, tap

Demonstratemovement technique- coordination, rhythm, strength, flexibility, body alignment, balance and control
Show creative expression
Demonstrate awareness of dance heritage
Show increased body awareness
Demonstrate awareness of elements of production

Grading

Grades will be determined by the percentage of total points earned:

A = 90- 100% B = 80- 89% C = 70- 79%D = 60- 69% F= Below 60%

The semester grade is a cumulative grade for the 18 weeks weighted at 80% and the semester final exam grade weighted at 20%.

Powerschool Access

The Powerschools site allows parents/guardians and students to access the student’s grades, attendance, and other information. If you need your access information, please stop by the front desk during business hours. You will need a photo I.D.

The web address is: ps.dvusd.org/public

Participation

Because dance is heavily reliant upon participation, students are expected to behave in harmony with the Learning Environment Expectations every day. Students will receive participation credit each day. Students missing class for any excused reason must write a makeup paper in order to receive participation credit. Makeup paper options are on page 5 of the syllabus. If a student is unexpectedly ill or injured, and thus unable to participate, he/she must go to the nurse. Students will be excused from participation for up to 3 days with a parent’s note (to Ms. Shane) and longer with a doctor’s note (to the nurse). A student who refuses to dress and participate will be dealt with in accordance with the Non-Participation policy. Non-Participation credit cannot be made up.

NON-PARTICIPATION POLICY

1st -3rd Non-Participation Loss of daily participation points

4th Non-ParticipationLoss of points and call to parents

5th - 6th Non-ParticipationLoss of daily participation points

7th Non-ParticipationFailure of course

/ Learning Environment
Expectations
Prepared /

Bring materials
Come prepared to learn

Respectful /

Respect others, their property, equipment, and the facility

Integrity /

Complete your own work
All electronic devices are off and out of sight

Discipline /

Arrive on time & be in your seat
Behave appropriately and use courteous language
Keep food and drink outside

Everyone United /

Encourage confidence
Cooperate and collaborate

Attire

Acceptable attire will be black jazz or yoga pants (to the knee or longer). No zippers, buttons or shorts please. Tanks or tee shirts are required and should not fly up or show bellies. Sweatshirts/jackets are acceptable for warm-up. Attire should be form-fitting, allow for freedom of movement and be dress code appropriate. Students must remove jewelry and secure hair away from the face.

Make-Up Work/Late Work Policy

A dance student always has homework! It is expected that each evening he/she will practice/review what he/she learned in class that day.

A student has one school day for each day missed to make-up work/test assigned during his/her excused absence regardless of the number of days absent. For example, if a student is absent on Thursday and Friday, he/she will have Monday and Tuesday of the following week to make up work and must turn in the work that was assigned during the days absent on Wednesday. (This includes absences due to field trips and sporting events).Participation pointsand work missed due to an unexcused absence will result in a zero for the day.

Coursework and assessments assigned prior to the absence(s) may still be due on the date assigned. It is the student’s responsibility to check with teachers immediately upon return for work missed and possible adjustment of due dates. Check your level folder (on the tables) in the back of the room for missed work or forms. In most cases Ms. Shane may need to schedule an appointment with the student to arrange due dates and make-up tests as needed.

Long term projects are assignments given at least two weeks in advance. Teachers should note that the assignment is a long term project in the written instructions provided for the students. Long term projects are due on or before the date assigned, even if the student or teacher is absent on the due date.

See the Student Handbook for additional details.

Dress Rehearsals and Performances are absolutely mandatory. Students will be given advanced notice of the dress rehearsal and performance dates in this syllabus and will need to make all necessary arrangements in order to participate. See page 7. Rehearsal and Performance participation will be a portion of the final exam grade.

Adherence to the Boulder Creek Academic Integrity Code

All students enrolled in Dance Fundamentalswill adhere to the framework and guidelines set forth in the Boulder Creek High School Academic Integrity Code. Cheating and Plagiarism will not be tolerated. The purpose of this code is to promote a positive learning environment for all involved. As humans, we will make mistakes as we grow. It is understood that we can learn from those mistakes and become better individuals in the future. Any student who violates this code will be referred to the Students Rights and Responsibilities handbook and assignment of appropriate consequences. Please refer to the Academic Integrity Code in your student handbook for more details.

Technology

New policy- Recording devices such as cell phones are not permitted to be out or in use in the dance studio from bell to bell. Exceptions will occur only when Ms. Shane gives preapproval.

Communication

Dance is an inherently physical art, the nature of which often necessitates physical contact between teacher and student as well as between student and student. This instructional strategy is always for the purposes of correct body alignment or creative exploration (i.e. choreography, contact improvisation, weight sharing, etc.) If a student is uncomfortable with this aspect of dance, I urge him/her to make an appointment to speak with me in private. Likewise, if a parent/guardian should have any concerns, I encourage him/her to contact me. Most importantly, I am always available for my students and their parents. Please do not hesitate to contact me if there is ever a question, a concern, or even an observation. I look forward to the beginning of a successful and exciting school year!

