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On any given day at Gabriella Charter School, there is
an array of ongoing arts−related
instruction.
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The School’s two dance studios −−
the airy,
high−ceilinged, chandeliered “Garden Room”
studio and the smaller, sound−proofed basement
“Tap Dance” studio −− are almost continuously
filled every school day hour with classes of
students immersed in dance and music. Although
most elementary schools end their school day at
2 p.m., at Gabriella, the school day is elongated
to 3:30 p.m. to ensure that every student
receives one hour of daily dance instruction and
one hour of weekly music and visual arts
instruction without impacting the
standards−based academic curriculum.
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Notwithstanding the almost non−stop dance instruction (thirty−five
hours of dance instruction
every school week) GCS also recognizes the importance of incorporating drama, visual arts
and music into every student’s curriculum. Consequently, since the School’s opening in 2005,
Wednesday has been visual arts day at GCS, when every GCS student receives an hour of
visual arts.
Many GCS students also participate in the parent
non−profit’s everybody dance!
after−school and Saturday program, which requires an intensive commitment to the study
of
dance after−school and on weekends (www.everybodydance.org).
DANCE CLASSES AT GABRIELLA CHARTER SCHOOL
All GCS students receive one hour of daily dance
instruction with a talented and diverse
dance faculty, overseen by Dance Education Coordinator Chippy Zuniga and Artistic Director
Carol Zee. All students study ballet twice weekly, take an integrated movement and
choreography class once per week and study an additional dance form (depending on their
grade level) the remaining two days of the week.
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Kindergarten
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Ballet: Students acquire basic ballet vocabulary,
i.e. “plie”,
“tendu”, “releve”, and “sauté.” Students learn how to warm
and stretch their bodies and muscles through a variety of
imagery−focused games. Students learn how to move (both
as a group and individually) in a circle, semi−circle, straight
line and diagonal line, providing students with greater spatial
and body awareness.
Choreography: Students begin to learn the vocabulary
of
choreography, including these dance concepts: expand and
contract, rotate, travel, stillness, mirroring, flocking, and
the “Language of Dance” (LOD) symbols that coincide with
these terms. Students practice working in small groups and
as a group. Students begin to learn how to choreograph a
mini−dance, while beginning to develop as critical dance
observers and engaging in dance dialogue with their peers.
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1st Grade
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Ballet: Students gain a fundamental knowledge of
movement vocabulary with an emphasis on ballet
terminology and technique and basic knowledge of dance
etiquette and dance behavior. They understand the
following concepts: High and low, up and down, turning,
directional changes, mirroring as well as different qualities of
movement such as hard and soft, loose and strong, fast and
slow. Students work in large and small groups and on an
individual basis while increasing their body and spatial
awareness. They also begin to observe themselves and their
classmates with a critical eye.
Creative Movement: Students acquire a strong
understanding of creative movement terminology evident
through their written documentation, vocabulary, and dance
performance. Students learn how to perform basic axial and
locomotor body positions, movements, and patterns without
teacher demonstration. Additionally, students memorize and
correctly name such body positions, movements, and
patterns using ballet terminology. Students learn to work in
small groups and as a cohesive group and learn how to
critique their own performances as well as the performances
of peers. Additionally, students expand their use of the
observer lens through class discussions about professional
ballet videos.
Choreography: Through movement exploration,
observation, replication and recall, students develop
kinesthetic and self−awareness; understand dance
concepts; and build fine and large motor skills. Students
invent dance movements to create their own dances; learn
basic vocabulary of various dance forms and simple dances;
reflect upon their own and other’s work; and understand the
purpose, routine, and behavior of a dance class.
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2nd Grade
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Ballet: Students acquire a strong understanding
of basic
ballet technique and terminology evident through their
written documentation, vocabulary, and dance performance.
