Dancing Your Way Through School

Photos by Sandi Yanisko.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

Montgomery County Community College is now accepting registration for its Associate in Arts degree program in Dance to be offered at its West Campus in Pottstown starting Fall 2014.

This 63-credit program provides both a liberal arts background and dance courses comparable to classes offered during the first two years at a four-year institution. 

Classes include modern dance, ballet, jazz, hip hop, dance improvisation, dance composition, dance repertory and performance, dance wellness and fitness and dance history.

“The program is unique in that it offers courses for dancers of all levels, from beginners to experienced dancers,” said Dr. Melinda Copel, Coordinator of Dance, indicating that novices can take fundamentals-level dance courses while simultaneously taking degree courses.

Dance classes are open to all students, regardless of their majors, and will meet core education requirements for Exercise and Health Sciences and Aesthetic Sensibility and the Arts.

The Associate in Arts degree program in dance allows students to transfer into a baccalaureate program in dance at many colleges and universities.

“There are a number of career possibilities in dance including performer, choreographer, teacher, dance or movement therapist, dance historian and writer, dance critic, arts administrator, and dance notator,” Dr. Copel said. 

“There are performance opportunities in a variety of settings including dance concerts, opera, musical theater, musical productions, television, movies, music videos, cruise ships and theme parks, such as Disney World or Sesame Place.”

“Many dancers combine performance with careers in dance education or choreography,” she said. 

“Dance educators teach in higher education, K-12 schools, private dance studios and community centers. Some open their own studios. Students may wish to combine their studies in dance with a related field such as technical theater or physical therapy. The arts are a big industry in the Philadelphia area, and there are plenty of opportunities.”

Beyond courses, students have performance opportunities with the College’s Dance Performance Ensemble, which is open to all students. Both the Dance Ensemble and the Dance Repertory class perform at the end of each semester.

For more information or to register, contact Dr. Melinda Copel at mcopel@mc3.edu or 215-641-6346.

Let's Dance!

It took some doing to undo the undoing but it finally got done.

A long-planned middle school dance, which had originally been scheduled for Friday and was then cancelled because of a conflict with the Jewish High Holy day of Yom Kippur.

But appeals to the school board Tuesday night were successful and the dance was reinstated.

Several members of the executive committee of the school's PTO joined school board candidate Rick Rabinowitz in objecting to the cancellation.

But will the boys actually ask?.....

Rabinowitz, called it a "last minute cancellation" and said as such, "it does more harm than good" to cancel it.

He suggested the district adopt a simple rule: if a holiday or event "doesn't warrant school cancellation, don't cancel the event."

"At this late hour, pulling the rug out from under their feet is likely to create a backlash against Jewish students," he said.

"Let's let the kids dance," Rabinowitz said.

His comments were followed by Marissa Neeson and three other members of the PTO's executive board, who asked why the dance should be cancelled for Yom Kippur, which begins at sundown on Friday and ends on sundown on Saturday, but athletic and band events were still being allowed on Saturday.

"We're just looking for some consistency," said Neeson.

Then again, maybe they shouldn't.....

The dance, she said was attended by 370 students last year and raised "more than $2,000. This is one of our major fund-raisers to buy things like the benches we put outside this building," Neeson told the board.

Superintendent Shellie Feola said it had been her understanding that the date had simply been changed, but the PTO parents said finding a date that did not conflict with other district events had been very difficult.

She said it is "somewhat of a tradition we have in the district to have respect for that day."

However, as the meeting wound down, school board member Justin Valentine said he felt the dance should be allowed to go forward since so much planning had gone into it.

Board member Patti Grimm said "I agree completely."

And although the PTO members had left, they were called back into the meeting and confirmed they could indeed jump start their preparations back into motion.