The dance program in Preschool through Grade 7, based primarily in creative movement, strives to assist the student in developing a degree of satisfaction in and mastery of their body movement for their own pleasure, confidence and self-esteem. Students experience the expressive and imaginative potential of their movement as well as the physical and athletic aspects. This allows the student to expand their range of movement by experiencing opportunities to explore, discover, invent, and develop different ways of moving. Though the creative process is stressed, it is also beneficial for students to make dances for themselves and others, to learn dances and to perform dances. The dance program incorporates the National Standards for Dance Education, both in terms of content standards and achievement standards. Developing the students' appreciation of folk, ethnic and social dance in addition to dance as art is folded into the movement experience.
Dance in Grades 8 and 9 draws on the skills, concepts and vocabulary of the former years, but approaches the study of movement from two different perspectives.
Eighth grade dance class is based on an interdisciplinary approach, investigating various academic, artistic and athletic disciplines, and the ways in which they can be explored using dance. The dual premise is that not only will students become aware of various techniques, trends and styles in dance, so too will they be able to interpret various concepts, using dance and movement as an expressive tool. Each unit revolves around a specific area of study under which there are various subheadings that are available for research and/or investigation. Students will complete research in a chosen subject, not only to learn dances, but also to choreograph their own, thus deepening their understanding of their body and their world.
The 9th Grade high school level course is designed to culminate the prior years of study in creative movement and dance through an exploration of a specific area of study chosen from basic guidelines and designed by the student. This will allow the student to utilize a technical knowledge base, their creativity and their intellectual curiosity to pursue an area of concentration that is meaningful to them. Students will draft a formal proposal and will pursue an in-depth project as they develop a relevant vocabulary for investigating and critiquing the arts. This project will culminate with a presentation or performance at the conclusion of the semester, and the process throughout the semester will be documented in a manner of the students’ choosing.
Dance Ensemble
Dance Ensemble is an elective for those middle school students who are interested in exploring and participating in more dance and choreography than they have in their regularly scheduled dance classes. This extracurricular class meets on Fridays from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. in the dance studio.
After a brief warm-up, Mrs. Williams works with the dancers to generate a piece that is based in modern dance technique, but also incorporates other styles. This is an opportunity for students to give their input to the piece as well, and it ultimately becomes a collaborative effort.
We may work on several pieces throughout the semester, and one of these will be performed in the Spring Arts Program in May. There have also been occasions when, if the dancers are ready, they will be able to perform in the Grandparents’ Day performance in April.
As a culmination to their study of the fine arts, Pine Point's 9th grade students choose semester-long courses in one of the four disciplines: visual art, music, dance, or theatre. Classes meet three times each week.
