Dance Department Placement
In May, we will send a skyward message to all students who are enrolled to take dance (When first enrolling to take dance, sign up for Dance 1, Level 1). We will email out placement material that students will then video and send back to us. We will then place students in Dane 1, Dance 2 or Dance 3. Students wishing to take Dance 1 do not need to send in placement material.
Hyline and Star Stepper Auditions
The Hyline and Star Steppers are both dance teams here at Westlake High School, and these teams are recognized for excellence in performance and for their high excelling abilities. Hyline is the varsity team and is a bigger time commitment. Star Steppers was established in 1998 to provide more opportunities with so much talent in the district.
These auditions are held in November. Candidates who make Hyline are placed in a class together for the spring semester titled "New News" and will officially join Hyline the following August. Candidates that make Star Steppers immediately join the team in the spring semester.
What are things I can do to prepare for auditions?
Our teams focus on jazz and contemporary styles. Our jazz movement is very fast paced, powerful and stylized while coupled with advanced technical elements specific to each team. Classes you can take in preparation for auditions are classes that challenge you in style AND with a fast tempo. Directional shifts, stamina, high energy, and performance quality are all things we value. Our contemporary routines focus on full body movement, connection of movement and transitions with style, and demonstrating a mastery of dynamics. We value performance quality and a full body movement dancer that can execute technical elements at an advanced level. Other styles that we perform are tap, hip hop, modern, lyrical, pom and kick. However, these styles are not the most beneficial to focus on when preparing for auditions.
Current Elements for each team
Please Note: Below is not a checklist. We look at the complete package and more importantly, how these elements are executed in a dance. For example: is the technique correct, the transitions in and out of them, style of movement, and control & placement! As dance evolves more steps will be incorporated. This is just an example list! We suggest watching videos online to see what each team is doing at competitions! (Click on Hyline or Star Stepper Tab to access these videos)
Current elements for Star Steppers:
Turns:
Double pirouette
Double coupe turns
Double pencil turns
Chaine turns
Soutenu turns
Fouettes (partial team)
Pique turns
Leaps:
Jete
Calypso
Press leap
Fire Bird
Russian
Turning Russian
Chaine jete
Legs:
Battements
Floor battements
Fan (releve and plie)
Chaine fan
Current elements for Hyline:
Turns:
Triple and Quad pirouette
Triple coupe turns
Triple pencil turns
Pique turns
Arabesque turns
Fouettes (minimum of 5)
Changing spot Fouette turns
Attitude turns
Leaps:
Jete
Calypso (regular and layout)
Russian
Turning Russian
Turning Russian into a split
Switch arabesque
Switch tilt
Firebird
Firebird to middle split
Press Leap (tilted and flat)
Floor jump
Back leap
Renverse to split
Legs:
Battements
Floor battements
Fan (releve and plie)
Chaine fan
Illusion
Leg hold turn (inside and outside)
Miscellaneous:
Worm variations
Partial Team Tricks:
Aerials (side and front)
Kip Ups
Head Springs
Allison Leap and Calypso Allison
These auditions are held in November. Candidates who make Hyline are placed in a class together for the spring semester titled "New News" and will officially join Hyline the following August. Candidates that make Star Steppers immediately join the team in the spring semester.
What are things I can do to prepare for auditions?
Our teams focus on jazz and contemporary styles. Our jazz movement is very fast paced, powerful and stylized while coupled with advanced technical elements specific to each team. Classes you can take in preparation for auditions are classes that challenge you in style AND with a fast tempo. Directional shifts, stamina, high energy, and performance quality are all things we value. Our contemporary routines focus on full body movement, connection of movement and transitions with style, and demonstrating a mastery of dynamics. We value performance quality and a full body movement dancer that can execute technical elements at an advanced level. Other styles that we perform are tap, hip hop, modern, lyrical, pom and kick. However, these styles are not the most beneficial to focus on when preparing for auditions.
Current Elements for each team
Please Note: Below is not a checklist. We look at the complete package and more importantly, how these elements are executed in a dance. For example: is the technique correct, the transitions in and out of them, style of movement, and control & placement! As dance evolves more steps will be incorporated. This is just an example list! We suggest watching videos online to see what each team is doing at competitions! (Click on Hyline or Star Stepper Tab to access these videos)
Current elements for Star Steppers:
Turns:
Double pirouette
Double coupe turns
Double pencil turns
Chaine turns
Soutenu turns
Fouettes (partial team)
Pique turns
Leaps:
Jete
Calypso
Press leap
Fire Bird
Russian
Turning Russian
Chaine jete
Legs:
Battements
Floor battements
Fan (releve and plie)
Chaine fan
Current elements for Hyline:
Turns:
Triple and Quad pirouette
Triple coupe turns
Triple pencil turns
Pique turns
Arabesque turns
Fouettes (minimum of 5)
Changing spot Fouette turns
Attitude turns
Leaps:
Jete
Calypso (regular and layout)
Russian
Turning Russian
Turning Russian into a split
Switch arabesque
Switch tilt
Firebird
Firebird to middle split
Press Leap (tilted and flat)
Floor jump
Back leap
Renverse to split
Legs:
Battements
Floor battements
Fan (releve and plie)
Chaine fan
Illusion
Leg hold turn (inside and outside)
Miscellaneous:
Worm variations
Partial Team Tricks:
Aerials (side and front)
Kip Ups
Head Springs
Allison Leap and Calypso Allison