A.A. DEGREE IN DANCE

Requirements Sample Schedule Information Success Stories

As well as developing high levels of physical and mental skills, dance provides a means to express creatively the personal side of our nature. Through its study students gain an understanding and appreciation of dance as and art form whether their goal be a career in dance or the sheer pleasure of movement.


CAREER OPTIONS IN DANCE


FACULTY

Deborah Graham Ballet, Modern, Jazz

David Jones Jazz, Street Dance, African Haitain

Kris Kuhn Modern, Ballet, Improvisation, Choreography

Sheri Rollison Ballet, Modern, Dance History

Alan Scofield Jazz, Modern, Music for Dancers

Catherine Sim Ballet, Ballroom

Sandra Tanner Ballet, Musical Productions

Sandi Weldon Musical Theater, Tap

Dance Department Phone: 485-9315


A.A. in Dance

The A.A. prepares students for transfer into a four-year dance major or performing arts program. It serves as basic preparation for professional performances and/or teaching careers, as well as being a springboard into further study of other dance-related areas.


Technique Courses

The following requirements are the minimum. The student is advised to take as many technuque courses as possible in order to develop the highest skill level in any of the styles. Nine technique courses are required for the major, distributed as follows (minimum 14 units):

Ballet: 2 courses from:

DANCE 115 OR 116 Modern Ballet I/II 1.5
DANCE 126 Ballet I 1.5
DANCE 127 A Ballet II 1.5
DANCE 127 B Ballet II 2.5
DANCE 175 Summer Classical Workshop I 1.5
DANCE 176 Summer Classical Workshop II 1.5
DANCE 228 A Ballet III 1.5
DANCE 228 B Ballet III 2.5
DANCE 229 A Ballet IV 1.5
DANCE 229 B Ballet IV 2.5
DANCE 230 Pointe & Variations 1.5

Modern: 2 courses from:

DANCE 110 Intro to Creative Dance 2
DANCE 130 A Modern I 1.5
DANCE 130 B Modern I 2
DANCE 131 A Modern II 1.5
DANCE 131 B Modern II 2
DANCE 172 Summer Contemporary Workshop I 1.5
DANCE 173 Summer Contemporary Workshop II 1.5
DANCE 232 Modern III 2
DANCE 240 Modern IV 2

Jazz: 2 Courses from:

DANCE 122 Jazz I 1.5
DANCE 123 Jazz II 1.5
DANCE 170 Summer Broadway Workshop I 1.5
DANCE171 Summer Broadway Workshop II 1.5
DANCE 224 Jazz III 1.5
DANCE 225 Jazz IV 1.5

Musical Theater: 1 Course from:

DANCE 120 American Theater Dance Workshop 2.5
DANCE 132 Musical Theater I 1.5
DANCE 133 Musical Theater II 1.5
DANCE 222 Musical Theater III 1.5

Elective: 2 additonal courses from any of the above or from:

DANCE 119 Afro-Haitian 1.5
DANCE 121 Popular Dance Styles 1.5
DANCE 142 Beginning Tap 1.5
DANCE 160 Beginning Ballroom 1.5

Performance and Production

Students with a dance career in mind should perform as frequently as possible. Students who wish to choreograph or teach must have knowledge, by experience, of what dancers deal with in performance.

2 courses from:

DANCE 160 Intro to Dance Performanc Skills 1
DANCE 241 ABCD Dance Company 3-6
DANCE 260 ABC Musical Production 1-3

1 Course from:

DANCE 154-159 Dance Production 1-3

Workshop and Theory

Completion of one course in each of the following categories:

Category A: Dance History

DANCE 108 Dancing: The Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movemnent 3

Category B: Improvisation and Choreography

DANCE 134 Improvisation 3
DANCE 135 Choreography I 3
DANCE 136 Choreography II 3

Category C: Acting

DRAMA 139J Acting for Anybody 3
DRAMA 130 Theory/Practice Acting I 3

Category D: Music

MUSIC 101 Intro to Classical Music 3
MUSIC 105 Rock, Pop, and Jazz 3
MUSIC 106 Music Fundamentals 3

