Teaching Curriculum

Title: Dance Teacher’s Guide to Versatile Training

Created 2018

Published December 17, 2023

Copyright Owner: Jerome Alexander

This dance training system is a set of standards used to ensure students are learning skills that will help them enter the international market.

The system has been licensed in China to 上海杰圭文化传媒有限公司 as long as Jerome Alexander is physically present and collaborating with specific organizations.

The licensing agreement is from December 17 2023-December 16, 2024.

This technique shall not be written, copied, recorded, disseminated, sold, leased, borrowed, or amended by any other party without the express written consent of Jerome Alexander.

Combo Classes

Butterfly Stretch

Straight Leg Stretch

Straddle Stretch

Butterfly
Stand up, Sit Down, Turn Around
Walk Song Pizza Song- Plies/Eleves, level changes
Animal – English/Chinese
Princess- sways, slides, ballerina twirls, bunny jumps, run, skate, hop,
Number song – English/Chinese
Rhythm – Maracas/Tamborine
Reverence-Sun Must Set/Blow a Bubble

Threshold Skills:

Plies (parallel 2yr, Turned out 3yr) Piques

Pique tap foot no turn

Know right versus left
Port de Bras 1st 2nd 5th
March

Bunny Jumps

Pre Ballet 1

Splits

Know how to stand at the barre

plie, tendu, releve , passe

5 Foot Positions

3 Arm Positions

Spotting

Battements at barre

Saute

Pirouette Prep

Focus

Threshold Exercises:

Discipline/Focus

Know how to stand at the barre

Hold 3 splits for 30 seconds

Plie

Tendu

Releve

Passe

3 Arm Positions

Saute

Chasse

Pre Jazz 1

Isolations (Head, Hip, and Shoulders)

4 Foot Positions

4 Arm Positions

Hold 3 splits for 30 seconds

Spotting

Jazz walks

Passe

Releve

Plie

Saute

Pirouette Prep

Chasse

Marching

Focus

Threshold Exercises:

Discipline/Focus

Hold 3 splits for 30 seconds

Plie

Tendu

Releve

Passe

3 Arm Positions

Saute

Chasse

Marching

Jazz walks

Pre Latin 1

Stretching (splits)

Isolations

Posture and arm hold (ballroom)

English waltz basic step (alone and couple)

Cha Cha alternative basic step with slow music, cha cha basic step

Rumba alternative basic step with music, rumba basic step

Arm action (up, side)

Threshold Exercise:

Isolations

Posture and arm hold (ballroom)

English waltz basic step (alone and couple)

Cha Cha alternative basic step with slow music, cha cha basic step

Rumba alternative basic step with music, rumba basic step

Arm action (up, side)

Pre Hip Hop 1

Combo for Marko

Counting

Bouncing

Stretching

Right/Left

Clap on beat

Freestyling

Threshold Exercises:

Right/Left

Clap on Beat

Bouncing

Splits for 30 seconds

Pre Ballet 2 (6-7)

Plie Tendu Releve

Grande Plie

Dégagé

Passe on releve

Splits

Single pirouettes

Chaine Turns

Pas de Bouree (Barre)

Battements releve

Pique Turns at the bar

90 degree extensions

Heel stretches at the barre

Center:

Plie

Tendu

Releve

Pirouettes

Threshold Exercises:

Plie, Tendues, and Releves

Grande Plie

Dégagé

Passe on relève

Splits 1 minute

Spot

Turning Preparation

Single Pirouettes

Chaine Turns

Pre Jazz 2

Head, Hip, and Shoulder Isolations

Hold Splits 60 seconds

Hold releve passe for 4 counts

Single pirouettes in center

Heel stretches at the barre

Pique Turns at the barre

Chaine Turns

90 degree extensions

Pas de Bouree

Kick ball change

Sautes (toe ball heel)

Threshold Exercises:

