Syllabus
Course Title:
Term:
Schedule:
Ballet I (Beginning Ballet)
Fall semester 2013
MWF 8:00-8:50AM AM, Room 6400
Instructor Information
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Delma Iles, MFA
Department of Music, Theater and Dance
Office: 3604-38
Office Hours: MW 1:30-4:30 PM, TR 2:10-4:10 PM
*Please note that if I am not in my office during these hours I am probably in 6400
completing a class or rehearsal.
Office phone: 305-237-3040/alternate phone: 305-858-7002
Email: diles@mdc.edu/ alternate email: mdanceco@bellsouth.net
Course Description
Classical Ballet is the existing, codified basis for all western forms of theatrical dance. Ballet
I (Beginning Ballet) introduces the student to the basic concepts of ballet: body alignment,
positions, and steps that constitute the ballet technique at the beginning level. This class will
focus on proper body alignment, the use of turnout, balance, and overall physical strength.
Emphasis will be placed on the exactness of the movement incorporating precision of line,
coordination of the upper torso, and rhythmic forms of movement. The use of ballet
vocabulary will increase the student’s performance and improve overall skills.
---Course prerequisite: There is no prerequisite for Ballet I.
This course is a Lab class. All classes are direct participation in dance instruction
OBJECTIVES
After the completion of two semesters of Ballet I, the student will demonstrate:
1. The correct execution of beginning ballet steps using proper body alignment, turnout, and
weight distribution on the feet.
2. Understanding of the ballet vocabulary, using it correctly when referring to a movement.
3. Responding to verbal commands, defining the movement, spelling ballet terms correctly
and demonstrating them in action.
4. Understanding the way in which correct body alignment correlates with ballet movement.
5. Understanding of how to put together steps to form beginning level combinations that are
performed with musical counts.
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UNITS
Students in Beginning Ballet will study and understand:
1. Exercises at the barre and in center floor. 7 of the 9 codified barre exercises.
2. Positions of the torso, legs, feet, and arms in relationship to the eight positions of the
room. 8 of the 13 codified basic body positions in centre.
3. Balance, increased level of muscular strength and flexibility, outward rotation of the legs,
and proper alignment.
4. Beginning body movements such as: plie, tendu, degage, ronde de jambe, frappe,
passe/retire, developpe, grand battement, balance, saute, changement, echappe, pas de
chat, glissade, assemble, pas de bourree, arabesque, chasse, saute arabesque, grand jete,
pique .
5. How to spell and demonstrate the ballet vocabulary taught in class.
Please review the ballet vocabulary list distributed with this syllabus for information on the
steps and concepts that will be taught in this course.
Timeliness
The beginning of class is essential for adequate preparation of the body/mind for dance,
building a daily sequence of positive and effective conditioning. Your work in each class is
an evolution in and of itself. Training yourself in this process allows you to rise to your
maximum capabilities.
ON TIME means physically and cognitively being in class properly attired and fully
prepared to participate at the time the class is scheduled to begin.
 Students arriving more than 15 minutes late will not be admitted to class and the
class will be counted as an absence.
 Three tardy arrivals equal one absence. Tardy is defined as entering the classroom
any time after the MDC designated start time up to 15 minutes thereafter.
 Every three unexcused absences will automatically lower your final grade by one
letter grade!
Textbooks/Resources/Supplies
No textbook required. Gail Grant’s “A Handbook in Classical Ballet Technique” is strongly
recommended as supplementary study material. Available on Amazon.com
Ballet shoes absolutely required by the third day of class (August 30). No exceptions!
All students must wear proper dance attire for all classes including:
 Hair securely fastened away from the face and neck
 Ballet slippers (pink or white for women, black or white for men). No jazz shoes, jazz
sneakers, aerobics shoes, etc.
 Leotards and tights or dance pants in solid colors only – not prints. Dance skirts and
sweaters are allowed.
 Men must wear a dance belt (athletic support for dance) to avoid injury.
 Not allowed: plastic pants, large, bulky items of clothing, pantyhose, large jewelry, hats,
or any item of attire that interferes with the class. No bare midriffs. No street clothes in
dance classes.
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*Please note that students may be dismissed from class for wearing improper attire!
