Commercial Dance (PACD)

Students will be in a studio class through a series of barre, adagio, petit allegro, and turns exercises. Students will learn the principles and techniques of American classical ballet. By learning a series of ballet combinations, students will begin to learn some of the choreographic principles and styles of classical dance. Requirement/Restriction: Student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance.

The study of jazz dance techniques. Students will be encouraged to develop their critical awareness of jazz dancing as a performing art. This is a physical application course and the teacher will mainly use demonstration techniques to teach the vocabulary of jazz steps. Class Structure will include a warm-up, locomotor and center exercises, and a final combination of movements. Students will be exposed to many different styles of jazz throughout the course that fall under the jazz umbrella such as: vernacular jazz, swing, classic jazz, theater jazz, street jazz, hip hop, jazz funk, contemporary jazz fusion and more to aid in their versatility.

Students will learn the foundational physical, technical, and artistic elements of Aerial Arts on a variety of aerial apparatus. Aerial Arts, an umbrella term for movement practices that occur entirely or partially off of the ground/in the air through the use of a suspended or mounted apparatus. Aerial Arts have a global history of uses in a variety of ceremonial and artistic contexts. It has been popularized more recently by the growing success of cirque-style performances. This class will include introductory practice on hammock/sling, silks/fabric, dance trapeze, and lyra/hoop. Students will be offered an introduction into how aerial movement, aesthetic, and artistic composition is changed when explored through traditional circus, contemporary cirque, and post-circus approaches.

A practical experience focusing on the puppeteer’s creative process. Emphasis will be placed on practical application and skill development in the following styles of puppetry: hand/rod (“Muppet”) puppetry (for theatre and television), found object puppetry, "bunraku" - style puppetry, hand puppetry, and shadow puppetry.

Students will be in a studio class through a series of barre, adagio, petit allegro, and turns exercises. Students will learn the principles and techniques of American classical ballet. By learning a series of ballet combinations, students will begin to learn some of the choreographic principles and styles of classical dance. Requirement/Restriction: student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance.

This course incorporates numerous somatic techniques as Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, Bartenieff, and (MELT) Method of Hands-off Bodywork principals to build mind-body awareness, improve posture, and detect imbalances and tension within the muscles and joints. This course is a self-treatment technique that achieves effects similar to those achieved by manual therapists. Using specific foam rollers and balls, the methods in class will help to rehydrate the connective tissues and rebalance the nervous system. This, in turn, leaves the body in a more balances state.

The study of jazz dance techniques. Students will be encouraged to develop their critical awareness of jazz dancing as a performing art. This is a physical application course and the teacher will mainly use demonstration techniques to teach the vocabulary of jazz steps. Class Structure will include a warm-up, locomotor and center exercises, and a final combination of movements. Students will be exposed to many different styles of jazz throughout the course that fall under the jazz umbrella such as: vernacular jazz, swing, classic jazz, theater jazz, street jazz, hip hop, jazz funk, contemporary jazz fusion and more to aid in their versatility.

This course is designed for all dance levels to enjoy. It will examine numerous hip hop styles relevant to the history of hip hop dance. Students will learn to execute the basic hip hop moves that have become to prevalent in today’s dance society.

The study of theater dance techniques. During discussions and assignments students will be encouraged to develop their critical awareness of musical theater dance as a performing art.

This course helps strengthen the student's "core," increase flexibility, and improve body awareness and overall posture. Building the strength around the core helps dancers build stability around the spine for increased strength in partnering, dancing, and for spinal protection and injury prevention. The course includes a combination of methods such as mat work, Pilates, yoga, Gyrokinesis, and other core strengthening techniques to strengthen the muscles of the spine and abdominals.

This course is designed to develop the student's beginning tap technique, vocabulary, performance, and basic understanding of Tap.

A vocal technique class focusing on the entire process of singing and the building of strong voice skills for dancers. Emphasis will be placed on the process of learning songs and understanding the basic terminology of singing through assigned song repertoire that will be limited to the standard Musical Theatre canon. Requirement/Restriction: Student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance or pursuing a BA degree in Theater/Commercial Dance.

This course will prepare students for the wide range of commercial style work. This course is a required course for any dancer in the BFA Commercial Dance Program to prepare them for the Junior year LA semester.

Ballet III encompasses the more difficult movements of classical ballet. Students of proficient technical level, (possessing perfectly placed bodies with feet and legs that are lengthened and strong), may explore pointe work and basic ballet partnering at the discretion of the instructor. Requirement/Restriction: student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance.

