DANCE FOUNDATIONS 8
Through daily warm-ups, team building activities, and explorations in choreography, this course will teach students basic dance technique and performance qualities developed through the elements of movement. Through a progressive approach, students can expect to improve in strength, flexibility, stamina, balance, and coordination; in addition to building confidence and building trust with one another. Students can expect to work in pairs, small groups, and as a large class in preparation for the Year End Dance Recital. No prior experience or prerequisite required. All students, regardless of their prior dance experience, are expected to register in this course in grade 8.
CLICK HERE for a look at a grade 8/9 performance
CLICK HERE for a look at a warm up session during the pandemic
DANCE COMPANY 9 (special permission only) 
Dance Company does not have a grade 8 level course; if the teacher notices in the first 2 weeks of school that a student would be better suited for a higher-level dance class, the teacher will offer qualified students a chance to be in Dance Company. Please keep in mind that this class includes students from grades 9-12 and only a couple of grade 8 students are usually chosen to be placed in this class. Register under Foundations 8 as usual since these students will receive a Foundations 8 credit. If you feel you are qualified, please contact Christina.wilson@burnabyschools.ca
CLICK HERE to look at a Dance Company Modern group performance
CLICK HERE to look at a Dance Company Hip Hop group performance
WORLD DANCE: BROADWAY JAZZ (after school)
World Dance is a credit course for students 9-12 but grade 8 students may join as club members.World Dance 10 is a 4 credit 9th block course in which grade 9 students can take. Previous experience is not necessary. Students explore world dance styles that may include Bhangra, Tahitian, Tinikling, Hawaiian, Broadway Jazz, Musical Theatre, or Maori Poi. Next year will be a focus on Broadway Jazz and Tap. Students will learn dance technique, choreography, history, and other aspects such as costuming and performance. Students may be asked to perform at various events which includes the year end dance recital.
CLICK HERE for a look at an after school world dance performance
CLICK HERE to look at a practice session in World Dance
DANCE PRODUCTION (after school)
Dance Production is a credit course for students grade 9-12 but grade 8 students may join as club members. They just need to ask the teacher for permission. There is no dancing involved in this course and no experience is necessary. Students gain experience in the behind-the-scenes aspects of putting on various productions including our year end dance recital. Ms. Wilson team teaches with Ms. Dewar who teaches Theatre Production, so students will gain a wide variety of opportunities to work in behind the scenes type work. Students are given the choice to work in a specific “crew” within the class.
STAGE MANAGEMENT CREW: Stage managers manage the whole production from start to finish. Their job is to make sure every other crew is working within a given timeline so that our production is successful. They also work on the nights of the production backstage to keep every performer and stage hand on task!
MARKETING CREW: Marketing is in charge of creating promotional materials for the production like posters, websites, social media, tickets, and gear for our productions. They work promote each production within the school and out in the community; including collection of monetary donations to support larger productions like our musicals. They also think of creative ways to fundraise for our productions and programs through sales and fundraising events!
SET DESIGN CREW: Do you like working with your hands? Do you like to paint or make sculptures? This is the crew for you! Set Design is in charge of making any scenery for our productions. Backdrops are painted to set the scene in a production. If we need a large pineapple house on stage or saloon doors that swing both ways, set design crew members have to work together to find a creative solution!
PROPS CREW: Props crew is another group that is perfect for students who like art or crafts. They are in charge of anything that a performer holds. If we need 15 umbrellas that look like jellyfish or glow in the dark objects that performers dance with, this crew will source or make these items.
COSTUMES CREW: Do you love fashion? Do you love to sew or want to learn how to sew? Use your imagination to create wonderful costumes that
LIGHTING CREW: Lighting crew learns how to use specific lighting equipment and technology to light scenes in our productions. This could include using a haze machine and programming lights to go with the music to help amplify a performance on stage. They help to create the atmosphere of the overall show and work closely with the stage managers and sound crew.
SOUND CREW: Sound crew learns how to work with a soundboard for various productions. They collect sound effects or music to create ambiance in a particular scene. They program these sounds into a program and run the sound on the nights of these productions. They work closely with the lighting crew and stage managers.
This course is a wonderful way to meet new friends from all grade levels as a lot of our projects are group based. Teamwork is a huge aspect of this class. Students who are not enrolled in another dance course will be expected to help run the year end dance recital backstage. This course counts as a dance course towards the dance scholarship. Students who register in a dance course in grades 10, 11, and 12 will automatically qualify for a dance scholarship in their graduating year. Up to $2000 is awarded each year.
Contact Christina.wilson@burnabyschools.ca for any further questions.