Starting next school year, WHHS students will have the opportunity to take a brand new dance class, expanding the school’s course offerings and providing students with a physical yet creative outlet. The one semester class, which is being offered by the theatre department, is open to grades 9-12.
“We wanted to introduce a general dance class for the theatre program, since a lot of students have been asking for a dance class for years,” Joseph Mitchell, technical theatre teacher, future teacher of the class, said.
The class will explore a variety of dance styles, including ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary and hip-hop, which will allow students to move around in a structured and expressive environment. Students will also get to learn about the history behind these dances that are apparent in musical theatre.
“Since this is a theatre course, the styles of dance we included are based on the styles of dance you find in musical theatre,” Mitchell said.
Even though the class has yet to start, news of the addition has already sparked interest among students.
“I was one of the first people to hear about the new dance class and I’m so excited for it,” Kendra Sullivan, ‘27, who is a part of the theatre department, said. “I’m really excited to see Mr. Mitchell teach various dance styles.”
However, not all students in the class will be involved in theatre. It provides appeal to students interested in dancing as a form of movement and as a form of personal expression.
“While of course we’ll focus on improving skills, dancing is inherently athletic and very fun,” Mitchell said. “If someone is looking to take a class where they’re on their feet and having fun in a group of people, I’d absolutely recommend this class.”
By incorporating non-musical-theatre styles or general movement-based dance, the class creates space for students who dance recreationally, socially or independently to develop their skills..
“The category of musical theatre dance covers a whole range of styles,” Mitchell said. “This wide variety will offer a strong training for those interested in musical theatre performance, but will also give all students the chance to sample styles of dance they might be unfamiliar with.”
As WHHS continues to expand its curriculum, the new dance class represents an exciting step toward offering students more opportunities to learn, move and express themselves in meaningful ways.
“Everyone can dance, and no matter your experience, everyone will improve their skills in this brand new class,” Mitchell said.