The IB DP dance course takes a holistic approach to dance, and embraces a variety of 

dance traditions and dance cultures—past, present and looking towards the future.

 

Performance, creative and analytical skills are mutually developed and valued whether 

the students are writing papers or creating/performing dances.

 

The curriculum provides students with a liberal arts orientation to dance. This orientation

facilitates the development of students who may become choreographers, dance scholars,

performers or those, more broadly, who seek life enrichment through dance.

 

In addition, the course enables students to:

• understand dance as a set of practices with their own histories and theories, and to

understand that these practices integrate physical, intellectual and emotional knowledge

• experience dance as an individual and collective exploration of the expressive possibilities

of bodily movement

• understand and appreciate mastery in various dance styles, traditions and cultures familiar

and unfamiliar

• recognize and use dance to create dialogue among the various traditions and cultures in their school environment, their society and the world at large.​

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Course Prerequisites and Recommendations

· At least 1 year of Dance at Oak (2 years preferred and HIGHLY recommended)

· Prior formal training in ANY genre is recommended but not required—Hip-hop, Ballet, Jazz, Salsa, Bollywood, Flamenco, Folklorico, etc.

· Summer training hours required at Oak or a local approved studio (during the summers before their junior and senior years—highly recommended prior to that as well!!)

 

Other Important Notes

· Both SL and HL require TWO years of IB World Dance Studies course (Junior AND Senior year)

· Students must be willing and able to continue studies outside of the school day as well as attend a professional concert dance performance each semester

 

IB Assessment Outline (over a period of 2 years)

· Written Investigation (comparison and contrast paper—dance cultures)

· Compositions (choreography by student)

· Performance (choreography by others, performed by IB student)