Students learn to perform basic axial and locomotor body
positions, movements, and patterns without teacher
demonstration. Additionally, students memorize and
correctly name such body positions, movements, and
patterns using ballet terminology. Students practice working
in small groups and as a cohesive group and learn to critique
their own performances as well as the performances of their
peers.
Theater Dance: Students learn the fundamentals of
dance
theater. Theatrical terms and concepts explored include
character, personality, gestures, facial expressions and
posture. Students discuss feelings and how they affect the
way we move. Students use choreographic dance patterns
to demonstrate varying emotional states or thought
processes. Students learn how to create spatial formations:
straight line, circle, diagonal, etc. Students practice working
as an individual, in pairs, in small groups and as an entire
class. Students engage in constructive criticism of peers'
performances.
Choreography: Students learn and apply dance vocabulary
and symbols to respond to and make observations about
dance. Students are introduced to the many ways people
express themselves through dance. Students develop a
basic choreography vocabulary, demonstrating the ability to
express basic elements of dance by naming and
demonstrating different body parts, shapes, actions,
dynamics, directions, levels, paths and relationships. By the
end of the year, students make connections by exploring
and inventing body movements to create an original student
dance inspired by literature studied in their classroom and
written work created on their own.
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3rd Grade
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Ballet: Students learn to demonstrate ballet class
etiquette
including: how to move and where to put a ballet barre, and
how to return a ballet barre quickly and safely. They also
learn to work at the barre while observing the following
rules: no hanging on barre, no leaning on barre. They learn
to set themselves up at the barre at least an arms−length
away from their neighbor. Students begin to demonstrate
ballet movement proficiently with proper body form legs and
engaged center. Students learn a dance that requires them
to know their own right and left, and they gain
understanding of the dance concept of mirroring. Students
also learn the following locomotor steps: walk, backward
walk, prance, slide, skitter. They learn to differentiate
between, releve, eleve, plie and flat. They also learn to
work in both parallel, first, and second position.
Tap: Students acquire basic understanding of tap
vocabulary. Terms and concepts include step, heel drop,
shuffle, flap, ball change, hop, leap, cramp roll, tip, pivot
turn, single time step, paddle and roll, buffalo, Irish, scuff,
riff, etc. Students learn to recognize the downbeat of the
music and count, making their tap sounds line up with the
music. Students create spatial formations: straight line,
circle, diagonal, etc. Students practice working as an
individual, in pairs, in small groups and as an entire class.
Students engage in constructive criticism of
peers’performances.
Choreography: Students learn and apply dance vocabulary
and dance symbols to respond to and make observations
about dance. They are introduced to the many ways people
dance around the world, and how dance influences different
cultures. By actively observing the movement of other
students, people and things; and learning dances from
various cultures and historical periods, students learn to
apply dance concepts to the world outside the classroom,
recognizing that every student has a cultural background,
and understanding that people danced differently in
different historical periods. By the end of the 3rd grade,
students are able to respond to other cultures and their art
discipline through movement, and understand how other art
media can be integrated with dance to clearly express an
intention.
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4th Grade
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Ballet: Students gain knowledge of proper ballet
class
structure and basic ballet vocabulary. The class expands on
previously learned concepts to incorporate more technique.
By the end of the school year, students are able to perform
an entire ballet class, complete with "barre," center, and
across the floor exercises, in addition to their stretching,
strengthening & conditioning portions.
Modern: Students learn the seven qualities of movement
(swing, explode, collapse, vibrate, sustain, suspend,
staccato) and begin to identify them in choreography. They
start demonstrating certain qualities as movement (just
vibrate) and begin to adapt certain movements by changing
the quality. For example: crawl vs. crawl and vibrate.
Students deepen their understanding of dance alignment as
they work toward engaging their centers, while breathing
fully. Students become more adept at using plie in their
dancing as they work toward more horizontal movement and
cover more space in their dancing. Students demonstrate
modern dance rolls such as "booty roll" and lunge roll.
Choreography: Through ongoing participation in dance,
students develop strength, flexibility, and endurance.
