Dance Arts

Hip Hop I is a beginning-level course designed to introduce students to the foundational techniques, vocabulary, and artistry essential for dancers at the beginner to early-intermediate level. Students will study a variety of dance forms, including hip-hop, jazz, ballet, musical theatre, tap, and cultural dance, gaining versatility and confidence across multiple styles. The course also incorporates key concepts such as dance history, dance terminology, stage and theater etiquette, and an understanding of basic anatomy as it relates to safe and efficient movement.

Students will develop kinesthetic awareness, movement memory, creative expression, and aesthetic appreciation through technique classes, improvisation, choreography units, and performance-based activities. Additional learning experiences include writing a dance critique, exploring multimedia dance forms, studying functional anatomy and nutrition, and investigating the art of performing.

Class activities include participation in the school’s Emerge (Fall) Dance Show, a mandatory performance requirement for all students. Research assignments throughout the course deepen students’ understanding of dance as both an art form and a lifelong physical pursuit.

Through daily physical participation, students will strengthen their physical fitness, self-discipline, self-confidence, and independence as movers. By the end of Hip Hop I, each student should leave feeling encouraged, supported, and inspired—carrying with them a new appreciation for dance and the skills necessary to continue their artistic growth.

Additional Expectations:
Daily physical participation is required and is a significant part of each student’s grade. Excessive absences will impact your overall evaluation in the course.