Head, Hip, and Shoulder Isolations

Hold Splits 60 seconds

Hold releve passe for 4 counts

Spot

Turning preparation

Single pirouettes in center

Heel stretches at the barre

Chaines

Pre Hip Hop 2

Now that I’ve seen your children dance, here’s what I will be focusing on for the next two months before we begin our Fall Examination:

1. Rhythm of movements

2. Head, shoulders, arms, body and hips isolation

3. Arms positions

4. Balance on each leg

5. Push ups

6. Turn out position in legs during sitting stretch

7. Splits

8. Back stretching

9. Bounce

10. Walk with bounce

11. Wheel

The studio’s threshold exercises are:

Hold splits for 60 seconds, achieve full split
Understand 4 points of body and hips isolation
Hold balance for 10 seconds on each leg
Cobra stretch (feet to head)
Freestyle dance for 30 seconds, use at least 4 learned bounces)
Complete 10 clear push ups
Freestyle dance for 30 sec.(use at least 4 learned bounces)

Jerome Music Theatre

Learn names, ages and movement experience – make a quick connection with each student Students choose and place SpotDot on Mirror just above face

Vocal Warm up 10 mins

Breathing Hayley Griffith (Spotify)

Car Engines, Lip Trills & Roaring

La, Me & Fla Fla Nee

Down in the Depths, No No and Bumblebee

Articulation 1

Standing while doing the vocal warm ups. One by one so you can see how they sing

PRACTICE SONG OF THE MONTH for 10 minutes.

Dance Warm up 10 mins
Isolations 2 mins
Head, Shoulders, Ribs, Hips
Head-rt/lft, up/dn, sd/sd, egyptian fwd/bkk, sd/sd, 1/2 headroll w/nods Shoulders-up/dn, rolls fwd/bk (w/fist)diagonal, rhythms Rib-frt/sd/bk/sd,circles, chest pops
Hips-frt/sd/bk/sd,circles,
Stretches 5 mins
X- rt to lft/rev, sides, both hands down, table top
Lunges- back knee down first/straight back knee, both knees
Pyramid
Standing Hamstring/roll up
Strength & Conditioning 2 mins
1/2 Roll down/up stretch fwd, crunches
Plank/down dog
Small pushups walk on all 4s to other side
Sitting table top w/kicks (x-turn jump up)

Water Break

Skills/Moves
Center/Turns
Step touches (together, side, xfrt, xback) Kick x touch X-turns, three step turns, Spot turns (pirouette en dedans) Jazz Squares
Across Floor 5 mins
Open close
Grapevine (side back side front)
Chasses
Straight Leg Walks
Kicks – Battements/Struts
Flea hops/cross passes slides/chugs
Drags (w/pas de bouree)
Ball Changes(gallops)
Kick ball changes
Passe hop (traveling)
Leaps

Bonus Material:

Reaction acting:

La me & fla Hayley Griffith

Articulation 1 Hayley Griffith spotfiy

Acting

Facial Stretches

Emotions

Face Big/Small

Sing/Say
Echo in rhythm, row row row your boat

Currently

Dancing opening

Sitting is fine

Hip Hop Jen

Standing Stretching

Vocal Warm Up (This is for singing/acting) motor boat

Breathing Hayley Griffith (Spotify)

La me & fla Hayley griffith

Acting emotions for the monthly song .. what emotions do they need to understand?

Practice putting it together.. limit the sitting .

Articulation 1 Hayley Griffith spotfiy

Practice songs and dances from a musical, change every 1- 2 months.

