Vista School

Mrs. Maynes rmaynes@vistautah.com http://my.uen.org/myuen/87173

Dance/Theatre 1st Grade

A or B Day - every other day Course Description:
Dance/Theatre 1 is an exposure to all types of dance, with an emphasis on connecting to other subjects. It also introduces basic theatre skills, such as movement, voice, accurate sequencing, listening and responding to others, and dramatic storytelling. This course will teach technique and terminology, creative movement, improvisation, and choreography, the elements of dance, and that dance and theatre can be used as an instrument to learn other curriculums. Students will have 50-minute classes twice a week and 35-minute classes every other Friday. In this time, students will be preparing for combined Performing Arts concerts, held twice each year.

Curriculum:
The curriculum will be a combination of American Academy of Ballet, Utah State First Grade Core Curriculum and cross-curricular lessons. A broad overview of the year-long curriculum can be found on my UEN site at http://my.uen.org/myuen/87173

Course Objective:
1) Understand the benefits of physical activity. 2) Understand basic safety and identify hazards. 3) Participate in short periods of physical activity that require exertion. 4) Perform fundamental locomotor and nonlocomotor skills with mature form. 5) Create and perform unique dance movements and sequences that strengthen skills while demonstrating personal and spatial awareness. 6) Recognize and express feelings in a variety of ways (e.g., tell stories, dance, sing). 7) Create simple rhythm, movement, and melody patterns with body percussion. 8) Describe dances and stories that distinguish cultures. 9) Develop dramatic storytelling skills through flexibility in movement and voice, accurate sequencing, and listening and responding to others. 10) Create and perform/exhibit dances and dramatic stories from a variety of cultures expressing the relationship between people and their culture. 11) Develop skills in multiple dance styles. 12) Learn the elements of dance and how to identify/use them. 13) Learn dance terminology. 14) Be exposed to other styles of dance. 15) Gain experience in performing and performance etiquette. 16) Discover the joy of movement and appreciate the capabilities of the body.

Class Expectations:
1) Treat others kindly in words and actions.

2) Come to class ready to participate. 3) Keep all food, gum, drinks, shoes, outside of the dance area.

Uniform Expectations:
Students are not required to change into dance attire for this class. However, uniform clothing should permit freedom of movement (e.g., not too tight, loose, or short.) Girls should wear shorts under skirts or dresses. All students need to be barefoot or wear ballet or jazz shoes. Girls should not wear tights on dance days.

Grading:
Daily Points: 3 points per day: 1 point - attendance Students receive one point each day they attend class. I often teach something new each class period and missing a day is nearly impossible to make-up, as class work often involves working as a group. 1 point - uniform Students are in uniform, but able to move freely and be barefoot or have dance shoes. 1 point - participation/effort In class participation is essential to the growth and development of learning. This includes, but is not limited to warm up, improvisation, creating solo and group choreography, learning choreography, class discussions, peer evaluations, and in class assignments and assessments. Not only do students need to be participating, but they need to be fully engaged in each class.

Writing Assignments:
Writing about what the students are doing in class helps to process the information and remember it. Students will be given a notebook on the first Friday of their class. The notebook will be kept in the studio and used for weekly writing assignments, reflections, and other written assignments throughout the year

Performances:
Dance and Theatre are performing arts, and therefore performances are of vital importance. Students will perform in a concert in the late fall and again in the spring. Please make every effort to ensure that your child attends these performances. If there are extenuating circumstances, please address them individually with your teacher.

Make-up Work:
No make-up work will be accepted after the end of each semester. If a student is absent they have the opportunity of making up all three missed points in the following manner. Attend a live dance concert, play or musical (school, university or professional). Send an email telling me what your student attended. Alternatively, your student can view a video of a dance production, play or musical and fill out a review sheet that is available on my UEN site at http://my.uen.org/myuen/87173. Points lost for inappropriate attire or lack of participation may not be made up.

Important Information:
The student, parent, and/or guardian should understand that because of the physical nature inherent in the participation of dance, there is a potential rick of physical injury. The goal is to eliminate as many risks as possible and provide the safest program for all

concerned. In doing so, we ask for your full cooperation in following your instructors guidelines for safe activity. In order for the dance student to get the most out of their education there will be times for correction. This can be made verbally, but there will be instances where physical correction is the best method to correct technique. This would be used to correct posture, line of the legs, arms or feet, or position on the floor. Please let us know if you have any problems or discord with the teachers making these corrections in class. We want to know if you or your child is uncomfortable with touch and we will make sure to make an exception. Please Note: The students growth and understanding in dance could be compromised by not allowing the instructor to physically correct the child. Please sign and return this portion of the disclosure statement.

______________________________________________________________________ Parent Signature Print Parent Name Date

Medical History Do you have any health problems that may limit your activity? Please list below. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

__________________I do NOT agree with the instructor using touch to correct my child. Parent Signature