Beginning Dance Class Disclosure

Beginning Dance (Dance 1A) Disclosure

Teacher:  Jennifer Pitt                                Email:  jpitt@dsdmail.net

Classroom:  Multi-purpose room             Office:  In Room E4

 Office Hours:  8:00 am – 8:15 am, and 3:00 pm – 3:15 pm

 

Course Description: This is a semester long, beginning level dance course which builds skill in dance technique, improvisation, and composition.  We will explore the elements of dance—time, space, energy, and body—through the study of dance technique, choreography, composition and improvisation activities, different dance genres and dance history.

LEARNING GUIDELINES, PROCEDURES & POLICIES

Materials Needed:

1. Combination lock for gym locker.Please do not get the cheap ones from the dollar stores. They break after a couple of weeks.  Also, DO NOT get locks that unlock with a key.  It is too easy for the key to be lost.
2. School issued device
3. Dance Attire/Work-Out clothes, non-slip socks or dance shoes (ballet or jazz).
4. Deodorant and other personal hygiene items to be stored in your gym locker.

Fees:  There is a $5.00 materials fee to cover costs for items we use during our instruction.  This can be paid through your student's myDSD account.  

Dance Clothing Guidelines:  Dance attire must be fitted to the body.  This is helpful for me as a teacher to see proper musculo-skeletal alignment during our various dance activities.  Students have two options in dressing for dance:  

1. Option #1 (Change into dance clothes before class):Students can change for class before entering the dance space.  They will be given 5 minutes from the time the tardy bell rings to get dressed for class and to use the restroom.  Roll will be taken exactly 5 minutes after the tardy bell rings.  Students will have 5 minutes at the end of class to dress before bell rings to be dismissed. 
2. Option #2 (Come dressed to school in movement appropriate clothing):Students can come dressed in clothes that are appropriate for movement exploration (NO DENIM PANTS/SHORTS OR SKIRTS/DRESSES PLEASE!).  They will be expected to be in the classroom before the tardy bell rings.  

Clothing Guidelines:

• Tops:T-shirts (long or short sleeve) that are fitted. Leotards are also allowed. Wide strap tank tops allowed.
• BottomsFitted dance/yoga pants, capris or shorts. WARNING--Some leggings have the potential to be see-through. Please check your leggings to make sure they are not see-through when you bend over. Work-out shorts or basketball shorts.
• Feet:Students will be able to dance in non-slip socks, dance shoes, or bare feet.  Socks without non-slip marks on the bottom are NOT ALLOWED--This is for the student’s safety.  No street shoes in the movement space.
• Hair:It is recommended but not required to have hair pulled back and out of the face.

ABSOLUTELY NO:  Baggy sweats, huge t-shirts, gum, or large jewelry. If you forget your clothes or where clothes that are not appropriate for movement exploration, you will be docked classroom etiquette points for the day.

Classroom Expectations:  I have high expectations for all the students.  I am confident that we can make this a great semester of learning! R-E-S-P-E-C-T is most important in a participation class such as this.  Let's work hard, but still make time for a fun journey together exploring the world of dance!

• Be on time. Three or more tardies = an N citizenship grade.
• Dress in appropriate attire for movement exploration.
• Come to class prepared to work and participate in all class activities.  If absent, complete and turn in the makeup assignments in Canvas.
• Be respectful towards yourself and others. No talking when the instructor is teaching, or when students are teaching.
• No food, gum, or drink in the dance space. You may have water. It is recommended that you bring a water bottle with you to class.
• Cell phones need to be kept in backpacks unless I ask students to pull out their devices for use during a lesson.

Citizenship:  Failure to follow our classroom expectations will affect a student's citizenship grade. Students may receive an N or a U depending on the severity of non-compliance. Parents and students will be notified by email of the change in citizenship grade. Ad work/projects will be provided for students to make-up any "unsatisfactory" citizenship grade. (See School Handbook for further information on Citizenship Grade Policy).

Citizenship grade status can be checked in Canvas on a weekly basis as well. All students start with a 4 at the beginning of each term.  Students will receive one warning before their citizenship grade is lowered.  After the warning a student’s citizenship grade will go down in 0.5 increments.

Citizenship grading scale:

• 0 = H (honorable)
• 5 = G (good)
• 0 = S (satisfactory)
• 5 = N (needs work)
• 0 = U (unsatisfactory)

Attendance, Absences, Participation & Tardies: 

Participation: Students will be expected to attend and participate in class.  By participating in class students are completing assignments and learning the materials that align with the DSD DESK Standards. Students are graded each day for the effort they make towards learning the material they are being taught.   

• Absences: When students are absent, for any reason, they will need to make the absence up.  Make-up work is done through completing a corresponding assignment on Canvas. All make-up work is due the last day of each term. 
• Tardies:Please see school handbook for policy on Tardies. Tardiness is defined as not being in the dance space, in their assigned spot, with the required materials exactly 5 minutes after the tardy bell rings. Three or more tardies = an N
• Assessment Days:Students will be given a total of six performance assessments throughout the semester, three per term.  If students are absent on assessment days they will need to come in before school to make up the assessment.
• Sitting Out of Class: Students will dance unless I have a note from a doctor or parent explaining the situation. If a student sits out they will be required to complete the make-up assignment on Canvas for each in-class day they sit out. Modifications will be made for those healing from an injury.