Strongly Advised:

HEALTH ED. 115 Weight Control, Exercise, and Nutrition 3
HUMANITIES 125 Myth, Symbol and the Arts 3
HUMANITIES 139 B Video Course: Humanities Through the Arts 3

Recommended Supplementary Courses:

ANTHROPOLOGY 102 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ART 102 History of European Art
ART 103 History of Modern Art
BIOLOGY 120 Human Anatomry
ENGLISH 213 Survey of Drama
ENGLISH 225 World Literature, Renaissance to Present
HISTORY 110,111, 112 Western Civilization
HUMANITIES 100 AB Introduction to Humanities
PHYS. EDUCATION 169 Weight Training
PSYCHOLOGY 111 Personality Dynamics and Effective Behavior
SOCIOLOGY 230 Social Psychology
ANY COURSE IN HISTORY, ART TECHNIQUE, MUSIC, LITERATURE, PHILOSOPHY  

Sample Suggested Course of Study for A.A. in Dance*

Fall 1st Year

Ballet 1.5  
Jazz 1.5  
Dance History 3.0  
English Comp 120 or 150 (Area D) 3.0  
Communications and Analytical Thinking (Area D) 3.0  
Dance Elective 1.5  
Dance 160 (Intro to Dance Performance Skills 1.0  
    14.5 units

Spring 1st Year

Ballet 1.5  
Jazz 1.5  
Dance Electives 3.0  
Drama 139 or 139J 3.0  
Natural Sciences (Area A) 3.0  
Humanities 3.0  
    15 units

Fall 2nd Year

Modern 1.5  
American Institutions (Area F) 3.0  
Improvisation 3.0  
Music 101 or 106 3.0  
Rehearsal/Performance 5.0 15.5 units

Spring 2nd Year

Modern 1.5  
Musical Theater 1.5  
Rehearsal/Performance/Production 5.0  
Humanities 125 (Myth, Symbol and the Arts) Area C 3.0  
Health 115 3.0  
Dance Elective DANCE 142 (Tap) Suggested 1.5  
    15.5 units

*Students interested in transfering to a four year college, with Junior status, please consult with an academic counselor.


Supplemental Information



A.A. Courses which transfer:

IGETC: DANCE 105A, 105B, DANCE 107, DANCE 108, DRAMA 110,116,117, MUSIC 101,135

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY: DANCE, DRAMA, MUSIC: All courses except DANCE 39 and DANCE 99.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: DANCE 105A, 105B, 107, 108, 110, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 126, 127AB, 130AB, 131AB, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 138, 139, 142, 154, 155, 156, 160, 161, 170, 171, 172, 173, 175, 176, 206ABC, 207ABC, 208ABC, 222, 224, 225, 228AB, 229AB, 230, 232, 233AB, 234AB, 235, 236, 238AB, 239AB, 240, 241A-D, 249, 260ABC.

Many of the adjunct courses we have recommended also transfer.



Student Success Stories

 

Vanessa Cerrito

 

Currently dancing with a modern company in Hawaii. Has sold a piece of choreography to another dance company.

     

 

Mahalath Alsworth

 

 

Currently pursuing an M.A. degree in dance at New York University.

     

 

Annie Rosenthal

 

Owner of RoCo dance studio, and founder/director of Roco Dance Company.

     

 

Ashley Smith

 

Member of the Erick Hawkins Dance Company in New York. Also creating her own choreography in New York.

     

 

Deanna Sadzek

 

Director of Children's Dance at Corte Madera Recreation Center.

     

 

Cherina Eisenberg

 

Currently pursuing B.A. degree in Music/Dance at the University of Washington.

     

 

Christie Batanades

 

Currently performing with Printz Dance Project.

     

 

Alissa Fenton Pearce

 

Currently performing with Printz Dance Project.

     

 

Tatiana DePillo

 

Currently pursuing 2 year course of study at the Alvin Ailey Dance Center, New York.

     

 

Collen Quill

 

B.A. in Dance, San Francisco State University.

     

 

Dorothy Ramey

 

Performs professionally with Neva Russian Dance Ensemble.