Centennial High School Dance Program
Howard County Public School System
CHS has offered classes in dance since 2002. The curriculum consists of composition/choreography, ballet, modern, jazz, and performance. These classes are based on the Howard County Public School’s Dance Curriculum Guide and satisfy the Fine Art credit requirement needed for graduation. Courses offered at Centennial include:
Dance I (no audition or experience required)
Dance II (prerequisite: Dance I or by teacher placement at audition)
Dance III (prerequisite: Dance II or by teacher placement at audition)
Dance IV (prerequisite: Dance III or by teacher placement at audition)
Dance Seminar GT (grades 10-12 and require teacher recommendation)
Junior Company GT (require teacher placement at audition)
Senior Company GT (grades 10-12 & require teacher placement at audition)
HCPSS Dance Long Term Transfer Goals
Students will be able to:
Students will be able to create engaging, purposeful artistic expression in a variety of styles and/or formats.
Students will be able to analyze and respond to technical, formal, and conceptual ideas or challenges.
Students will be able to respond to the artistic expression of others through global understanding, critical analysis, and personal aesthetics.
Students will be able to present an artistic work for an audience.
Students will be able to plan and execute a performance with attention to technical details and artistry.
Our Classes
In alignment with the HCPSS Dance Essential Curriculum
Dance Grading Standards
❖ Ds1: Performance Skills & Practices: Demonstrate professional standards of performance etiquette and practices to meet course expectations.
❖ Ds2: Technical Development: Utilize movement vocabulary and terminology of various styles and genres to create original work.
❖ Ds3: Reflection: Critically examine and reflect how content and context guide personal effort and aesthetic development in choreography and performance.
❖ Ds4: Composition & Choreography: Communicate artistic intent by combining the elements of dance, aesthetic principles, and choreographic forms.
❖ Ds5: Aesthetic Judgment: Analyze and critique choreography for structure, meaning, and artistic intent using specific dance terminology.
❖ Ds6: Production & Collaboration: Synthesize production elements necessary to fulfill technical details and artistic intent during the rehearsal process and performance.
Dance 1-4
Introductory through Advanced Levels
In these Fine Arts courses, students are introduced to a working knowledge of performance concepts that they can apply to all dance forms. Experiences are based on fundamentals of ballet, modern and jazz dance. This course fulfills the graduation requirement for the Fine Arts elective as it provides instruction in aesthetics, dance history, anatomy, choreographic techniques, and performance components. The number of required non-school practices, events and performances during a school year may not exceed 15.
Junior & Senior Dance Companies
Gifted & Talented Levels
In this Fine Arts course, students are accelerated in rigorous sessions of dance techniques that use their maximum movement range. Students will have opportunities to master set and student choreography. Production and performance are the major components and foci of this elite performance ensemble. Additionally, students will refine a performance portfolio that demonstrates originality, quality and breadth of formal, technical and expressive experiences. Performance components beyond the regular school day are required. The number of required non-school practices, events and performances during a school year may not exceed 30.
Dance Seminar
Gifted & Talented Level
Application and Director Approval in this Fine Arts course, an emphasis is placed on original creation, portfolio development, independent research, task commitment and special topics related to Dance. The majority of the class time will be dedicated to the creation of a Capstone project in preparation for college and career opportunities. Performance components beyond the regular school day are required. The number of required non-school practices, events and performances during a school year may not exceed 20.
Contact the Director
Centennial High School
Howard County Public School System
4300 Centennial Ln, Ellicott City, MD 21042, USA
(410) 313-2856