WELCOME TO DA VINCI DANCE WEBSITE: davincidance.weebly.com Welcome to the 2018-2019 year of da Vinci Dance You are enrolled in YEAR-LONG DANCE (Dance 1-4) for the entire school year. In class, dancers will work on increasing coordination, strength, flexibility and rhythm, as well as developing your knowledge of vocabulary and movement. Your dance education will be physically demanding and artistically challenging. Please take the time to read this packet. In this packet you will find important details about: 1. Proficiency Based Grading 2. Daily Professionalism Grade/Skill Grade 3. Required Materials 4. Absences, Illness/Injury, and Family Vacations 5. Mandatory Dance Performances If you have any questions, please email us (see emails below) or call 503-916-5356. NOTE: Claire and Sara are co-chairing the dance department this year, so ALL general correspondence should be sent to both of us YOUR INSTRUCTORS Claire Olberding (Jazz Dance Teacher) colberdi@pps.net Claire began her dance training under Tracey Durbin, in Portland, OR. She graduated from NYU s Tisch School for the Arts with a BFA in Dance. After several years dancing professionally in New York City, she returned to Portland to pursue dance education and youth outreach to give back to the community she loves. This is her fifteenth year at da Vinci. Sara Martins (Tap Teacher): smartins@pps.net Sara is an alumna of the Jefferson Dancers, and holds a BA in Dance from UCLA. An experienced dance educator, Sara served as the Associate Director of Dance at The Buckley School in LA, ran the dance program at the Northwest Academy, and is an award-winning theatre choreographer here in Portland. This is Sara's fifth year with the da Vinci family. Andrea Thompson (Ballet Teacher): athompson1@pps.net This is Andrea s 2nd year teaching at da Vinci Andrea Thompson has been teaching classical ballet throughout Portland and southwest Washington for over 25 years. As a student she studied at Jefferson High School, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and the Joffrey Ballet. Some of her performance experience includes performing with the Jefferson Dancers in high school, and then continuing on to perform with Oregon Ballet Theatre.
DAILY PROFESSIONALISM GRADE/SKILL GRADE: Dancers are assessed in TWO categories: SKILL and WEEKLY PROFESSIONALISM. Assessment are calculated in the following way: Dance 1: 60% Professionalism / 40% Skill Dance 2: 50% Professionalism / 50% Skill Dance 3/4: 40% Professionalism / 60% Skill Our goal is to give you an accurate picture of how you are mastering the objectives and principals of dance class. The Dance Department uses the following Proficiency Based Grading system. For additional information about Proficiency Based Grading we recommend the following website: https:// www.pps.net/page/775 PROFESSIONALISM GRADE: Every day you will be evaluated and graded on the following criteria: 1. Being On Time 2. Being in Full Dress Code 3. Prepared with the correct Tap or Ballet Shoes 4. Hair is Up (If longer than ear level) 5. Fully Participating The dance department takes its Professionalism requirements very seriously. NEW THIS YEAR: KIDS THAT DO NOT HAVE DRESS DOWN CLOTHES WILL BORROW CLOTHING FROM THE DANCE DEPARTMENT. For student struggling to meet the professionalism requirements 3 times or more in one of the above categories there will be communication home to discuss ways in which we can all better support the student. SKILL GRADE: Dancers will be periodically assessed on their dance knowledge, skill and comprehension of dance standards as they progress towards mastery. Dancers that fall below proficiency on their skill grade will need to seek out additional lunchtime and/or after school support in order to increase their skill. At the end of the year student's technical skill will be assessed to determine his or her level placement for the next year. Dancers will need to maintain a proficient or higher grade on his or her overall skill score to be considered for promotion to the next level the following year. REQUIRED MATERIALS: Dress Down Clothes/Shoes: All year-long dance students are required to dress down for every dance class in black dance attire. Additionally, you must have one pair of ballet shoes and one pair of tap shoes. See additional pages for more information regarding shoes. Dress code required by: Tuesday, September 4th Shoes required by: Friday, September 21st
ABSENCES, ILLNESS/INJURY, AND FAMILY VACATIONS: Absences You may be absent one time each quarter without your professionalism grade being negatively impacted. Students that miss more than one class per quarter will need to fill out an Absence Make-Up Form before the end of the quarter. See the attached document. *Dance 3 and 4 will not have any absence freebies this year. All absences must be made up. Illness/Injury If you are injured or ill and will be unable to participate in class, a signed note from a doctor or school nurse explaining the need for relief from the activity is required. If you are unable to get a note from a doctor or nurse, a detailed note from your guardian explaining the illness/injury will be temporarily accepted. Students without notes will be required to participate. Family Vacation: If your family is planning a vacation when school is in session please be considerate of the following. Mid March thru late April are crucial preparation periods for all full year dance classes. DO NOT PLAN A TRIP OR TAKE YOUR CHILD OUT OF DANCE CLASS DURING THIS TIME You will begin intensive in-school rehearsals and attend at least two to four after school rehearsals. For Dance 3 and 4, after school preparation for the Winter Showcase will begin in January. Each dancer plays a significant role in the dance performances, and REHEARSALS ARE MANDATORY Frequent absences during these times may result in a modified dance part or removal from the dance performances. Thank you for your consideration. MANDATORY DANCE PERFORMANCES: Dance 1 and Dance 2 Showcase: Dance 1 and Dance 2 will be presenting your classroom work in an informal, graded presentation on December 7th. More information to follow regarding specifics. Dance 3 and Dance 4 Showcase/Performance: Dance 3 and Dance 4 will be presenting your classroom work in a mandatory semi-formal dance performance on January 31st. The evening will start informally in a class demonstration format and will end with a presentation of choreographic dance pieces. Please mark the month of January off for after school rehearsals in your AND your family calendar. More specifics to follow. Spring Dance Concert: All year-long dance classes are required to perform in the Spring Dance Concert, April 26th at 7:00pm and April 27th at 3:00pm & 7:00pm. Participation in all three shows is MANDATORY. PLEASE MARK THESE IMPORTANT DATES IN YOUR CALENDAR AND ON YOUR FAMILY CALENDAR TODAY MARK YOUR CALENDARS TODAY ->
IMPORTANT: MARK YOUR CALENDARS TODAY DANCE 1 & 2 SHOWCASE December 7th DANCE 3 & 4 SHOWCASE AND INFORMAL PERFORMANCE January 31st SPRING DANCE CONCERT: ALL FULL YEAR DANCERS April 26th and 27th