A Senior Project for Every Dancer

DanceHere | Sep 16, 2008 | 0

If you're a high school senior, along with choosing a college, applying for scholarships, picking out a prom date, planning out your life, and getting your everyday homework and activities done, you may also have to complete a senior project this year.

Here are some ways you can include dance in your senior project, no matter what type of student you are, and make this assignment more enjoyable!

If You Love to Perform:

Choreograph a dance. Recruit other dancers, and teach them your piece. Perform for your school during a winter or spring concert.

If You Love to Work Out:

Work with your physical education instructors to organize a dance-based fitness class. For all of your classmates who try to get out of basketball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, field hockey, and swimming, this type of gym class could be just what they need!

If You Like to Work With Kids:

Volunteer to teach a pre-ballet class in a local arts center. You'll gain experience in teaching, and you'll help kids get excited about dance.

If You're a History Buff:

Find out what cultures your high school's history classes are studying. Pick a form of folk dance from one of those cultures. Research the history of this dance and its connection with culture, art, and religion. Find out about traditional costumes, and collect the materials to make an appropriate costume. (Work with your high school's consumer-science, fashion, or home-economics teachers if you need help.) Then, present your dance-based historical research to a history class. If the teacher allows, create an entire celebration, complete with dancing, traditional food, and music.

If You're an Artist Behind The Lens:

Create a dance film. Recruit other dancers and theater members who can carry out your vision. Ask your school's graphic-arts, computer-science, or even journalism teachers for help--they should have the equipment you need to record and edit your film. Arrange for your film to be shown before a concert or other performance at your school.

If You're Very Organized:

Coordinate a dance festival. This is a big project, so work with your school's administrators. Select a location, like your school's gymnasium or auditorium. Design and print fliers to attract dancers, and organize a method for signing up performers. Hold auditions if you like--ask your school's theater and dance teachers to judge auditions. Publicize the festival with fliers and through local media. Ask local dance companies if they'll donate performances. If you sell tickets for the festival, donate proceeds to a local arts organization.

If You're a Writer:

Become a dance critic for your local or high school newspaper. Offer to review local performances and conduct research on upcoming shows. Not only will you help educate other people about dance, but you'll help local groups gain exposure. And, you'll get your work published!

If You Like to Work With Seniors:

Volunteer in a nursing home or an assisted care facility to lead seniors in social dace classes. Contact the organization's recreation coordinators to find out how you can get involved. Research suggests that dance can help combat depression, and regular exercise helps aging adults maintain better fitness.

Visit DanceHere to tell us about your ideas for dance-related senior projects. And while you're there, check out our other posts on everything dance-related.

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Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Modern (all tags)