Tomball High School Dance Dept.

Ms. Melton

Office Phone: 281-357-3220 ext. 2356

Conference time: 11:30-12:00

Dance for the Male Athlete

This is a beginner level dance course which will include strength & conditioning, dance terminology, dance skills, memory, execution, and performance quality. This course is also used

Benefits of this class:

Strength

Strength is a key component for all athletes. If you are not strong, you will not have much success in the game. Ballet provides a total body workout that targets muscles few other exercises use. For instance, ballet strengthens the muscles in your feet. Ballet will additionally strengthen your back, legs and arms, with a great emphasis on strengthening your core muscles, which are useful while playing football or any sport.

Flexibility

Being flexible may not seem like a key factor, but increased flexibility has many benefits to the game. Increased flexibility can also reduce your risk of injuries, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Additional Physical Benefits

In addition to making you a stronger, more flexible athlete, dance can make you more agile, moving quickly on your feet, changing directions with greater balance, stability and a greater range of motion. Dance can also help increase your speed, rhythm and coordination.

Mental Benefits

One of the most important components of playing any sport is concentration. Dance lowers your stress, stimulates you intellectually and helps you recognize and deal with patterns, spacial issues and sequences, which are essential to strategies, memorizing plays, etc. Dance stimulates a connection between your brain and your body that helps you do your best in all activities, including sports.

Daily Classroom Procedures & Guidelines

  1. In dance room before the bell rings or counted tardy.
  2. Students will have 5 minutes to dress out and be in roll call lines.
  3. Dress out is required, not an option. If a student refuses to dress out disciplinary action will be taken.
  4. No Dress Out: If a student does not bring appropriate dance attire or just chooses not to dress out the student will not receive credit for their daily grade. If excessively not dressing out, the student will be moved out of the program.
  5. Dance class does have required attire. Any black bottoms and required dance class t-shirt.
  6. No food, gum, or drink OR CELL PHONE is allowed in class.
  7. Remember….. you chose this class and if you can’t abide by these few simple rules, you will not be able to remain in this program.

Grading Policy

Participation 70%

Test 30%

Weekly grades are based on the students' daily performance in class.

Each day is worth 20 participation points with a possible 100 total points per week. Major grades are skills test, tests, and presentations.

Points are lost for the following reasons:

Not dressing out, not fully participating, chewing gum, etc.

Projects: Any project scheduled will be discussed at the beginning of the six weeks and will be counted as a written or skills grade.

More dance class details!

*ILLNESS– If absent, it is the student’s responsibility to ask for makeup work and obtain assignments missed on the day of their absence. Because grades are based on class participation, students who are ill or injured with proper documentation must make up their daily grade with a written paper. It must be one page in length, either hand written or typed. It can be over any dance-related topic.

*DRESSING OUT– Each dance student is responsible for bringing his/her dance clothes to class daily. They will have a locker to keep their belonging in. The students are given 5 minutes at the beginning of the period to change out, and 5 minutes at the end of class to dress back out.

*SECURITY - STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS AND DANCE CLOTHES. MS. MELTON AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEFT OR MISSING ITEMS. Do not leave your belongings unattended at anytime while changing. Write your name in all clothes with a Sharpie marker.

*PARTICIPATION- Participating in class is a must as stated above. Discipline is emphasized as part of dance in order to train with complete concentration. To begin a typical class: roll is checked, warm-up, history or terminology discussed, and floor work will be conducted. Individual performances as well as group performances will be graded. This class is just as detailed as any major required course, and a notebook will be kept.

Once again, I welcome you and your son back to a great 2015-2016 school year. If I can be of any assistance to you please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Brittany Melton

Dance Teacher/Cougar Charms Director

SIGNATURE PAGE

Students’s Name: ______

I have read and fully understand the expectation, procedures, and materials needed for this class. I have read the syllabus and will comply in order to be successful in this class.

______

Student’s SignatureParent/Guardian Signature

Please return by Friday. This is your first major grade…..make it a 100!