*By instructor approval only*
*Required for Dance Captains*
This class is a great fit for students who want to
grow as choreographers and leaders in the world of musical theatre dance. Throughout the year, students will get hands-on experience helping create and teach choreography. Students will learn how to plan and map out choreography, including staging, formations, and musical counts. They'll get to work both on their own and in groups, using songs, themes, or prompts to come up with original movement. Along the way, they'll practice teaching short combos, leading warm-ups, and giving and receiving feedback in a supportive, team-focused environment. This class is all about building confidence as a dance leader, developing storytelling through movement, and learning how to clearly shape and share your choreographic ideas.
This class is required for anyone interested in being a Dance Captain. Dance Captains will be chosen from students in the class and will stay an extra hour after class (8:00–9:00pm) to help complete MainStage choreography. Dance Captains are selected after each show is cast and may also assist with Youth Troupe. We’re looking for focused, reliable students who know all show choreography—not just their own—and can attend rehearsals they may not be called for to help lead.
Note: This is not a technique class. It’s for students serious about learning to choreograph, teach, and lead. Focus and commitment are essential.
The course is structured in three progressive units:
Unit 1: Foundations of Choreographic Tools
Unit 2: Storytelling & Collaboration
Unit 3: Finding Your Choreography Style
Students will have two special opportunities to share their progress with family during our informal
“Family Night: Inside the Studio” events, held at the end of each semester (December and May). These evenings are designed to let families step into the studio and see firsthand what their student has been learning and experiencing each week, and to provide a celebratory atmosphere for students to showcase their growth and skills.
Class Objectives:
- Explore the process of choreographing musical theatre numbers by actively contributing to sections of MainStage show choreography
- Learn how to create and document formations, including mapping stage movement and transitions with clarity
- Participate in collaborative and individual choreography projects during non-show seasons, using prompts, themes, or music as creative inspiration
- Practice choreographic planning, including breaking down music counts, staging, and movement phrasing
- Gain experience teaching original choreography to peers in a supportive studio setting
- Build confidence as a dance leader by guiding warm-ups, leading short combinations, or assisting with peer feedback
- Develop foundational choreographic skills through exercises in storytelling, musicality, and group dynamics
- Reflect on personal growth and creativity through informal sharing and group discussions
Aligned National Core Arts Standards (Dance):
Creating:
DA:Cr1.1 — Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work (improvisation, motif development)
DA:Cr2.1 — Organize and develop artistic ideas and work (composition structure, collaborative choreography)
DA:Cr3.1 — Refine and complete artistic work (editing and feedback incorporation)
Performing:
DA:Pr4.1 — Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation (choreographic intent)
DA:Pr5.1 — Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation (movement vocabulary and structure)
Responding:
DA:Re7.1 — Perceive and analyze artistic work (peer and professional choreography analysis)
DA:Re8.1 — Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work (artistic intention)
DA:Re9.1 — Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work (self and peer reflection)
Connecting:
DA:Cn10.1 — Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art (creative process and collaboration)
DA:Cn11.1 — Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding (choreographic traditions and innovation)
