These two skills are taught concurrently in order that the freshman student is made aware of how they integrate in the choreographic form. A variety of dance and dance related courses such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Acting for Dancers and Jazz are explored. The experience broadens the dancer's vocabulary, provides them with additional choreographic materials and promotes open-mindedness and discovery. Emphasis is placed on developing both technical and practical skills necessary to adjust to a wide variety of contemporary repertory. Faculty direct classes working from video or personal experience in works of traditional and more contemporary choreographers.
Consideration is given to solo as well as group choreographies.
Repertory classes are part of scheduled workshop performance. Emphasis is placed on the development of basic theatrical communicative skills enabling the student to utilize these elements toward greater self expression. Solos and duets allow for simple exploration while providing incentive toward more demanding work in the third year. The course is designed to build on earlier foundations of movement exploration and present opportunities for further investigation in personal movement vocabulary as a means toward developing spontaneous performance skills. Group choreographies will be encouraged in order to acquire a more facile technique in larger works.