IB/Honors Dance
2014-2015
Troy High School
Mrs. Kellie Johnston
Phone: 714-626-4472
Office in Girls’ PE Locker Room
kjohnston@fjuhsd.net
Office Hours: by appointment
Course Description
IB Dance is a course designed to prepare the grade 11 dancer for the IB Dance exams (submissions) their
senior year. Students interested in fulfilling the subject six requirement of the IB program or interested in
earning an IB certificate in Dance opt to take IB Dance. Students participate in dance production/IB Dance
class that meets 1st period daily. The IB Dance portion will further explore the elements of Composition,
Performance Techniques, and World Dance Studies. Upon successful completion of this course, the
student will have prepared and performed a solo dance composition and begun work on a second
choreographic study. In addition, a World Dance area of study will be declared and an abstract of the
research project submitted. IB Dance will be conducted during class as well as independently.
Students need to be enrolled in a dance production/IB Dance class during 1st period and will
also require separate meetings with the teacher.
Course Goals
1. Students will understand dance as a set of practices with their own histories and theories;
understand that these practices integrate physical, intellectual and emotional knowledge.
2. Students will experience dance as an individual and collective exploration of the expressive
possibilities of bodily movement.
3. Students will understand and appreciate mastery in various dance styles, traditions and
cultures.
4. Students will understand the forms dance takes in styles, traditions and cultures other than
their own.
5. Students will recognize and use dance to create dialogue among the various traditions and
cultures in their school environment, their society and the world at large.
6. Students will demonstrate the ability to compose, arrange and to analyze and interpret
dances.
7. Students will demonstrate a comparative knowledge of the history, social and cultural
context, oral or written, of dances from more than one culture and/or tradition.
8. Students will demonstrate an ability to articulate dance movement physically and to
perform for an audience.
Course Content and Objectives
A. Composition
The student will:
1. Choreograph original works.
2. Arrange new formats for existing standard repertoire and/or traditional dances.
3. Demonstrate a facility in improvisational techniques.
4. Explore various movement possibilities and variations in accordance with the aesthetic
Principles of various dance forms.
B. World Dance Studies
The student will:
1. Explore dances and gather both a physical and theoretical understanding of non-western dance forms.
2. Demonstrate individual investigation through research.
3. Present and demonstrate research methods through written assessment.
1
C. Performance
The student will:
1. Develop movement skills appropriate to the dancer’s performance level.
2. Establish clarity in relationship to space, time, dynamics and movement qualities appropriate to
the work.
3. Develop communicative expression in relation to other performers and to the audience.
Course Assignments and Requirements
A. Composition (40% of the grade/ 60 hours for SL, 90 hours for HL)
1. Students will be assigned weekly choreographic studies leading up to two original works (610 minutes in length total); 1 solo and 1 group piece. The choreographer may be the
performer of the solo but the group must be cast with other dancers. In addition, the
choreographer must document the evolution of the choreographic process of one of the
pieces (800/1,000 word max).
2. The short choreographic studies will be evaluated on imagination, invention, creativity,
uniqueness, persistence and performance. Your co-relational skills with fellow classmates
and your ability to function with others in the exploration of compositional ideas will be
evaluated. Choreographic problems will be geared toward: developing a critical eye for
observing and evaluating work, an understanding of thematic development, and the
enhancement of sensitivity and performance.
3. Improvisation will be part of the composition process. This portion of your grade reflects
your immediate involvement with regard to movement invention. Improvisation is intended
to increase and refine abilities and understanding toward movement exploration, for selfawareness, and to encourage risk-taking both individually and as part of a group.
4. Verbal participation is a vital part of the choreographic process in a composition class.
Students will be evaluated on their willingness to share thoughts, ideas, and critique the
work of other students in the class.
B. World Dance Investigation (20% of the grade/ 30 hours for SL, 60 for HP)
1. Students will examine a range of movement forms/styles, choreographic approaches, and
cultural contexts inside and outside of the Euro-American concert tradition through various
types of media; viewing, reading and searching the internet.
2. Weekly reading and writing assignments will guide the students through the process of
selecting a focus for the culminating Dance Investigation assignment.
3. Students will explore/compare/contrast dances from different cultures/traditions thru
practical and theoretical investigation (1500/2500 word max).
C. Performance (40% of the grade/60 hours for SL, 90 hours for HL)
1. Students will perform dances from more than one style from more than one
culture/tradition. Performances can be selected from performing ensembles (Dance/Drill,
Dance Production, Advanced Dance) but at least one piece must be a solo or duet (3-6 min total
evaluated/6-9 minutes total evaluated).
2. Students will need to submit written proposals for performance evaluations that include the
dancer’s clarity in relation to space, time, dynamics and movement qualities.
3. Reflection of performances will be required to self-evaluate and document the experience.
For more information regarding the IB/Honors Dance class,
please visit your Troy counselor and the IB website at www.ibo.org
2
I _________________________ /1st period have read the above course
description and understand all of the class policies that relate to IB Dance. I
will adhere to all of the expectations and guidelines set forth in the syllabus.
I understand that IB Dance is a rigorous participation class and will be
dropped if I am not able to keep up with the coursework.
Student Signature_____________________________________
Date_______________
Student email:________________________________________
Parent Signature______________________________________
Date_______________
Parent email:_________________________________________
3