Dance
What You’ll Learn
Welcome to the Dance Department at ConneXions: A Community Based Arts School! We are excited to inspire, challenge, and empower our students through high-quality dance education in a supportive and creative environment. Meet our talented instructors: Mama Diedre Dawkins, who teaches Modern and West African Dance, and Ms. I’yana McNeill, who teaches Ballet and Hip Hop. Together, they are committed to helping every student grow as a dancer, artist, and leader.
Expectations
As as student, you are expected to:
Show respect for yourself, your teachers, classmates, and the dance space at all times.
Come prepared for class every day wearing the required black dance attire with the appropriate dance shoes and hair secured.
Arrive on time and ready to learn, participating fully in warm-ups, instruction, rehearsals, and class activities.
Demonstrate a positive work ethic by giving your best effort, accepting feedback with professionalism, and striving for continuous improvement.
Take responsibility for your learning by maintaining focus, practicing choreography outside of class, completing assignments, and contributing positively to the classroom environment.
Grading
Students will be graded on the following:
Warm-ups
Center combinations/Technique
Across the Floor
Class Choreography
Class Preparedness (Uniform and Hair Pulled up)
Performances
Class Projects
Required Materials
You should have these items for each class:
All Black Clothing (Unitard, leotard, black sports bra, black dance shorts, black leggings) dancers should have 5 sets of class uniforms for the week. Dancers will need their sports bra and dance shorts for performances.
Fleshtone convertible tights
Fleshtone ballet slippers
Combination lock for dance locker
Composition notebook
Dance bag with the following items they will need daily: Hair ties, Bobby pins, baby wipes, deodorant, hand towel etc.
● Faculty & Staff
Meet the Instructors
Ms. I’yana McNeil
Dance Program Instructor
Mama Diedre Dawkins
Dance Program Instructor● Contact