Upper School Curriculum Guide

In the Upper School, students are required to complete a minimum of 1.5 credits within the Drama and Dance, Visual Arts, and/or Music departments. The Drama and Dance Department offers a variety of courses in acting, dance, costume design, play production, and public speaking. Students also have the opportunity to work on independent study projects in areas of specialized focus. The Department encourages specialized work and helps students develop projects that will most appropriately advance their ability and interests.

COURSE SELECTION GUIDELINES

All Drama and Dance classes are considered electives and are eligible to receive arts credit towards graduation.

The following electives have no prerequisite:

• Acting 1
• Costume Design
• Intermediate Dance
• Play Production: Behind the Scenes
• Public Speaking

The following courses require departmental approval:

• Acting 2
• Advanced Dance
• Advanced Topics in Theater 
• Advanced Topics in Dance
• Design Concepts
   

The core experience classes offer groundwork for future study in either the Theater and/or Dance program. For students who are particularly interested in musical theater, many students take Drama/Dance along with a Choir class.

This curriculum is carefully designed to establish common vocabulary, instill the Department’s core values, encourage students to become aware of and overcome personal obstacles, and explore students’ untapped potential. These classes include:

• Acting 1
• Costume Design
• Intermediate Dance
• Public Speaking

Upon completion of a core experience course, students can shape the content and trajectory of their course of study in Theater and/or Dance. Students are able to construct a sequence of experiential coursework that satisfies their individual interests and passions. The student assumes responsibility for crafting a program of study to develop, advocate for, and achieve artistic goals under the guidance of committed faculty mentors. These classes include:

• Acting 2
• Advanced Topics in Theater
• Advanced Topics in Dance
• Advanced Dance
• Play Production: Behind the Scenes
• Design Concepts

Year-Long Courses

ADVANCED TOPICS IN THEATER
Structured in a workshop format, the intent of Advanced Topics in Theater is to study the principles, procedures, and practices of stage direction. Beginning with a non-verbal approach to composition and movement study and progressing to more formal text work, the work in this class culminates in the direction of a ten-minute play for three public performances in our annual student produced Fringe Festival. Since acting and directing are inextricably related disciplines, students in this class are expected to act AND direct in order to provide mutually beneficial training opportunities for directing students. All students are expected to experiment with mutually challenging director/actor collaborative exercises. The intent is to create a combined student led performance group that functions as a dynamic ensemble. With everyone’s combined ideas and energy, students will accomplish much more than they ever could alone. As does theater itself, this course demands a highly interactive, team playing commitment and, because of this, attendance at all classes is expected. Previous experiences in our RCDS drama classes or productions are a requirement for the elective. (1/2 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; department approval required) 

ADVANCED TOPICS IN DANCE
This course is designed to allow the highly motivated dance student an opportunity to work independently on advanced level exploration within a particular dance form, tradition, or innovation. Specific topics will vary each year. The interested student must present a proposal to the department. If approved, the parameters of the project are established, and regular meeting times are arranged with a member of the department. The work in this class culminates in each student choreographing an original piece to be included in our annual student produced Fringe Festival. Students are required to have taken one year of intermediate dance and enrolled in advanced dance to be taken simultaneously with this class as a requirement for the elective. (1/2 unit; Grades 10, 11, 12; department approval required)

ADVANCED DANCE
Advanced Dance is a year-long course for students who have a high level of technical skill and are looking to train at a serious and dedicated level. The course explores dance technique and performance through a variety of modes of movement. Dancers will train in the techniques of ballet, modern, jazz, musical theater, jumps and turns, as well as supplement with explorations of Pilates, yoga, strength and stability training, dance conditioning, and flexibility training. Throughout the year, students will not only extend their technical abilities as dancers but also learn about dance history and take part in composition lessons to begin developing tools for choreography. Through these lessons in dance history and dance composition, students will cultivate and hone their observational skills allowing them to think and speak intellectually about dance in a scholarly manner. Advanced Dance meets five times per cycle. Students enrolled in the course perform their own piece in the Student Choreography Showcase and perform in the Spring Dance Concert. Both concerts require the after-school commitment of tech week and performances leading up to each of these events. This year-long course fulfills the Arts or a PE credit. Students have the option for a skills assessment to gain entry into the Advanced Dance class, if deemed appropriate. (1 unit; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; prerequisite: Intermediate Dance or department approval)

COSTUME DESIGN
In this year-long course, students will be designing and implementing costumes, hair, and makeup for Upper School drama productions. Students will work with the faculty costume coordinator as designs are created for the fall play. During the second semester, students will branch out to create full looks of their own for the Winter Musical. Students will study costume design for past school shows as well as professional productions to help inform their own designs. By the end of the year, students will have a fashion design portfolio, some of which can be used towards 2D AP Art Portfolio. This is an interdisciplinary course with the Visual Art Department. (½ unit in Drama, ½ unit in Art; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12)

