Dance
Student expression through movement comes alive in Culver’s celebrated dance program, which provides curricular and extracurricular offerings for both the performing dancer and the beginning student.
Dance Department Courses
Range from workshops in ballet, pointe, contemporary and jazz movements, to popular coed classes for the general student population.
Dancevision
Culver’s audition-based performing group, presents two concerts a year, as well as mini programs at school events.
The Visiting Artist Program
Brings dance professionals to campus to work with students, teach original choreography and motivate students through performance.
Honors in Dance
Senior students choreograph and perform a solo and group work, developing leadership skills and creativity.
Dancevision
Dance Like Someone is Watching
Culver’s very own dance company, Dancevision, is a performance dance experience, coupling classwork and choreography with guest artist residencies to craft a group of well rounded, quality dancers who receive a letter of achievement sweater and pin annually. Many dancers pursue and accomplish Honors in Dance in the senior year.
WHAT IS DANCEVISION?
The Dancevision program is an audition based extracurricular activity that takes place after school during recreational time. Each year Dancevision performs two weekend shows in addition to mini programs during special events and athletic halftime shows. The company is led by Mentor Instructor and Fine Arts Chair, Mrs. Cathy Duke, a 1970 graduate of Culver Academies and founding director of the Dancevision program and Emily Smith, Ballet Instructor.
GUEST ARTISTS
Similar to many colleges and universities the artist-in-residence program offers students in dance the opportunity to study, observe, and work with professional dancers. Guest artists set choreography on the group annually. A long standing relationship exists between Dancevision and Nick Pupillo, Director of Visceral Dance Chicago. Nick conducts master classes several times within the school year.
Some of our other recent guests have included Shaping Sound, Ann Reinking, Eric Jordan Young from New York, Rick Pessagno from Las Vegas.
INTERESTED?
We’d love to connect with you. For more information regarding Dancevision or the Culver Fine Arts program, please reach out to Cathy Duke at cathy.duke@culver.org
Honors in Dance
The Highest Level of Performance Dance
Culver students interested in pursuing an advanced education in dance may do so through the Honors in Dance curriculum. This program is designed to develop organization, communication, creativity, and leadership skills through dance coursework, studio laboratory time, and performance.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Students will embark on a comprehensive project with emphasis on choreography and solo performance. Group work will be set on Dancevision company members and candidates will create and perform a solo work while documenting their process in journal notes, reflections, and costume/lighting drawings. Final projects will culminate in performances during Spring Parents Weekend.
PREREQUISITES
Those wishing to pursue Honors in Dance must complete two years in the Dance program and Dancevision and have successfully completed these curricular requirements: Dance History, Dance Workshop 2, Dance Production and Honors Seminar in Dance. Faculty approval is required.