Popular kids musical

Matilda

Dr. Seuss

Hercules

Annie

Wiz

Little red riding hood

Threshold steps

Splits

Point feet correctly

Sing a verse or verse and chorus on on their own while dancing

5 arm positions

Jazz feet positions, 6th, 1st, 2nd, and fourth prep

Chaine turn

Pas de bourree

Hip Hop 7 Level 1

Counting

Bouncing

Freestyling

Intro to Isolations

Basic Freezes

6 steps

Intro to popping

Threshold Exercises:

Isolations

Wave

4, 8 count combination

Ballet 1 (Academy)

Plie, Tendu, Degage

Grande Plie

Arabesque

Pique Turns at the barre

Heel stretches at the barre

Single pirouettes

Chaines Turns

Battements releve

Balance’

Chasse

Pas de Bouree

Center:

Plies and Tendues

Passe Releve

Soutenu

Bouree’s

Balance

Threshold Exercises:

Plie, Tendu, Degage, ronde de jambe,

Grande Plie

Pique Turns at the barre

90 degree extensions

Single pirouettes

Chaine Turns

Battements releve

Latin 1 (7 and Up)

Stretching (splits)

Isolations (focusing on hips)

Posture and arm hold (ballroom)

English waltz basic step (alone and couple)

English waltz right turn

Cha Cha alternative basic step, cha cha basic step, cha cha New York with normal tempo (alone and couple)

Cha Cha lock step forward and back

Three Cha Cha

Spot Turn

Rumba alternative basic step with music, rumba basic step, rumba New York

Arm action (up, side, basic latin motion)

Spiral turn

Jive basic step and basic kicks

Jazz 1 Academy

Isolations

Splits (1 minute)

Jazz Walks

Chaines Turns

Single and Double Pirouettes Parallel

Pique Turns

Front Leaps

Side Leaps

Passe Releve

Chasse

Battements

Threshold Exercises:

Splits 1 Minute

Battements on Relève

Chasse

Single Pirouettes

Chaines Turns

Front Leaps

Body Roll

Contemporary 1 Academy

Contractions

High Arch

Inversions

Single and Double Pirouettes Turned Out

Pique Turns

Battements (front and second)

Front Leaps

Second Leaps

Splits

Plies/Tendus in Center

Battement Devante and Second

Threshold Exercises:

Hold Splits for 1 minute

Plies/Tendues in Center

Contractions

High Arch

Single Pirouettes

Battements

Chasse

Front Leaps

Hip Hop Level 1

Popping (Arms Individually and Simultaneously )

Isolations

Stretch holding splits for 30 seconds

Top Rocking

Waving

Gliding

Tutting

Get Downs

Basic Jack

Grooves

Moon Walk

6 Step

Freezes (Open baby, Chair, rocket)

Intro to Freestyling

Threshold Exercises:

Bouncing

Staying on beat

Understanding different Techniques

Understanding certain combos

JAZZ FUNK 1

1. Head, shoulders, arms, body and hips isolation

2. Arms positions

3. Bounces

4. Stand steadily on releve in first and second feet positions

5. Passe with first arm position

6. Pirouette

7. Turn out position of legs during the sitting stretch exercises

8. Correct splits

9. Stretching for the back(cobra stretch, basket)

10. Correct grand battement on 90°

11. Chaine half turn

These studio’s threshold exercises are:

1. Understand 4 points of body and hips isolation

2. Hold releve 15 sec. with arms in first and third position

3. Hold passe for 15 sec. on each leg

4. Splits for 60 sec.

5. Grand battement on 90°

6. Chaine half turn

7. Single pirouette

Ballet 2 Academy

Plies

Tendus

Echappes

Frappes

Ran de Jambe

Passe

Coupe

Glissade

Assemble

Balance’ sequences. Balance balance channe, pas de béret

Soutenu

90 degree extensions

Chaines

Piques

Center:

Plies, Tendues, Dégagés

Single and Double Pirouettes

Grande Jete

Pas de chas / Saut de cha

Introduce Adagio (Penche, 90 degree extensions

Introduce Petite Allegro (Saute, Chang mas, Pas de Bouree)

Threshold Exercises:

Double Pirouettes

Pique Turns (Doubles)

90 degree extensions in center

Clean grande jete

Successfully complete Adagio

Successfully complete Petite Allegro

Jazz 2 Academy

Single and Double Pirouettes Parallel

Chaines

Pique Turns

Battements (front and second)

