ArtQuest Dance focuses on the development of technical and conceptual skills in the expressive language of dance, encouraging you to communicate through movement. A blend of contemporary and more traditional strategies are used to make dances, sometimes integrating components of text or responding to the environment for a site specific piece.
Guest artists expand your awareness of diverse cultural and historical perspectives of dance as well as different dance styles. Individual focus, as well as group camaraderie is required and students perform in a wide variety of settings. By pursuing meaning in the Arts through practice, discipline and rigor of dance; you find considerable personal satisfaction, as well as multiple ways to apply creative problem-solving, critical thinking and positive focus to many areas of your lives and work.
The Dance curriculum instills rigor, enthusiasm and growth in your dance practice in a supportive studio environment. You explore artistic perception and the creative process by solving problems in choreography and performance.
Explore dance elements and perform dance movements, using the skill, vocabulary, and language of dance.
Train in traditional and contemporary styles of dance, including modern, lyrical, ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop and more.
Learn the practice of choreography; choreograph individual and group dances, including working with guest choreographers.
Communicate meaning through dance composition and perform at a professional rigorous level both on campus and in the community.
Lea Brown is an alumna of SRHS and taught AQ Dance in 2008/2009 before returning in 2021. She has been a dance instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College since 2006. Brown has danced, choreographed, taught, directed, and coached dance and cheerleading locally since 1998 at SSU, Mendocino College, The Dance Center, The Movement Lab, Dance Innovation Studios, and other K-12 educational institutions. Brown has her BA from CSU Long Beach and a Masters degree from SSU. She was a Warrior Girl for the Golden State Warriors and a Gold Rush Cheerleader for the SF 49’ers.
ArtQuest Theatre Arts asks you to engage in rigorous daily physical and vocal exercises. You gain confidence, learn technique, expand vocal and physical range, and make bold choices. Self-motivation, and discipline are demanded of Theatre Arts students, who are asked to learn lines quickly, read and analyze scripts, share and apply real-life experiences, and risk their self-image. You must participate as members of a greater ensemble, dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in the dramatic arts. This ensemble works as a theatre company, producing challenging works of art, while learning, growing, and testing their limitations.
The Theatre Arts curriculum is designed to make you proficient in your craft; from character development, physical awareness to costume design and technical production. The Black Box Theatre functions both as a classroom and production venue, allowing you to be fully immersed in your craft. Each level builds on the skills learned with Company students assisting in the directing of Level 1 productions.
Begin to identify and apply all major aspects needed for the creation of believable characters. Voice production and physical transformation is a daily part of the training.
Train in a conservatory, process–oriented environment, deepening emotional availability, character relationships, sense memory and physical connectedness. Be introduced to the Suzuki Method of Actor Training.
Work exclusively on producing theatrical works and move very quickly through a series of productions, including the annual participation in the Lenaea Theatre Festival.
In your fourth year you are allowed to request entry into this course, which is taught concurrently with the Level 3 Company class.