Students layer compositional elements and select themes
for group choreography, while increasing awareness of
dance forms. Students learn more complex dances,
demonstrate self−initiative, and collaborate actively with
others in class, rehearsal, and performance. By the end of
the 4thgrade, students are able to understand, speak, and
read an expanding dance vocabulary; apply it to their
writing and use it to enrich their dancing.
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5th Grade
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Ballet: Students gain a strong understanding of
proper
ballet behavior and studio etiquette. They learn the
sequential order of the ballet class with the center barre,
center exercises, stretching, and moving across the floor.
Additionally, students gain a strong command of ballet
terminology and basic ballet history, including classical
ballets such as Giselle, La Slyphide and Swan Lake.
Jazz/Ballroom: Students acquire fundamental knowledge
of jazz and ballroom dance. In jazz (which takes place in the
second semester) students are capable of identifying
general movement characteristics of the jazz genre from the
audience and performer perspective, comparing and
contrasting jazz dance with other previously learned dance
techniques and performing basic jazz movements. They are
also able to combine and perform jazz movements with
ballroom dance through the instructor’s choreography.
Choreography: Students expand their dance vocabulary
to
refine their understanding and communication of ideas and
themes in dance. Students practice constructive criticism
using dance language, and explore the elements that
contribute to expression and meaning in dance. Students
illuminate their relationship to dance by exploring dances of
different culture and periods. They find shared elements
among the arts, use video and interactive technology to
support dance learning, and analyze the effects of dance on
the body and mind.
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II. MUSIC AT GABRIELLA CHARTER SCHOOL
At GCS, students in second through fifth
grades receive one hour of weekly music
instruction as part of the ST Math and Music
Program (http://www.mindinstitute.net).
Students in kindergarten and first grades
receive 30 minutes of weekly music instruction
through the Orff−Schulwerk program.
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ST Math and
Music
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The ST Math and Music program, developed by the the U.C.
Irvine−based M.I.N.D. Institute, uses piano keyboarding
instruction and math computer games to teach students
problem−solving skills and math standards.
Piano Keyboarding Instruction: For the musical component
of ST Math+Music, a professional music instructor teaches
students to read and play music on piano keyboards for one
hour per week. The instructor follows specialized lesson
plans and songbooks developed by the M.I.N.D. Institute
that guide students to make connections between the
divisionary measures and rhythmic beats in music to math
concepts they are learning in their core curriculum.
Students not only strengthen their mathematical skills, but
also begin to develop their talents as pianists.
Math Computer Games: The visual component utilizes ST
Math software containing games that challenge students to
anticipate and solve picture and pattern puzzles in order to
overcome obstacles. Students practice in class with the ST
Math software for two 45 minute sessions per week.
The visual and musical based techniques for teaching math
standards encapsulated by ST Math+Music are particularly
suited to GCS, where there is a high number of ESL
students whose limited knowledge of English make a
non−language based approach ideal to furthering their
understanding of mathematics.
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Orff- Schulwerk
Instruction
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GCS began Orff−Schulwerk percussion music instruction
for
kindergarten and 1st grade classes in 2008. Orff Schulwerk is
a way to teach and learn music. It is based on things
children like to do: sing, chant rhymes, clap, dance, and
keep a beat on anything near at hand. In the
Orff−Schulwerk program, these instincts are directed into
learning music by hearing and making music first, then
reading and writing music later.Lessons focus on the
elements of music −− melody, rhythm, form, texture and
harmony with a hands−on approach employing pitched and
unpitched instruments. Students also sing, chant, dance,
improvise and dramatize literature that they read and stories
that they create.
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III. VISUAL ARTS AT GCS
All GCS students have weekly arts instruction with
a
trained arts educator. Students explore a range of media
including watercolors, pastels, collage, clay, paper,
charcoal and found objects. Projects may be inspired by
the study and examination of works representing a
particular movement, an artist’s unique style, a mood set
by a story, an idea that a student wishes to communicate
or by experimentation with color, texture or composition.
