Class Descriptions
All classes are taught by school artistic director, Deborah Abel
Pre-K and Kindergarten Classes
In these Creative Movement/ Modern Dance classes the focus of the class is developing the child's self expression and innate creativity, while learning the foundations of modern dance technique. The classes have a warm up that mixes journeys of fantasy such as safaris, scuba diving, space travel, animals and many more, while mixing in a warm up from head to toe as they learn the beginning fundamentals of modern dance. The Kindergarten class has a more advanced and technical warmup while still having a creative and fun flavor to the warm up.
After the warmup there are one or more surprises, things that are brought in new each week . They create the inspiration for the children to dance freely to the music which comes from the school's very extensive and excellent music library. There are always themes that evoke and inspire movement, supported by props such as scarves, wands, ankle bells, or set designs such as an ocean, a jungle, a city. As the year continues the dancers build a tremendous amount of self confidence and movement /dance skills while developing a spontaneous expressive relationship to their own moving bodies.This kind of creative freedom of self expression is an important part of their developmental growth. The confidence they will acquire will support their other activities and studies. This is a class of great fun. There are joyous smiles on the faces of the students throughout class and commonly a longing to return to dance each week.
Grades 1&2
This modern dance /creative movement class begins with a structured warm up in which the students continue to learn the fundamentals of modern dance. The weekly theme for the class comes from a repertory piece that has been performed in a past student performance. After a brief creative improvisation to the music with the theme in mind, a repertory dance phrase is taught and practiced. During the last part of class the students are put into smaller groups to share in creating choreography to the music and theme of the day. They co-create a small piece, practice it, and show it at the end of class. The skills learned in doing this are invaluable: making creative choices and the creative envisioning that comes with choreography, teaching one's own movement to others, listening and learning others' movement, the challenges and joys of team work, collaboration, performance, and the satisfaction of a creative accomplishment. In March there are rehearsals as we prepare a piece to perform in the June student performance. The students contribute a large part of the choreography for the piece. In their smaller groups a section of the larger piece is created, crafted and edited over time for the stage performance.
Grades 3&4
In this modern dance/choreography class the level of technique continues to advance from the 1&2 grade class. There is a Limon inspired modern dance warmup after which a different dance phrase is taught each week. The weekly theme for the class comes from a repertory piece that has been performed in a past student performance. During the last part of class the students are put into smaller groups to share in creating choreography to the music and theme of the day. They co-create a small piece, practice it, and show it at the end of class. The skills learned in doing this are invaluable: making creative choices and the creative envisioning that comes with choreography, teaching one's own movement to others, listening and learning others' movement, the challenges and joys of team work, collaboration, performance, and the satisfaction of a creative accomplishment. In March rehearsals begin as we prepare a piece to perform in the June student performance.
The students contribute a large part of the choreography for the piece. In their smaller groups a section of the larger piece is created, crafted and edited over time for the stage performance.
Grades 5&6
At this grade level modern dance and street funk classes alternate on a weekly basis. Each style has it's own technical warm up after which a different dance phrase is taught each week. The modern dance is Limon influenced and the street funk is a meld of hiphop and jazz. The weekly theme for the class comes from a repertory piece that has been performed in a past student performance in that style. During the last part of class the students are put into smaller groups to share in creating choreography to the the music and theme of the day. They co-create a small piece, practice it, and show it at the end of class. The skills learned in doing this are invaluable: making creative choices and the creative envisioning that comes with choreography, teaching one's own movement to others, listening and learning others' movement, the challenges and joys of team work, collaboration, performance, and the satisfaction of a creative accomplishment. In March rehearsals begin as we prepare a piece to perform in the June student performance. The students contribute a large part of the choreography for the piece. In their smaller groups a section of the larger piece is created, crafted and edited over time for the stage performance.
Grades 7&8
At this age level modern dance and street funk classes alternate every other week. Each style has it's own technical warm up after which a dance phrase is taught. The modern dance is Limon influenced and the street funk is a meld of hiphop and jazz. The level of technique is significantly advanced from the 5&6 grade class in these 1 1/2 hour classes. Sharing material with the high school classes the dances are new choreography taught over a 2 week period. On the 2nd week of a dance during the last part of class the students are put into smaller groups to share in creating choreography to the music they have been dancing to. They co-create a small piece, practice it, and show it at the end of class. They are learning the fundamentals and practicing the art of choreography. In March rehearsals begin as we prepare a piece to perform in the June student performance. The students contribute a large part of the choreography for the piece. In their smaller groups a section of the larger piece is created, crafted and edited over time for the stage performance.
High School
At this level we focus on modern dance. We begin with a Limon-influenced warm up, and afterwards a phrase is taught. The level of technique is on par with the adult classes in this intermediate-advanced 1 1/2 hour class. The dances are new choreography taught over a 2 week period. On the 2nd week of a dance, during the last part of class, the students are put into smaller groups to share in creating choreography to the music they have been dancing to. They co-create a small piece, practice it, and show it at the end of class. They are learning and practicing the art of choreography. In March rehearsals begin as we prepare a piece to perform in the June student performance. The students contribute a large part of the choreography for the piece. In their smaller groups a section of the larger piece is created, crafted and edited over time for the stage performance.
Adult
Bhakti Modern is a modern dance technique class which focuses on the inbreath and outbreath of the unfolding movements and phrases, as they ebb, flow and spiral in varying dynamics.The technique is Limon inspired, and the music is drawn from world music, kirtan and singer/songwriter pieces.
Each class begins with an organically conceived warmup that trains, strengthens, and warms the body in flowing combinations and contrasting dramatic rhythms. The class starts meditatively on the floor, moves to a standing center, and continues to a breath infused, passionate dance phrase which aims to evoke in each dancer a connection to divine beauty, inner longing, and personal artistry.
All classes are taught by Deborah Abel.