Tilts

Fan Kicks

Front Leap

Calypsos

Leg Holds

Second Leaps

Reverse Leaps

Chaines Jete

Chasse Tours

Threshold Exercises:

Single Double Pirouettes

Pique Turns

Pitch

Fan Kicks

Front Leaps

Side Leaps

Hip Hop Level 2

Hold Splits for 1 minute

Freeze (Turtle or Y Stand , V Kick, Kip Up)

5 steps

Waving

Glides

Freestyle

Threshold

Can handle 6-8, 8 counts of choreography

Ballet 1 (Company)

Plie, Tendu, Degage

Grande Plie

Arabesque

Heel stretches at the barre

Single pirouettes

Chaines Turns

Battements releve

Balance’

Chasse

Pas de Bouree

Pique Turns in center

90 degree extensions

Grande Jete

Jazz 1 Company

Splits 1 minute

Jazz Walks

Triplets

Cuts

Sautes (Toe Touch, Attitude Jumps)

Single and Double Pirouettes Parallel

Pique Turns

Front Leaps

Side Leaps

Chasse Tour

Chaine Jete

Calypso

Reverse Leaps

Tilts

Pitches

Leg Holds

Contemporary 1 Company

Contractions

High Arch

Inversions

Single and Double Piroettes Turned Out

Chainne Turns

Pique Turns

Battements (front and second)

Tilts

Extensions at 90 degrees

Penche

Front Leaps

Second Leaps

Reverse Leaps

Chaines Jete

Chasse Tours

Calypso

Attitude

Leg Holds

Ballet 2 Company

Barre:

Plies

Tendus

Echappes

Frappes

Ran de Jambe

Passe

Coupe

Penche

Fuette Turns

Introduce Adagio

Center:

Plies, Tendues, Dégagés

Single and Double

Chaines

Piques

Lame Duck Pirouettes

Grande Jete

Pas de chas / Saut de cha

Introduce Adagio (Penche, 90 degree extensions, Soutenu

Introduce Petite Allegro (Saute, Chang mas, Pas de Bouree, Royales, Assemble, Glissade)

Jazz 2 Company

Single and Double Pirouettes Parallel

Chaine Turns

Pique Turns

Battements (front and second)

Tilts

Fan Kicks

Front Leap

Calypsos

Leg Holds

Second Leaps

Reverse Leaps

Chaines Jete

Chasse Tours

Intro to Second Turns

Contemporary 2 Company

Single and Double Pirouettes Parallel/Turned Out

Pique Turns

Chaine Turns

Tilts

Fan Kicks

Front Leap

Calypsos

Leg Holds

Second Leaps

Reverse Leaps

Chaines Jete

Chasse Tours

Intro to Second Turns

Intro to Floorwork

Jazz 3 Company

Pirouettes (Triples and Quads)

Inside Pirouettes Parallel

Chaine Jete Layout

Attitude Turns

2 Leg Holds

Turns in Second

Reverse Leaps

Surprise Leaps

Tilt Leaps

Scissors

Transitions from technical elements into artistic moments

Improvisation

Ballet 3 Compny

Barre:

Plie

Tendue’s on Relève

Double Frappes and on Releve’

Ballet Exercises at the Barre

Fondues

Center:

Adagios (Extensions, Promenades, Turns, Developes, Envelopes )

Ballate

Ballane

Triple Pirouettes

32 Fouettes

Petite Allegro (Saute, Royale, Sissonnes etc)

Brise

Flic Flac

Pas de cheval

Grande Allegro (larger sissonnes and assemblés, temps de poisson, Russians etc)

Beats (Change mas/assembles)

Contemporary 3 Company

Pirouettes (Triples and Quads)

Inside Pirouettes

Chaine Jete Layout

Attitude Turns

2 Leg Holds

Turns in Second

Reverse Leaps

Surprise Leaps

Tilt Leaps

Scissor Leaps

Reverse Scissors

Transitions from technical elements into artistic moments

Improvisation

More complex floor work