Commercial Dance

The Certificate of Achievement in Commercial Dance is designed for students seeking professional dance opportunities in the entertainment field. This comprehensive program trains the students in a variety of dance techniques coupled with vocal music and acting courses.

ProgramStudent Learning Outcomes: Students who complete the Certificate of Achievement in Commercial Dance will be able to:  

• Communication: Students will be able to identify, compare, contrast, and evaluate theatrical forms of dance in a socio-historical context as an artistic, political, or ideological medium of communication.  
• Critical Thinking: Identify, analyze, assess, and perform dance combinations and choreography. 
• Professional Behaviors: Identify specified line, design, technique, and vocabulary as well as rhythmic, dynamic, and emotional concepts for a wide variety of movement.

Student assessment is through a combination of performance evaluations, skills assessment, written assignments, and written tests and quizzes.

Program Prerequisite Skills/Enrollment Limitations: No Prerequisites or Limitations

Career Technical Education(CTE):

• DanceProduction Technician
• RecreationLeader
• CompanyDirector
• MovementNotator
• DanceCritic
• FitnessInstructor
• DancePromoter

 Transfer:  Associate of Arts Degree in Dance

 High Unit/Accrediting and/or Licensing Standards: Not Applicable

The proposed revision to this certificate of Achievement reflects many changes to the structure of our program which will allow us to provide students with a sustainable quality dance experience. In the last few years, we have hired new faculty and we have seen a complete change in the leadership of Dance. Our Dance Program has evolved over the years and today we have 35 students pursuing certificates and degrees. This number includes a half dozen that have returned to Mesa to seek out our certificates. The Covid-19 pandemic presented itself as an obstacle last spring that resulted in many students opting out of our courses. We are still suffering from those effects, but believe that in time we will see continued growth in our program.

The department of Exercise Science, Health Education, Dance, and Athletics strongly advocates for the revision of the Certificate of Achievement in CommercialDance. The Mesa College Dance Program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to provide practical and theoretical training for students interested in a dance career. The core curriculum provides an excellent foundation in dance technique, choreography and performance skills. The Dance program focuses not only on training the student who wishes to transfer to a four-year institution in dance, achieve an associate degree, or pursue a certificate for immediate employment in the entertainment market, but also on providing opportunities for all students to learn about and experience dance. The program emphasizes the development of dancers versed in a wide variety of movement genres. The core curriculum focuses on ballet, modern, jazz, improvisation, choreography, performance, production, music for dancers, and dance history. Emphasis is placed on the practical application of techniques and theories in concerts and public performances. Upon successful completion of this program, students will be qualified for entry-level employment or independent entrepreneurship in the field of dance and related fields.

Objectives:

1. Compare and contrast leadership theories.

2. Apply effective and ethical communication practices.

3. Identify practices used to avoid injuries in a Danceenvironment.

4. Demonstrate advanced Dance skills.

5. Provide the college general population with opportunities to learn about and experience Dance. 

The dance program at San Diego Mesa College, with an emphasis on building necessary employment skills or four-year university transfer, has a long history of maintaining excellence in dance training and currency in the field of dance. Dance faculty are professionally engaged beyond the college setting and provide students connections to the community, with possibilities for internships in dance companies and dance education. The dance program fosters strong audition skills, and develops depth and breadth in dance performance and technique.

 College Mission/District MasterPlan/Statewide Master Plan:

San Diego Mesa College is a comprehensive community college committed to access, success, and equity. We honor those commitments as a diverse community of faculty, students, professional staff, and administrators who collaborate to foster scholarship, leadership, innovation, and excellence in an inclusive learning environment. By promoting student learning and achievement that leads to degrees and certificates, transfer, workforce training, and lifelong learning, we empower our students to reach their educational goals and shape their future.

History/Need for Program:

San Diego is a vibrant city with many opportunities for cultural gatherings, award-winning theaters, music venues, dance performances, and Dance Festivals. San Diego Mesa College is responsible for meeting the employment needs of schools, theaters, and dance companies within the city. San Diego needs a trained and motivated strong workforce in this area.

The Dance Department programs at San Diego MesaCollege, with emphasis on building necessary employment skills or four-year university transfer, has a long history of maintaining currency in these respective fields. Faculty are professionally engaged beyond the college setting and provide students with connections to the community.

Expenditures/Cost of Program: 

There are no mandatory fees aside from the ordinary course enrollment fees prescribed in the California Education Code, section 76300. Fees for materials and supplies will vary from course to course; students may spend between zero (0) and three hundred (300) dollars during their course of study. No additional library or learning resources will be required for this program beyond the colleges' current resources. Dance studios with adequate sound and video projection systems are required for student success. Currently, San Diego Mesa College has three dance studios with sound and video projection systems. A performance space is also necessary. Preliminary planning for the design and construction of a suitable theater space for dance is underway. The department and college have the resources to maintain the courses at the level of quality described in this proposal as the financial infrastructure for the Certificate is already in place, and the courses required for the Certificate are offered during the academic year and are fully staffed. This includes funding for faculty compensation, facilities, equipment, and production costs.

Career Technical Education (CTE) EmployerRelationships:

As a tourist destination, San Diego has two theme parks with employment opportunities in dance. With a growing population of over 3,000,000 in SanDiego County, there are many opportunities for teaching dance and choreographing for private dance studios, public schools, and recreation departments, as well as business opportunities in dance and dance administration.

Students who have studied dance at Mesa College are currently employed as dance teachers and choreographers at private studios, recreation programs, and in public and private K-12 schools and colleges. Others are employed as performing artists at theme parks, on cruise ships, and as dancers in local professional modern, ballet, hip hop, tap dance, and musical theater companies. Alumni are also working in the music industry, as back-up dancers, performing live on stage, on tv, and in music videos.

Alumni have contributed to the artistic fabric of San Diego County as choreographers, with work featured in the San Diego International Fringe Festival, competition dance teams and cheer teams. 

Courses Required for the Major:

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