Dance
The Academy’s Dance Department prepares young dancers for a professional career in the performing arts by instilling three important core values: preparation, conduct, and skill.
These values lead to a young pre-professional dancer that embodies not only artistic excellence but also the ability to handle the rigor of the art form on all levels. Instead of competing, our students train and learn through technique classes, rehearsals, performances, and relationship building.
YOUR DANCE TEACHERS
YOUR DANCE CLASSES
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Ballet
Our ballet technique classes are structured not only in the skill building of this classical technique but also focus on the essential fundamentals of preparation and conduct in this art form. Ballet is taken daily here as it provides a base structure for training successful pre-professional dancers.
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Jazz Technique
Jazz Technique involves a combination of African, ballet and modern movement vocabulary. It enables the dancer to perform in any and all disciplines of dance
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Modern (Horton Technique)
Dancers will be immersed in the aesthetics and mechanics of this highly codified technique. Students will learn many of the Fortifications and Preludes to help them flow in and out of the floor, stretch and strengthen various muscle groups, and project their artistry. Upperclassmen will be challenged more by connecting classical Horton Technique with contemporary choreography and concepts.
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Creative Practice/Creative Process
This course fosters creativity through compositional studies, teaching students to express ideas and critically evaluate movement. Students compose both short phrases and longer works, culminating in performances at the Senior Choreographed Dance Concert. Creative Process is for juniors and seniors.
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Pointe
This addition to ballet technique advances dancers training through students using specific shoes and foot and body strengthening to execute movement on pointe.
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Partnering
For level-appropriate students, partnering class teaches skills focused on balance, weight transfer, partnered turns, and lifts executed on pointe and supported by male roles in ballet. Dancers will learn existing and new repertoire in this class.
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Allegro Technique
This class focuses on ballet techniques specific to male roles, including multiple turns, jumping combinations and essential body conditioning necessary for growth and development.
DANCE AUDITIONS
We are thrilled that you are auditioning for The Chicago Academy for the Arts. Please remember: our number one goal is for you to be successful. That means that when you have questions, please ask them!
You can email Dance Chair Randy Duncan and Assistant Dance Chair Patrick Simoniello at any time for more clarification.
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Solo Audition: Prepare a 1 - 2 minute solo routine in ballet, jazz, modern, or a dance form that is representative of your talent. Bring your own music accompaniment on your phone, iPod, or CD. You may also be asked to improvise during your live audition.
Department Interview: Faculty want to get to know you better! Be ready to discuss your past dance experience.
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All dancers must dress in suitable, clean, form-fitting dance attire consisting of:
Black leotard or shirt
Black tights or tights that match individual's skin tone
Ballet slippers that match individual's skin tone or tight color
Dance belts are recommended when appropriate
No cover-ups of any kind are to be worn over dance attire
The Randy Duncan Young Men’s Dance Initiative
The Academy’s Randy Duncan Young Men’s Dance Initiative offers scholarships to three elite-level freshman male dancers.
This initiative was kickstarted by Academy community members Randy Duncan, Harriet Ross, Patrick Simoniello, and longtime dance supporters Rusty Hernandez-Sanfilippo and Jeffrey Sanfilippo to help address challenges young men face in dance. For some, it’s a stigma about boys in formal dance programs; for others, it’s a lack of resources and access to quality dance training (and for many, both).
As a result, the dancers are welcomed in a community of like-minded students and encouraging faculty where they can flourish.
DANCE VIDEOS
