Manlius Pebble Hill School’s Dance Education program was introduced in 1999, at a time when full-credit dance programs were extraordinarily rare in U.S. schools. Some schools offered dance as an after-school activity, but few as part of the curriculum. MPH, guided by the belief that everyone can learn self-expression through movement, believes dance worthy of a place in the School’s regular curriculum. Our program provides dance instruction for students as young as four and offers classes for students through their Senior year.
We welcome students without previous dance experience, those who have had prior instruction, and those who wish to pursue a professional career in dance. The curriculum includes movement classes exploring multiple dance genres, improvisation, dance composition, dance history, and the elements of theatrical design and production.
In Upper School, the first semester is devoted to preparing for the annual Student Choreography Concert. Class time is used by students to discover their own styles, develop choreography, conduct rehearsals, and engage in production planning.
In the second semester, the focus shifts to the legacies of great dance companies and choreographers of the 19th through 21st centuries. Deconstructing and learning historic original choreography helps students recognize and understand the unique styles originated by dance icons.
All students who study dance at MPH, the novice and the veteran, come to appreciate a high standard of theatrical production value, an understanding of the message of movement, and a critical insight into the art of dance.