The Roeper School Dance Program incorporates the philosophy that education in the arts is for all students, regardless of their backgrounds, talents or abilities. In designing a dance program for gifted students, emphasis is placed upon exploration, inquiry, creativity and personalization. At all levels of the program, students learn the principles of dance composition and engage in collaborative work. This focus on the creation and performance of student- choreographed dances is a cornerstone of the Roeper dance program.
EMPHASIS ON CREATIVE MOVEMENT
Every child in Stage I and II takes Creative Movement class, where their natural love of running, walking, jumping, skipping, galloping, crawling, falling and rolling is explored and celebrated. Classroom work also emphasizes cooperation, sharing, taking turns and following verbal and visual instruction.
Dance is an elective in Stages III and IV, where students may choose Creative Movement class, Dance Performance or Dance Technique. Students with a passion for dance and movement come together in a fertile environment where they feel safe taking risks, where there is a sense of adventure and imagination, where new ideas and creative solutions are explored, and where originality is fostered. An after-school dance enrichment program is offered to disciplined and motivated Stage III and IV dance students who wish to develop their technical skills. As members of the Lower School Dance Ensemble, these students study dance technique and perform with a Spring Dance Concert at the end of the school year.