The study of jazz dance techniques. Students will be encouraged to develop their critical awareness of jazz dancing as a performing art. This is a physical application course and the teacher will mainly use demonstration techniques to teach the vocabulary of jazz steps. Class Structure will include a warm-up, locomotor and center exercises, and a final combination of movements. Students will be exposed to many different styles of jazz throughout the course that fall under the jazz umbrella such as: vernacular jazz, swing, classic jazz, theater jazz, street jazz, hip hop, jazz funk, contemporary jazz fusion and more to aid in their versatility.

Students will learn the more advanced elements of the Aerial Arts using a variety of aerial apparatuses. Class will include work on silks/fabric, Spanish web, hammock sling, and static trapeze. The class will teach more advanced drops and skills. We will learn elements of doubles and group work.

Ballet a highly formalized and codified system of classical training taught in both the European and American fashion as a basis for all performance dance techniques. It is an exceedingly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary, which will additionally be part of each class at Pace University. Ballet training is essential to building successful dancers and the B.F.A classes are focused on development of technique, line, strength, and agility. Six semesters of ballet are required for graduation. Classes offered Ballet I, Ballet II, Ballet III, Ballet IV, Ballet V, and Ballet VI. Ballet IV encompasses the more difficult movements of classical ballet. Students of proficient technical level, possessing perfectly placed bodies with feet and legs that are lengthened and strong, may explore basic pointe work at the barre with permission of the instructor. Requirement/Restriction:Students of proficient technical level, possessing perfectly placed bodies with feet and legs that are lengthened and strong, may explore basic point work at the barre with permission of the instructor.

The study of jazz dance techniques. Students will be encouraged to develop their critical awareness of jazz dancing as a performing art. This is a physical application course and the teacher will mainly use demonstration techniques to teach the vocabulary of jazz steps. Class Structure will include a warm-up, locomotor and center exercises, and a final combination of movements. Students will be exposed to many different styles of jazz throughout the course that fall under the jazz umbrella such as: vernacular jazz, swing, classic jazz, theater jazz, street jazz, hip hop, jazz funk, contemporary jazz fusion and more to aid in their versatility.

This course is designed for all dance levels to enjoy. It will examine numerous hip hop styles relevant to the history of hip hop dance. Students will learn to execute the basic hip hop moves that have become so prevalent in today’s dance society.

This course is designed to develop the student’s ability to understand and properly execute theatre dance movement/styles of the various decades: 1900’s-present day. The student will complete this class with a thorough overview of theater dance styles and the tools to successfully audition and perform in musical theatre dance.

Tap 2 is a course designed to develop the student's advanced tap technique, vocabulary, performance, and intricate rhythms of more advanced Tap.

This course is structured towards the dancer/athlete application. Students will be discussing body, space planes, physical orientations, the bony skeleton, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons, and circulation. Requirement/Restriction: student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance or pursuing a BA degree in Theater/Commercial Dance.

This course is a practical experience focusing on developing the choreographer’s creative process, aesthetic and voice. Basic dance-making tools will be introduced each week and explored through specific assignments. Emphasis will be placed on utilizing a variety of source material to create pieces of choreography that explore different motivations and dance styles along with choreographic devices introduced throughout the course, Additional attention will be given to helping cultivate skills in objective analysis of choreographic structures explored in class as well and understanding their compositional function.

This course develops the student's ability to sing and dance simultaneously through the staging of Broadway production numbers, and the student's performance technique skills. Students explore various eras and genres of the dance and theater repertoire, as well as many of the most influential composers. Students perform solo, in duets, and trios, as well as large groups.

A practical experience focusing on the singer’s creative process. Emphasis will be placed on identifying, selecting and utilizing a variety of source material. Students will interpret the source material and create a vocal piece through use of various vocal styles. Requirement/Restriction: student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance or pursuing a BA degree in Theater/Commercial Dance.

Students will be in a studio class through a series of barre, adagio, petit allegro, and turns exercises. Students will learn the principles and techniques of American classical ballet. By learning a series of ballet combinations, students will begin to learn some of the choreographic principles and styles of classical dance. Requirement/Restriction: permission of instructor to register and the student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance.

Contemporary dance is a genre of dance that employs systems and methods found in modern dance, ballet, jazz and postmodern dance and is most seen in the concert dance arena. Dancers will explore unique movement styles and discover the basic concepts of contemporary dance techniques. Students will learn the foundation and movement philosophies employed in contemporary dance. Requirement/Restriction: student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance.

This course is a study of basic practices related to the current concepts of preventative medicine. Basic anatomical functions and kinesiology concepts analogous to the physical health of the performer will be addressed.