Cell Phones & Backpacks:  Cell phones are to be stored in back packs unless the teacher asks you to get it out for use in class work.  Please see School Policy Handbook for more details concerning the school’s cell phone policy.  Backpacks are to be kept in a designated place assigned to each student. 

Communication:  I will post an announcement on Canvas each week at the beginning of the week.  This announcement contains important information of what we will be doing during class, any change in schedule, as well as links to make-up assignments for those that are absent. If you know you will be absent or if you are unexpectedly absent, these announcements are where you should go if you want to know what you need to do to make up any absence.  

Hall Pass Policy: Use of the hall pass is per the teacher’s discretion.  Students using a hall pass for more than 10 minutes will be considered truant per school policy. An email will be sent to parents when/if this occurs.

Late Work: All late work must be turned in by the end of each term to get credit.

Extra credit:  Opportunities for extra-credit will provided throughout the semester for those that have turned in all their course work. 

Use of Media: We will be using a variety of dance on film, photography, and video recordings to reinforce concepts taught in class or through remote learning lessons.  We will be using the Canvas platform as our main learning platform.  We will also be accessing Nearpod, Flip-grid and Microsoft Teams in our learning activities.  These will be used in-class. Links to resources have not been vetted beyond the original page cited.

Video Recording: To assess individual improvement, students will be submitting self-record videos and be recorded in-class throughout the course of the semester. These video recordings are used for class observation, assessments, and group projects only. 

Grading Standards & Grading Scale: Your grade will be determined based on achievement of meeting the learning objectives of the course.  Each assessment will be linked to the Priority Standards for this course.  Priority Standards focus on the following categories: 

• Elements of Dance--Time, Space and Energy
• Body—Technical Skills
• Respond and Connect—Cross-Curricular activities, Dance History, Dance Genres
• Composition—Creating movement phrases, and dances.
• Present—Perform dances, analyze dance performances, classroom etiquette.

 

Assessments will be based on 4-point scale. 

Here is a sample of the grading system based on the Element of Dance—Time:

4 – Mastery	3 – Proficient	2 – Developing	1—Emerging
Accurate in beat, tempo, rhythms of dance sequences.	Shows a basic understanding of tempo and beat, but sometimes falls behind and/or speeds up in places or makes errors rhythm.	Attempts to keep a rhythm but gets off beat and speeds up or falls behind often.  Doesn’t follow beat in music.	Student does not attempt to keep a rhythm and is rarely on beat or on tempo.  Doesn’t follow beat in music.

 

Term Grading Scale: 

Grades are updated once a week on Canvas and MyDSD. Grades are weighted as follows:

• 40% of term grade: Daily Class Assignments
• 40% of term grade: Performance Assessments
• 20% of term grade: Weekly Journal Entries

A 4.0

A- 3.50

B+ 3.25

B 3.0

B- 2.50

C+ 2.25

C 2.0

C- 1.50

D+ 1.25

D 1.0

D- 0.5

F 0.0

 

Course Content: Students will participate in the following dance units.  A performance assessment will follow each unit. 

• Body Awareness: General anatomy terms, basic dance technique and alignment, locomotor terminology, axial terminology, the value of a warm-up & cool down in dance, and kinesphere.
• Elements of Dance—Energy: Kinetic (movement) words, energy qualities, weight, bound flow, free flow, stillness, and using energy to communicate emotion in dance.  History in motion: Hip-Hop and Jazz.
• Elements of Dance—Space: Range, shape, levels, pathways, direction, and positive/negative space. History in motion: Ballet and Contemporary.
• Elements of Dance—Time: Beat, tempo, rhythm, accent, meter, syncopation, accompaniment. History in motion: Social/Ballroom and Broadway.
• Dance Composition: Motif, choreographic forms, choreographic devices, critical analysis, choreographic inspiration and ideas, dance production, dance notation.
• Dance Around the World: Cultural dances from various countries throughout the world.   

Weekly Journal Entries:  Students will be expected to complete a short journal entry each week on Canvas. If students do not complete these entries during class time that will be given for this assignment, they will be expected to be completed at home.  All journal entries will be due the end of each term. 

 

The Positive Impact of Dance:  Dance can have a positive impact on student achievement, teacher satisfaction and school culture.  Examples of positive impact of dance education in schools include:

• Increases reading and STEM test scores.
• Offers neurological benefits, including persistence at task, memory retention, and making cognitive connections.
• Develops social and emotional coping skills, including tolerance, focus and engagement.
• Supports integrated teaching practices
• Boosts teacher and school morale.

 

**Despite precautions being taken by the school and the instructor, accidents and injuries may occur. By signing this disclosure, I/we (the student and parent/guardian) assume all risks related to the use of all spaces used for class-time instruction. **

**Because of the physical nature of dance the instructor may give tactile feedback to students.  If any student at any time feels uncomfortable with this, please politely let the instructor know prior to class. **

Signed by Students and Guardians on myDSD