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Bayonne High School Dance
Background of the Program
The Bayonne High School Dance Program serves as an umbrella for many dance opportunities for the community of Bayonne, NJ. We offer affordable dance classes on Saturdays from 9am-1:30pm for students ages 2-18, art credit based dance elective courses for Bayonne High School students, and after school dance company opportunities.
Saturday community classes, known as the BHS Performing Arts Conservatory Young Dancer Program, are geared to provide technique training so students can have foundational skills in dance. We currently have approximately 100 students enrolled in the program and offer classes in the following disciplines:
At Bayonne High School, we offer many ways in which students can pursue courses in dance education. Our after school programs include dance companies for sixth through eighth graders as well as our main company which consists of ninth through twelfth grade. In all we have over 100 students involved in our company program and give them performance experience multiple times throughout the year. We also offer courses in dance during the school day for students to receive fine art credits. Here is a list of our current course offerings:
Dance I
Description:
Dance I (single period) is a comprehensive dance class that allows students to explore the many facets of dance in education including dance technique, performance, choreography, analysis, critique, and dance history. By the end of the year, each student enrolled in a dance course will have had the opportunity to see professional dance, attend master classes with famous choreographers in the dance world, and to work on or perform in the end of year dance concert.
Prerequisite:
None
Proficiencies:
Upon successful completion of Dance I, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic dance vocabulary.
- Demonstrate understanding of basic dance elements.
- Apply dance concepts to create and perform choreography
- Develop appreciation for dance through watching, performing, and learning dance history.
- Properly demonstrate technical understanding of the body while dancing.
Dance II
Description:
Dance II (single period) is an intermediate level dance class that allows students to explore the many facets of dance in education including dance technique, performance, choreography, analysis, critique, and dance history. By the end of the year, each student enrolled in a dance course will have had the opportunity to see professional dance, attend master classes with famous choreographers in the dance world, and perform in the end of year dance concert.
Prerequisite:
90 average or above in Dance 1 and/or 85 average or above in Dance II
Proficiencies:
Upon successful completion of Dance II, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an intermediate level of technical ability.
- Understand how to speak about dance and watch dance with artistic integrity.
- Develop performance skills.
- Create choreography.
- Understand historical significance of dance pioneers and various dance techniques.
Dance III/IV
Description:
Dance III/IV (double period) is an advanced dance class that is by recommendation only. This class enables students to gain an in depth look at what it takes to be a professional dancer. Students work on specific dance techniques and develop personal artistry in choreography, improvisation, and performance. Students develop anatomical understanding of the body and push their dance training to the next level by working closely with dance professionals and guest artists. Throughout the year, students will have performance opportunities in the school and community and will perform in multiple pieces in the end of year dance concert.
Prerequisite:
Teacher recommendation
Proficiencies:
Upon successful completion of Dance III/IV, students will be able to:
- Understand the importance of learning specific dance techniques to develop as a versatile dancer.
- Advance performance skills through multiple performance opportunities.
- Study with guest artists and see performances of major dance companies.
- Create choreography on an advanced level.
- Demonstrate an advanced level of technical ability.
- Analyze and critique dance performances.
About the Teacher
Phone:
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
B.F.A. Dance Performance Ed.M. Dance Education ABT Certified Pre-Primary-Level 5 FMS Certified
Ms. Kelli McGovern
Kelli McGovern is a graduate of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey with an Ed.M. in Dance Education from the Graduate School of Education and a B.F.A. in Dance Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts. Kelli is a dance educator at Bayonne High School where she has created the dance arts curriculum in the district and is the founder of the BHS Young Dancer Program, a community outreach program designed to offer dance technique training to children with limited access to dance classes. Ms. McGovern began training dance students at BHS in 2012 and has had numerous students win top awards and scholarships for their training. She has also had students accepted into performance and educational based dance programs at top universities throughout the nation.
Kelli is a professional dancer and an Artistic Director for Rock Dance Collective, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dance company, and Washington Rock Dance, LLC, a private dance training school located in Warren, NJ. Her business partners for both RDC and WRD, Cleo Mack, and Blair Ritchie, have been selected to present, perform, and teach master classes about their artistic and educational philosophies at multiple institutions and universities including Muhlenberg College, DeSales University, Rutgers University, and at the National Dance Education Organization National Conferences in Arizona and Washington, D.C.
Ms. McGovern has served on the panel to develop the Model Curriculum Dance Assessments to be used as the guide for all dance programs in the state of New Jersey. Ms. McGovern is also an American Ballet Theatre® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. She has performed in various venues and festivals throughout New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Boston such as the Joyce Theatre, NJPAC, Ailey Citigroup Theatre, Dixons Place, DanceNOW NYC at Joe’s Pub, George Street Playhouse, Salvatore Capezio Theatre at Peridance, Koresh Artist Series, The Hatch, REVERBdance Echoes Tour, and the Outlet Dance Project at Grounds for Sculpture.
BHS Dance Alumni
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Alumni Directory Layla () Obaydi
Graduation Year: 2017Alumni Directory Cassidy () Svercauski
Graduation Year: 2017Alumni Directory Rebecca () Pavelko
Graduation Year: 2016Alumni Directory Deja () Baret
Graduation Year: 2016Alumni Directory Emma () Massarelli
Graduation Year: 2015