Dance Enhances Drama Curriculum

Students in 8th grade drama have been adding elements of dance to their performance repertoire.

 

Following December Recess, 8th grade Drama teacher and Department Co-Chair Leslie Holland Pryor invited US Dance teacher Kenesha Reed to her class to provide students in the class of 2030 with a primer on music and movement.

 

In working with the students, Reed spent a pair of eight-day cycles conveying basic foundational jazz and musical theater dance techniques. The first cycle focused on a whole class warm up intended to activate the entire body in preparation for movement across the floor and center practice. The second cycle built upon this warm up, and added choreography to the song Coffee Break. Here, students learned to be precise and intentional with movement vocabulary while blending storytelling and acting into the scene selected from the show How to Succeed at Business without Trying.

 

In reflecting on her work with the 8th grade, Reed shared, “My favorite part of the curriculum is the choreography because we get to see practical application of the movement technique initially learned, as well as allow space for creative interpretation to create the end result audiences see.”

 

The students had fun with the choreography and also got a chance to practice being good audience members for one another in class. Teachers are hopeful that this collaborative experience will provide these students with a seamless transition to the US Dance program next year.

 

Check out how the class of 2030 moves here.