One-Semester Electives

INTERMEDIATE DANCE
Intermediate Dance is a semester-long course for students with a solid base knowledge of the fundamentals of dance technique who are interested in furthering their skills through serious dance training. This course explores dance technique and performance through a variety of modes of movement. Dancers will train in the techniques of ballet, modern, jazz, jumps and turns, as well as supplement with explorations of Pilates, yoga, strength and stability training, dance conditioning, and stretching. Throughout the semester, students will not only extend their technical abilities as dancers but also learn about important trailblazing dancers and choreographers in the past and present time. Intermediate Dance meets five times per cycle. Students enrolled in the fall semester perform their own piece in the Student Choreography Showcase, and students enrolled in the spring semester perform in the Spring Dance Concert. Both concerts require the after-school commitment of tech week and performances leading up to each of these events. This semester-long course fulfills the Arts credit. Students have the option for a skills assessment to gain entry into the Intermediate Dance class, if deemed appropriate. (1/2 unit; Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; departmental approval required)

PUBLIC SPEAKING
Public Speaking is a practical course designed to offer the novice speaker a number of opportunities to organize and prepare public speaking assignments within the confines of a safe and supportive space. In business, in school, and in public life, we are often called upon to “make a few comments.” Often, people tasked with such speeches become flummoxed. They might not know what to talk about, or ramble without making a point, or simply be confusing to listen to. This course is designed to help you shine where others falter. The course aims to reduce students’ anxiety in public presentations, emphasize speech preparation, enhance public speaking skills, and make students better able to evaluate their own performance and that of others. (1/2 unit, fall & spring; Grades 9-12)

ACTING 1
This course is designed to use the craft of acting as the vehicle through which students explore and develop essential skills for the stage. Through scene studies, monologue work, and improvisation, students will explore the craft of acting in a variety of ways. In addition to learning acting techniques, students will have the opportunity to collaborate, take risks, build confidence, and engage with the art of theater. This course is equally appropriate for students interested in exploring performance techniques for the first time and those with previous experience. (½ unit, fall & spring; Grades 9-12)

ACTING 2
In this advanced-level course, students will build upon the fundamentals learned in Acting 1 in order to explore their voice as a developing artist. Students will participate in projects and activities that further strengthen their ability to take risks, make bold choices, and express themselves with confidence and clarity. This course puts a heavy emphasis on scene-work, text analysis, and listening as an actor. After taking Acting 2, students will be better able to examine text, read “between the lines,” and form a better understanding of characters and their motivations. They will advance their ability to collaborate in small groups and express themselves vocally and physically. (½ unit, fall & spring; Grades 9-12; prerequisite: Acting 1)

PLAY PRODUCTION: BEHIND THE SCENES
In this course, students will explore the various elements of theater that happen behind the scenes. This will include dramaturgy, marketing, planning, and producing productions, experimental theater and more. Students will learn and study the basics, then apply what they have learned through the lens of specific plays and musicals. (½ unit, fall & spring; Grades 9-12; department approval required)

DESIGN CONCEPTS
Students in this course will explore the elements of crafting a successful design for stage, with the focus being on lighting and projection design as well as stage management. Students will have the opportunity to research and learn about new and innovative approaches currently being used in the theater in lighting and projection design and stage management, while simultaneously learning the foundational concepts of these disciplines. Extensive use of the Black Box Theater as a design and exploration space is integral to this class. Each student will be required to participate in either the Fall or Winter production as a member of the crew. (1/2 unit, fall only; Grades 9-12; department approval required)

The Cedar Street Dance Company
Cedar Street is an audition-based student dance company composed of the most serious and dedicated dancers at Rye Country Day School. The company performs a variety of repertoire and values technique, passion, hard work, expression, and creativity. Members serve as  ambassadors of the RCDS dance program and work together to enhance the community through dance and performance. Cedar Street works to bring attention to the artistry and athleticism of dance. Cedar Street meets twice a week, for an hour and a half, and is divided into three seasons corresponding with the sports seasons (although not required, it is encouraged that company members commit to all three seasons). Dancers perform in a variety of capacities such as special programs, community meetings, events, fairs, and concerts. Each season culminates in the following:

• Fall - The Choreography Showcase
• Winter - A featured dancer role in the musical
• Spring - The Spring Dance Concert

All concerts/performances require the after-school commitment of tech week and performances. The Cedar Street Dance company is viewed in line with athletic teams and fulfills the PE credit. (Auditions for new members will be held at the onset of each season. Returning members do not need to audition again).