At GCS, visual arts instruction is provided to all
students
on Wednesdays. Second and third graders receive an
hour of visual arts instruction through “The Art People”
and students in kindergarten, first, fourth and fifth grades
receive instruction from professional artist Heather
Conyers.
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The Art
People
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Through “The Art People”, a community group
that has brought arts
into Title 1 schools for the past six years, the school’s second and third
graders receive one−hour of weekly art enrichment. Students are
introduced to vocabulary and artistic elements in studying historical
objects and the artworks of noted artists. They learn to reflect on and
assess the characteristics and merits of their own work and the work of
others. The Arts People class is taught by two instructors who teach
together. Both instructors, Meg Kasdan and Zen Annino, were trained at
the Center for Early Education (a Los Angeles private school with a
strong arts program) and taught at Compton in public schools for
several years before teaching at GCS.
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Professional
Artist
Heather
Conyers
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Kindergarten, 1st, 3rdand 5th graders
receive one−hour of weekly arts
enrichment from professional artist Heather Conyers. Heather has an
extensive background in teaching art. She often introduces noted
artists, describing their particular styles and pointing out characteristics
of their work, and then asks students to create a piece of art in the
style of that artist. Heather also shows pictures of artifacts, leads
students to inquire about the function and design of the artifacts and
then guides them to relate in some way to those artifacts. Last year,
Heather’s position was filled by Sage Raval, another professional artist,
who introduced animation to the students at Gabriella.
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Theater Arts at Gabriella Charter School is taught as a
discrete subject
in Theater Dance twice a week to the second grade. Generally,
however, theater arts, is integrated into the English−language arts and
social studies curriculum. Students gain insight into character and
relationships by acting out parts in Reader’s Theater. They engage their
peers and make the past come alive by relating historical events
through dramatic presentations of important characters that shaped the
country. English−language learners gain valuable practice with
vocabulary, sentence structure, and voice projection with structured
role−playing in front of the class. Additionally, dramatic improvisation is
a valuable tool for character education, and is employed at GCS to
assist students with conflict resolution.
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Theater
Dance Class
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In theater dance class, students study character, personality,
gestures, facial expressions and posture. Students discuss feelings and
how they affect the way the way people move. Students use
choreographic dance patterns to demonstrate varying emotional states
or thought processes. Students learn the concept of spatial
formations—a straight line, a circle, a diagonal, a square—and their
impact on an audience. Students learn to value working as an individual,
with a partner, in small groups and as an entire class.
Students engage in constructive
criticism of peers' performances.
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Weekly
school−wide
assemblies
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GCS also integrates theater arts with cultural education
and academic
content areas. On Friday mornings, classes rotate the responsibility of
educating the entire student body about national holidays and holidays
celebrated by diverse ethnic groups and religious groups at school−wide
assemblies. Frequently presentations are in the form of original skits
written and performed by students.
Reader's Theater: Reader’s theater gives English
Language Learners
opportunities to increase fluency and enhance reading comprehension
by taking the roles of literary characters from many of their favorite
books. Students gain a more realistic picture of historical periods,
important events and political life when reading and acting the parts of
Native Americans, settlers and explorers.
This year fifth graders will create their own dialogue
when enacting the
European discovery and settlement of America. Students will take on
the identity of an explorer and will make decisions and suffer fates that
will determine their success as a settler. They will plan for the trip, sail
across the ocean, and then choose a plot of land to colonize. In groups
of five or six, “colonists” will try to acquire more lands, as well as
achieve wealth and status among the colonies. The three−week project
will address social studies, English−language arts and listening and
speaking standards.
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Theater Arts
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Theater Dance is provided on Mondays and Fridays from 11:00−12:00
by Joe Schenck for 2nd grade (see above). Other theater activities are
incorporated throughout the school year.
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About Us