Contemporary movement at Pace University is a fusion of modern dance training, which does not identify with any codified system or technique. The contemporary classes are a hybrid fusion of contemporary jazz, modern, and ballet, which hone dancer’s technique, and develop unique movement styles specific to each dancers’ individuality. 2 semesters of contemporary are required for graduation. Requirement/Restriction: student must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance.

The study of jazz dance techniques. Students will be encouraged to develop their critical awareness of jazz dancing as a performing art. This is a physical application course and the teacher will mainly use demonstration techniques to teach the vocabulary of jazz steps. Class Structure will include a warm-up, locomotor and center exercises, and a final combination of movements. Students will be exposed to many different styles of jazz throughout the course that fall under the jazz umbrella such as: vernacular jazz, swing, classic jazz, theater jazz, street jazz, hip hop, jazz funk, contemporary jazz fusion and more to aid in their versatility.

This is a performance application class where students will explore a variety of movement motivations, somatic practices, and guided improvisation exercises in Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, Modern and Hip Hop. The goal of this course is to instill confidence in dancers’ improvisation skills for use in choreography or for the current Commercial audition environment. Restriction/Requirement: Student must be pursuing a B.F.A. degree in Commercial Dance or pursuing a B.A. degree in Theater/Commercial Dance

This course will immerse the students in the wide varieties of dance styles relevant in the Los Angeles commercial dance arena. Styles such as hip hop, house, street, funk, vogue, ballroom and other emerging LA styles represented on stage and screen will be explored throughout the semester. This course is a physical application class and students will embody the exploration of each of these diverse styles through their weekly course work.

Class is designed to immerse students with the knowledge of how to succeed as a professional performer in Los Angeles. During discussions and assignments students will be encouraged to develop their critical awareness of being a professional performer in Los Angeles.

This course helps students learn the foundational skills necessary to lead creative workshops for high school-age students. Using the methodology of Battery Dance’s Dancing to Connect teacher training program, students learn the sequential tools to help high school students tell their stories through dance. Students learn the steppingstones for creating trust and engendering creativity, self-esteem, and teamwork skills through dance-making with public high school students. The course equips teacher-trainees with a marketable skill that can supplement their careers as performers and choreographers.

Ballet Pedagogy is the theory and practice of teaching ballet technique to assess and train students in a logical, progressive, and responsible manner. This course includes an overview of different methodologies for teaching ballet pedagogy and applying them in practice through class observation, self-observation, and peer assessment. You must have completed four semesters of ballet to enroll in this course.Restriction/Requirement:Student must be pursuing a B.F.A. degree in Commercial Dance or pursuing a B.A. degree in Theater/Commercial Dance

Jazz Pedagogy is the theory and practice of teaching jazz technique to assess and train students in a logical, progressive, and responsible manner. This course includes an overview of different methodologies for teaching jazz pedagogy and applying them in practice through class observation, self-observation, and peer assessment. This course also includes tap and jazz dance history through lectures and presentations. There is an embodied history component to the course where students study and physically learn to execute relevant historical techniques that lead to the foundations of jazz training. You must have completed four semesters of jazz to enroll in this course.

This course offers students the opportunity to use their work on a production as a lab experience to apply the skills, techniques, and knowledge acquired in class.

Choreographer Mentoring is a course where students will be mentored by a Professional Industry level choreographer in all aspects of creating a new work, from conception to choreography, costuming, lighting and rehearsal management.

This course offers students the opportunity to use their work on a production as a lab experience to apply the skills, techniques, and knowledge acquired in class.

Ballet a highly formalized and codified system of classical training taught in both the European and American fashion as a basis for all performance dance techniques. It is an exceedingly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary, which will additionally be part of each class at Pace University. Ballet training is essential to building successful dancers and the B.F.A. classes are focused on development of technique, line, strength, and agility. 6 semesters of ballet are required for graduation. Classes offered Ballet I, Ballet II, Ballet III, Ballet IV, Ballet V, and Ballet VI. Ballet VI encompasses the more difficult movements and ballets of the classical and contemporary ballet. Pointe work for the entire class is required. Dancers must have the technical strength to execute exercises at the barre, center floor work and to perform pertinent ballet repertoire taught in class. Students must have achieved proficient technical level, to execute the class on Pointe and have basic ballet partnering knowledge. Restriction/Requirement:Student must be pursuing a B.F.A. degree in Commercial Dance or pursuing a B.A. degree in Theater/Commercial Dance

Modern I has an emphasis on gravity, weighted emotional movements, and using opposition as movement motivations. There are numerous systems of modern dance training such as Horton, Taylor, Graham, and others, which will be evenly touched upon throughout modern training in the B.F.A program. There is no one modern technique that is predominantly taught at Pace University. Two semesters of modern are required for graduation.

