Dance
The Dr. Susan S. McKinney Department of Dance provides students with a diverse, holistic dance education. Participants partake in a rigorous four-year program that offers opportunities to explore the numerous facets of the medium— resulting in well-rounded graduates that are ready to pursue professional or continuing academic endeavors.
Our series of courses allow students to experiment with several types of dance including modern, ballet, jazz and hip-hop. And with academic topics ranging from anatomy and dance history to choreography and composition, students graduate with skills that will enable them to find success in the classroom, audition hall, or boardroom.
A participant in the Arts Achieve Grant, a prestigious four-year study of arts education practice, our department strives
to continually improve the experiences that we provide our dedicated student body through innovation, collaboration, and ingenuity—both in the classroom, the studio, and on the stage.

Our Curriculum
Our dance curriculum caters to both the aspiring and the accomplished student dancer. Driven by a focus on individual strengths, we offer a variety of opportunities to hone one’s skills and knowledge:
Dance Technique
Students learn appropriate techniques associated with Jazz, Ballet, Modern, African and Hip Hop with specific dance vocabulary associated with each style.
Choreography
Students will be provided with the fundamental skills of improvisation and choreography. Students learn how to use compositional devices to create effective choreography.
Dance History
Students study important historical facts and genres. Students research the impact of politics, economics, visual art and music on dance.
Anatomy
Students learn how different parts of the body work collectively and independently. Students also study proper use of muscles in order to prevent injury. Proper nutrition and healthy eating are also covered.


Partnerships with:
Long Island University Brooklyn Campus Dance Dept., Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation, Arts Connection, Exploring the Arts
Audition requirements:
Audition Requirements are centralized through the DOE- please submit through your MySchools account.
For audition information, SEE BELOW or click the link below.
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/enrollment/enroll-grade-by-grade/high-school/high-school-auditions
Here is a video that will help with Dance audition requirements.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EAayOBz7N23CnAex563VICvQo-JTwZbu/view
Audition rubric here
Video 1
Learn and record yourself performing one of the pre-recorded solos of Ballet, Jazz, Modern, or West African dance from the video library below. This dance video will be used to assess the following dance components: replication of dance steps, following direction, musicality, coordination, flexibility, expression. Record so that your full body and movement is shown. You can access the pre-recorded dances and music to the dances
Video 2
Prepare and record a video of yourself that shares your passion for dance by performing a one-minute solo in any style or combination of styles of dance with which you feel most comfortable. This dance video is to assess the following dance components: creativity, musicality, coordination, flexibility, and expression. Record so that your full body and movement is shown. You may consider including the following:
different levels (low, medium, and high)
different speeds of movement (slow and fast)
a jump
a pause
a turn
a balance