The Dancing Arts Academy’s specialty is providing an excellent day school education for boys and girls in fourth through the twelfth grade through distance learning opportunities in a non-traditional setting for child artists. DAA is recognized as an independent school working with curricula that is fully accredited by the Department of Education. All applicants must take a placement test for entrance and advancement. Each family subscribes to the best fitting curricula for their child. The DAA facilitator or proctor oversees the day to day flow of the students endeavors.

New students must audition in dance and take academic placement tests before acceptance is granted. Only 25 students are accepted per year.

Assessment Process

Dancers audition for acceptance and continuation in the program twice per year. They also receive a written dance evaluation twice per year to document their growth. Each curriculum house adheres to their separate academic assessment system.

Summer Study

Year round pursuits are essential to the development of the student. The Dancing Arts Center maintains a rigorous summer study program that includes dance technique and supporting academic courses. In the final years in the program, dancers often study in National or International programs.

Graduation requirements

Graduation is a two-fold process: meeting or exceeding the list of courses and credits from the Dance Program, as well as meeting or exceeding the requirements of the family’s chosen curriculum. Transcripts are available.

Parents who are interested in more information or placement for the fall are invited to an over view, and question and answer interview with the director.

Audition / Application requirements

All future Dancing Arts Academy (DAA) candidates must submit an audition application (found on this site), with three(3) written recommendations from current teachers, one dance, one academic, and one other. All potential DAA candidates must audition for, be accepted into, and participate in at least four weeks of the summer workshops that precede the upcoming academic year, and demonstrate appropriate academic ability through a written assessment test.

Families have the ability to choose the distance-learning curriculum best suited to the needs of their individual children with the assistance of the experienced staff. Assessment services are available to accompany many of the curricula. Various curricula are available to support a student's faith, technological aptitude, style of learning, and more.

The Academy provides learning space, Internet access, an academic facilitator, and a conducive environment for individual as well as group study time. Students grow to be self-motivated and well-organized to make the best use of their time.

The academic facilitators oversee students' work, provide direction, teach public speaking, encourage creative problem-solving, and maintain a positive atmosphere for learning. They maintain the schedule of group classes, field trips, and other DAA-related events.

Students provide their own school supplies. Power supplies and wireless Wi-Fi is provided by Dancing Arts Academy. Laptop computers, if required, must be provided by parents.

Grading

Academic grading is the sole discretion of individual families. Most families choose to purchase the assessment option and transcript services provided by their curriculum provider.

Standardized Tests

For a nominal fee, standardized achievement tests may be administered by a certified test provider at DAA in mid-June to those families wanting assessment of their child's strengths and weaknesses based on national norms. For tests administered at other locations, students are excused to participate in standardized testing as determined by the family.

Classical ballet and modern are the basis for dance education at Dancing Arts Academy. Variation, Jazz, Character, Improvisation, and Choreography classes are optionally available during after-academy hours.

The Vaganova syllabus from Russia, the Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) syllabus from England, the Checcetti method, and the Bournonville style combine to form the unique basis for the classical ballet curriculum. Essential to the technique of ballet is the development of the body as an instrument of expression. Barre combinations develop student strength and flexibility through traditional skills. Equally important are the center patterns and progressions through which students extend their discipline and improve their placement and control. Pointe work and classical repertoire is reserved for deserving students at the instructor's discretion.

The modern curriculum is eclectic and draws from the styles and philosophies of Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Jose Limon, and Lester Horton. The modern warm-up, progressions, and combinations are interesting and challenging, and are learned through creative improvisations and technical development. The focus of modern dance is on exploring traditional phrases, new images of sequences, and clarifying movement quality, direction, and dynamics.

Evaluation

Faculty-written dance evaluations will be distributed in January and June. Students will be required to maintain a detailed journal to accurately assess their own work. Teachers will review the students' dance journals and conference with their parents in November and March.