This course develops the student's ability to execute various styles of dance steps to a wide variety of jazz and pop music and proficiently to incorporate them into a dance composition for the camera. The students apply advanced technique to performance theories and concepts, as well as audition skills. This course examines the theory, advanced technique, and vocabulary of various genres of dance on camera and explores individual artistic expression. At the completion of this course, students will have applicable skills to succeed in the Los Angeles dance industry.

Modern II will build on the principles learned in Modern I and students will deepen their understanding of the training methods learned in Modern I, such as Horton, Graham and Taylor among others. In modern II, students will explore modern repertory which will require them to use the fundamentals learned in Modern I and apply them within complex modern dance choreography.

This course is a practical experience focusing on the choreographer’s creative process. Emphasis will be placed on identifying, selecting and utilizing a variety of source material. Interpreting the source material and creating a piece of choreography through use of various dance styles.

This course teaches students how to choreograph movement of different types of on-film work. They learn to "choreograph the cameras" to achieve the shots necessary to capture the physical movement they have created. Students work hands-on with dancers to create work that then must be translated onto film. The projects range from choreographing assignments such as a television commercial, a music video, to film segment, and live television. Students study daily with high-profile industry choreographers who are prevalent in the teaching of these techniques.

This course is designed to develop and increase the partnering skills necessary for success in the dance industry. Students will be exposed to a wide range of contemporary styles including jazz, contemporary ballet and modern.

This course further develops and increases the students' partnering skills. Students are exposed to a wide range of contemporary styles including jazz, contemporary, ballet, modern, and ballroom partnering. This lab is an open arena in which students can hone their partnering skills through practice and repetition of material. It is necessary for dancers to have intense studio time to build strength and muscle memory in their partnering skills. This course is also specifically designed for Commercial Dance BFA students to build their repertory of lifting techniques and allow practice time of this material. It is further suggested that partnering couples sign into this course together to ensure they are a suitable couple. Physical attributes such as this are key for safety, so finding a suitable partner in regards to height and strength is essential to success in the course.

This course will examine the development of ballet to contemporary modern dance in the twentieth century in both Europe and the United States. Dance will also be examined parallel to its collaborative disciplines as a reflection and outgrowth of social and historical climates. Classes will include a critical writing component, presentation, class discussion and lecture, as well as comprehensive reading. During discussions and assignments students will be encouraged to develop their critical awareness of dance as a performing art.

Designed to immerse students in the knowledge of how to succeed as a professional performer. Professional panels, guest lecturers, faculty, and current professionals will guide them on how to market and employ themselves in the industry. Students should leave this course prepared to graduate and join the professional community. Must have completed six semesters as a BFA candidate to enroll in this course. Restriction/Requirement:.and the student must be pursuing a B.F.A. degree in Commercial Dance or pursuing a B.A. degree in Theater/Commercial Dance.

This course is an experiential learning course where students will be immersed in the Los Angeles Dance market through guest artist visits, site visits, guest lectures, and through building work for the LA Showcase for industry, faculty, family and alumni.

This zero-credit lab, accompanies PACD 421: Choreography for the Camera to provide students further experience in choreographing movement for different types of on-film work. As in PACD 421, students learn to “choreograph the camera” to achieve the shots necessary to capture the physical movement they have created. Students work hands-on with dancers to create work that then must be translated onto film. The projects range from choreographing assignments such as a television commercial, a music video, to film segments, and live television. Students study daily with high profile industry choreographers who are prevalent in the teaching of these techniques.

This zero-credit lab accompanies PACD 408: Dance for the Camera to further develop the student’s ability to execute various styles of dance steps to a wide variety of jazz and pop music and proficiently incorporate them into a dance composition for the camera. The students applies advanced technique to performance theories and concepts, as well as audition skills. This course examines the theory, advanced technique, and vocabulary of various genres of dance on camera and explores individual artistic expression. At the completion of this course, students will have applicable skills to succeed in the Los Angeles dance industry.

The Senior project should help integrate dancers immediately into the professional dance community in New York with mentorship opportunities where students work with professional choreographers on repertory to present in a final capstone project which culminates with a showcase concert at Pace. Class time each week might also revolve around developing necessary skills for entrance into the professional dance community. During class meeting times there may be lectures, guest speakers, private dance auditions and time for rehearsal for student projects.