Course Evaluation/Grading Policy/Assessment Methods/Schedule
Class participation and effort (50%)
1. Class participation, progression, and working in a group
2. Attitude in class, discipline, respecting the instructor, classmates and yourself.
3. Attendance and promptness. SHOW UP ON TIME!
4. Participation in answering questions and showing steps and combinations in class
5. Although attendance is paramount, effort is also essential. Effort constitutes half of your
classroom participation grade.
Progress (30%)
1. The student’s progression of physical conditioning and execution of proper technique,
balance, and coordination
2. Improvement or evidence of learning
3. Quality of performance within technical parameters
Vocabulary (10%)
1. Knowledge and understanding of the ballet vocabulary throughout class using oral and
written exams
Written Critique (10%)
1,000-word critique of a professional dance performance the student attended. Please
note that you cannot make an “A” in this course if you do not turn in this paper.
Course Policies
MOST IMPORTANT: ATTENDANCE
Every three unexcused absences result in a drop of one letter grade!!!
Every three tardies/lates equal one absence.
*Students who arrive more that 15 minutes late will not be admitted to
class and the class will count as an absence.
Students are only excused from class with a doctor’s note explaining a physical ailment
that prohibits the student from dancing. A student is required to attend class even with
a doctor’s note if the student is mobile.
*Students who are not able to dance due to illness or injury will receive full credit for
attendance provided that the student arrives on time, observes the class to the end, and
writes an evaluation of one of the students participating in the class, which will be
turned in at the conclusion of the class.
Excused absences:
Religious holidays
Miami-Dade official activities
MDC Wolfson Dancers performances
Excused absences for unique circumstances are entirely at the discretion of the instructor.
MAKE UP POLICY
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Students who have missed a class may make up the class by attending another MiamiDade dance class approved by the instructor. Students may make up up to 6 classes in
this manner. All absences beyond 6 classes are not eligible for make up and will directly
result in a deduction from the final grade as described above.
*No make up classes are allowed during the final week of the semester.
EVERY THIRD TARDY RESULTS IN AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE!
Classes begin on time! Be prompt!
The first part of the class is integral for adequate preparation of the body for dance.
Written paper:
 Must be 1,000 words typed & single-spaced
 Is due at the time of the class on December 13 (can be turned in early)
 Can be submitted via email, but email submissions must be RECEIVED no later than
the end of the class period on December 13
 Will not be accepted late. Late is defined as any time after the conclusion of Ballet I
class on December 13. All late papers will receive a grade of “F”.
 All written work must be original. Any plagiarized work will receive a grade of “0”
and the student may be subject to additional disciplinary measures depending on the
severity of the offense. Please see the Miami Dade College Student Handbook for
additional collegewide policies regarding plagiarism and academic honesty.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PLAGARISM AND CHEATING ARE ACADEMIC
FELONIES. Plagiarizing will automatically result in a grade of 0 for the assignment
and possibly expulsion from Miami Dade College. Please refer to the Miami Dade
College Manual of Policy for complete descriptions of all college wide policies and
procedures.
To avoid plagiarism: If you directly copy the words of an author, then you must place them
in quotes and cite the source. If you paraphrase someone else’s ideas, you must cite the
source. If an idea is not yours, cite the author and the work from which you received the idea.
Common knowledge and factual information is not generally cited. Copying from
performance program books is plagiarism.
Final Exam
No make up exams will be given unless arranged for IN ADVANCE for very good
reason!
Final Exam Schedule:
December 11 – Exam review
December 13 – Written Exam & Practical Exam
Makeup exams will not be given except under the most extreme circumstances!
Extra credit: No extra credit is available in this course. Dance requires direct classroom
participation. No outside work can substitute for class work.
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Students with Special Needs: Please see the instructor at the beginning of the semester to
discuss special needs as applicable.
Classroom behavior:
 Students should raise their hand if they have a question. Talking about subjects other
than the classroom material is not acceptable.
 If students are injured or unable to fully participate in the class, this should be
discussed with the instructor prior to the beginning of the class, not after the class has
started.
 Students needing to take a bathroom break should inform the instructor, not just walk
out of the room. Bathroom breaks should be brief.
 Absolutely NO GUM, FOOD OR DRINKS DURING CLASS (water only!)
 All students should treat each other with respect.
 All cell phones must be turned off during the class. If your cell phone rings during
class you will be counted as absent for that class!
Please note that disruption of a class is a misdemeanor under Florida state law!
