Arts
Dance
Supporting the Musicality of the Individual
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Fluidity, Balance, Flexibility, Rhythm, and Spatial Awareness
The Sewickley Academy Fine and Performing Arts program strives to develop the creative potential in each student, a process which is both intellectual and experiential. A rich, varied experience in the arts is essential to educating the whole child, and students are encouraged to explore these opportunities as they engage and master skills in visual arts, music, dance, and theater.
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Early Childhood (PK-K)
Movement and balance are taught and practiced in small groups in the classroom and through the Music program. Formal instruction begins in Grade 1. -
Grade 1
Young children begin to experience movement in the Early Childhood Music program, but formal dance instruction begins in Grade 1. All Academy students are expected to take dance while in the Lower School. In Grade 1, the program focuses on rhythm, coordination, physical strength and stamina, but choreography is introduced as children learn that dance requires moving in a sequence of steps. Creative movement is also emphasized. -
Grade 2
Children learn and become comfortable with a sequence of dance steps, such as social dancing and musical stage dancing. Children learn to dance with partners and in groups. They also learn that dance is an expression of emotion as well as of culture. -
Grade 3
Children begin to learn the contexts and simple choreography of classical dance: ballet, tap, jazz, modern. Creative movement continues to be an important part of the dance experience, as children experiment in small groups with combinations that they’ve learned. -
Grade 4
Children learn more complex choreography and experiment with more creative movement. They learn to respect their bodies and the bodies of their peers and begin to appreciate dance as an art form. Children participate in simple programs and perform once a year for small groups of parents. -
Grade 5
The Grade 5 fully-staged musical play is the culmination of the Lower School Dance and Music program and an interdisciplinary project of the Dance, Music, and Theater Departments, in which every Grade 5 student participates. -
Grade 6
Art electives are offered in the following categories for students in Grade 6: digital arts, performing arts, and visual arts. Performing arts classes prepare for an ensemble performance either large or small during the term.Music & Dance
Students will explore rhythms, steps, and composition techniques in tap dancing and music classes. Working with dance and music teachers, they will create, write, rehearse, and perform their own stomp percussion piece that combines elements of both tap dance and instrumental percussion. -
Grades 7-8
Art electives are offered in the following categories for students in Grades 7 and 8: digital arts, performing arts, visual arts, and music. Students select these courses in the spring by rank ordering their choices in an electronic form, sent through email. All students will be placed in three courses, one each trimester. Performing arts classes prepare for an ensemble performance either large or small during the term.Hip-Hop
Students will learn and choreograph dance styles from old-school to current hip-hop, as they also study the influence of jazz dance on this popular form.
Ballroom
Students will learn and practice various ballroom styles including waltz, tango, salsa and swing. These formal and social dances will benefit students as they transition into the Senior School dance curriculum, as well as any outside event where they can showcase their dance prowess. -
Grades 9-12
Dance courses in the Senior School are designed for the novice to intermediate dancer and allow for ample growth. Students are encouraged to begin their journey with Intro to Dance, before proceeding to other styles. This course will prepare them with the foundational skills to succeed in future classes and genres throughout their dance education at Sewickley Academy. The remaining dance offerings integrate Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip‐Hop and Musical Theatre according to the needs and interests of each student. Each course includes warm‐ups, vocabulary, and progressively challenging combinations. Students also have the opportunity to apply the skills they have acquired by creating self‐choreographic pieces.The Academy believes that dance is an important part of a child’s education. Fluidity, balance, flexibility, rhythm, and spatial awareness complement and support the musicality of the individual.
