Dance
Overview
The mission of the Dance Department, at Boston Arts Academy, is to provide a rigorous and comprehensive program of study in dance. The curriculum is designed to offer professional training in dance that prepares students for further studies at post-secondary institutions, or careers in dance. In addition to technique and dance styles, students study composition, dance history, healthful living, dance production and technologies. The curriculum is designed to provide students opportunities to develop discipline, technical skills, composition skills as well as multiple modes of expression. It is our mission to challenge students’ creativity and critical thinking, through 21st century skills and the exploration of embodied knowledge.
In order to prepare our students for post-secondary education in dance and dance careers, the technical training for dance majors is focused primarily on classical ballet and modern dance, which is supplemented with styles class, such as Hip Hop, Commercial Dance, West African Dance, and somatics studies. Students are placed at the level best suited to their technical development.
Students also have multiple opportunities to connect with professionals in the field of dance, through numerous master classes in partnership with cultural institutions such as the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Boston Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine, Celebrity Series of Boston, Earl Mosley Institute for the Arts and Global Arts Live. We also connect our students to competitive summer programs, as well as the National and the Regional High School Dance Festival and post-secondary institutions for continued studies in dance.
These techniques and dance classes are supported by lessons on composition, dance history, healthy living, and dance production and technologies. This extensive study in the arts is balanced by a strong academic base in the Humanities, STEAM, and Literary Arts, preparing students for whatever path they choose to pursue. (Linked to these dept. pages)
We also offer multiple opportunities for our Dance students to connect with professionals in the field as well as participate in nationally competitive summer programs. Recent guest choreographers have included Sean Curran and Pedro Ruiz and former master classes have been taught by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Raphael Xavier.
Course Offerings
Our dance students are trained for college and career, using the latest training techniques as well as Dance Science. Lower House classes include Ballet, Modern, Orientation,Improvisation, Dance Styles, Repertory and Pre-Pointe (by audition), adding Commercial Dance and Dance Science in 10th grade.
Upper House Students study advanced Ballet technique, advanced Modern, Orientation, Dance Science, Improvisation, Dancer Wellness, Fitness and Conditioning, Pointe, Choreography and Pathways.
Students have the opportunity to audition for Honors Dance as an UH elective.
Please view the student handbook for a detailed description of each course offered in progression from 9th grade to 12th grade. The handbook also offers specific information about assessments, juries, benchmarks and Graduation with Honors in the Art.
Recent Performances and Productions
Faculty
alumni
Our graduates go on to college and pre-professional programs that benefit from our multi-disciplinary approach as well as careers in dance.
Kirven Douthit-Boyd
Kirven performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 2004-2015. Received an MFA from Hollins University. In 2015, he became the Co-Artistic Director of Dance at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) and Distinguished Performing Artist at Washington University in St. Louis.
“BAA prepared me for a career in the arts by providing a well-rounded education focusing on artistic & technical training with introductory administrative skills. BAA gave me the foundation on which I’ve been able to build a career as a performer, creator, educator, and leader.”
– Kirven Douthit-Boyd
Class of 2002