Instructor Feedback:
Every dance class incorporates direct feedback from the instructor in the form of
“corrections”. This is a traditional part of dance technique classes. Corrections are given both
to the whole class as general information for improvement, and to individuals for personal
improvement. Because each dance student is unique, personal corrections are specific to the
individual student. Receiving corrections does not mean that a student is doing poorly. Even
the most advanced professional dancers continue to receive corrections throughout their
careers. Rather, corrections are information provided for personal improvement in technique
and performance. All students should take corrections very seriously because they are the key
to personal improvement. Student response (by listening to and applying the information
provided) to corrections is calculated as part of the grade dedicated to classroom
participation, effort, and progress.
Safety Rules for Ballet class
 Arrive on time! Your warmup is essential to avoiding injuries!
 Leave adequate space between dancers at the barre. The instructor will show students
how to work safely when the class is crowded.
 In the center, remain in the line assigned to you that day by the instructor and space
the line evenly between the students.
 Stay with the group you are assigned to each day. Do not change groups unless
requested to do so by the instructor.
 NEVER WALK OR RUN BACK THROUGH A GROUP OF ONCOMING
DANCERS! ALWAYS EXIT THE DANCE FLOOR IN A FORWARD, THEN
SIDE DIRECTION!
 Students who place others in danger through thoughtless running around or getting in
the way of other dancers will be asked to leave the class!
 Be prepared to dance when it is your turn, hesitations throw off the space between
dancers and put others in danger.
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Deep stretching should be attempted only after the body is warmed up or you risk
injury.
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 Student Withdrawal from Class:
If you feel that you will be unable to complete the requirements for passing this class, you
have the option to withdraw from the class by the College’s “drop date” of November 6.
However, there are consequences of which you need to be aware: if you drop a class or stop
attending and you should always speak to your instructor or an advisor first. For example,
you must earn at least two-thirds or 67% of the total credits for which you have registered
and that failure to comply with this requirement will adversely impact your financial aid
status with MDC. If after considering the possible consequences, you still opt drop the class,
keep in mind that it is your responsibility to do so (not the instructor’s) and failure to
withdrawal will result in you earning a grade of “F” for the course you stop attending.
If extenuating circumstances (e.g., illness, accident, change in employment situation, etc.)
prevent you from continuing to attend your class before the drop date, speak to your
instructor first and if needed, to the Chairperson to assess your options.
Available Support Services and information
Students are encouraged to read:
The Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet by Gail Grant, Dover Books
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ballet by Horst Koegler
Classical Ballet Technique by Gretchen Ward Warren
Additionally, students are encouraged to read and view material relevant to this course such
as: dance concerts, videos, and other books.
The Miami-Dade County Public Library in downtown Miami has an excellent collection of
dance books and videos available.
The MDC Wolfson library has a small, but high quality selection of dance books, videos and
DVD’s.
Students are strongly encouraged to attend dance performances presented by Miami Dade
College’s MDC Live Arts. These are available free or for $5 with your student ID.
Announcements will be made in class when these performances are coming up.
Students are also strongly encouraged to attend dance performances at New World School of
the Arts. These are available free or for $5 with your student ID.
Suggestions for success:
 Listen carefully to all instructions and try to apply them directly to your body.
 Applying both group and personal corrections is the key to improvement.
 Don’t compare yourself to the other students in the class. Each person is different
with a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses. Some students have had
prior dance training before enrolling in this class and are starting with more
experience and knowledge. YOU ARE UNIQUE! Each person progresses
differently depending on their personal combination of strength, flexibility,
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coordination, previous experience, mind/body connection, knowledge of music, and
many other factors.
Don’t be afraid to request an explanation if there is something you do not understand.
Do learn the French terminology of Ballet. It will be used in all Ballet classes you
take from now on, in every dance school in the world. It will also be invaluable in
learning all Ballet combinations as well as many combinations in jazz, modern, and
other dance forms.
Important Dates:
Week of December 2 – 6 – Ballet I will not meet in 6400 due to the theater Department’s
production that week. An alternative location will be assigned and communicated to
you later in the semester.
August 30 – last day to drop and receive a full refund. Also last day to change classes or add
new classes.
September 2 – Labor Day Holiday
November 6 – Last day to withdraw from classes
November 11 – Veterans Day Holiday
November 28-december 1 - Thanksgiving Holiday
December 13 – last day of regular classes
December 14 20 Final exam Week
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