Most sincerely,

Stacy M. Shane

Dance Department

You may make up any EXCUSED ABSENCE participation points with the following writing assignments. You may write one page per day absent. To receive all points, your paper must be typed in 12 pt font, Times New Roman, double spaced, and all sources MUST be cited. Don’t know what this means? Ask Ms. Shane, a librarian, or your Language Arts teacher! Paper will be returned ungraded if any of these requirements are not met.

1 -Write a 1 page paper discussing Martha Graham’s impact on the dance world. Watch video clips of her movement and create your own opinion of her work.

2 -Write a 1 page paper detailing the creative connection of Merce Cunningham and John Cage. What were their ideals? How did they work together? What do you think it would be like to collaborate with someone like this?

3 –Write a 1 page paper about any of the following artists/choreographers. What did they world think of them and why?

Ruth St. Denis

Charles Weidman

Pearl Primus

Anna Pavlova

Bob Fosse

Bojangles

4 -Write a 1 page paper about the emergence of ballet from court dance. Include the significance of King Louis XVI. What do you think ballet would look like today if King Louis XVI never existed?

5 –Write a 1 page paper about an idea you have for a dance piece. What is the idea/theme? What type of movement would you incorporate? Floor patterns? Music? Costumes? Number of dancers? Be specific!

Video Information

Over the course of the school year, dance students of all levels will intensively study dance techniques and numerous related subjects during their dance classes.

Educational dance videos can be incredibly valuable as a supplement to the dance curriculum, but in order for your student to participate in viewing, both you and your student will need to sign a permission form on the last page of this syllabus. Keep in mind, without the completed permission slip your student may not view any videos!

All of the listed videos are categorized “Unrated- PG-13”. No videos rated “R” will be shown. Although the list is fairly comprehensive, additional videos may be viewed due to the direction of our creativity, genres of our guest artists, or expansion of curriculum.

Dance Fundamentals:

“Isadora Duncan: Movement from the Soul” - Unrated

“Humphrey: Water Study” - Unrated

“Martha Graham: The Dancer Revealed” - Unrated

“Martha Graham in Performance” - Unrated

“Points in Space” - Unrated

“Dancetime”- Unrated

“Riverdance” - Unrated

“Tap Dogs” - Unrated

“Nutcracker Ballet” - Unrated

“West Side Story” - Unrated

“A Chorus Line” - PG-13

“Stormy Weather” - Unrated

“Tap” - PG-13

Intermediate Dance:

“Dancetime”- Unrated

“NOVA: Dying to be Thin”- Unrated

“Denishawn: The Birth of Modern Dance” - Unrated

“Romeo and Juliet Ballet” - Unrated

Advanced Dance:

“The Perfect Partnership: Fonteyn and Nureyev” - Unrated

“Pilobolus” - Unrated

“Balanchine” - Unrated

“Parsons Dance Company” – Unrated

Dance Ensemble:

“Paul Taylor: Dancemaker” – Unrated

Clips of Loie Fuller

Performance Dance Ensemble

“Jose Limon” Three Modern Dance Classics” - Unrated

“An Evening with Alvin Ailey” - Unrated

“Bill T Jones: Dancing to the Promised Land” - Unrated

Dear dance students and parents/guardians,

The Dance Department’s annual Winter Dance Concert and Spring Dance Concert will be here before you know it! This letter is for the purposes of giving you pertinent 2015- 2016 concert information with sufficient advanced notice. Dress Rehearsals and Performances are absolutely mandatory. All students are expected to make prior arrangements in order to participate in both the dress rehearsal and the 3 concerts (as is stated on the dance syllabus). More specific information concerning costuming, show order, and behavior expectations will be handed out at a later date. Our performance calendar is as follows:

Winter Dance Concert Dates:

WednesdayNovember 4th: Deadline to inform Ms. Shane of conflicts

Wednesday December 2nd- Dress Rehearsal

Thurs December 3rd, Fri December 4th- 7pm Show, Sat December 5th- 2pm Show

Spring Dance Concert Dates:

Wednesday April 6th - Deadline to inform Ms. Shane of conflicts

Tuesday May 3rd – Dress Rehearsal

Wednesday May 4th, Thursday May 5th, Friday May 6th– 7pm Performances

Student Choreography Concert Dates: (OPTIONAL)

Tuesday February 16th - Dress Rehearsal and Performance

All students will have the opportunity BEFORE the conflict deadline to opt out of performing. Those who decide not to perform must learn the dances and rehearse them with the other students in order to receive participation credit. To make up performance credit, these students will be assigned a research paper. Should you/your child not be able to participate due to emergency such as severe illness, severe injury, or death in the family, Ms Shane will need a written excuse from parent/guardian, at which point a research paper will be assigned. In order to remain consistent and fair, and in light of this early indication of concert dates, no other reasons for non-participation will be accepted.

Thank you!

Stacy Shane

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Students and parents, please sign, detach and return to Ms. Shane by August 14, 2015 indicating that you understand and agree to all the information provided in the Dance Fundamentals syllabus.

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Student Print Parent/Guardian Print