Family and Community Guide for Secondary Dance

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Working Together: To support families, communities, and teachers in realizing the goals of the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS), this guide provides an overview of the learning expectations for students studying high school dance. This guide offers some learning experiences students may engage in at school that may also be supported at home.

Why Standards? Created by Coloradans for Colorado students, the Colorado Academic Standards provide a grade-by-grade road map to help ensure students are successful in college, careers, and life. The standards aim to improve what students learn and how they learn in 12 content areas while emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, collaboration, and communication as essential skills for life in the 21st century.

See all the Family and Community Guides here.

Where can I learn more?

As always, the best place to learn about what your child is learning is from your child's teacher and school. The Colorado Academic Standards describe goals, but how those goals are met is a local decision.
The Colorado Academic Standards were written for an audience of professional educators, but parents and community members looking to dig deeper may want to read them for themselves. Visit the Standards and Instructional Support homepage for several options for reviewing the Colorado Academic Standards.
If you have further questions, please contact the content specialists in the Office of Standards and Instructional Support.

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Dance (adopted 2022)

Instead of grade levels, the dance standards in the middle and high school years have been organized into skill levels. These levels are named Novice, Emerging, Intermediate, Proficient, and Exemplary. These five levels allow students to enter a dance classroom at their current skill level of dance. The levels allow for appropriate dance experiences for students from 6th Grade through High School.

Novice: (Previously, this level of dance was Sixth Grade.) This level is for the student who is new to dance or has one year or less of previous experience. This level could also be used for a teacher who is teaching a non-performance class with students who have little or no dance experience.

As a Novice Dancer, students:

Movement, Technique, and Performance: Perform basic dance techniques and movements in a few basic styles.
Create, Compose and Choreograph: Improvise movement and create dances using a variety of dance steps.
Historical and Cultural Context: Research and organize movements from different time periods and cultures.
Reflect, Connect, and Respond: Explain the meaning and the structure of choreography in a variety of dances. Connect dance to other art forms and school subjects.

Emerging: (Previously, this level of dance was Seventh Grade.) This level is for students who have danced for two years.

As an Emerging Dancer, students:

Movement, Technique, and Performance: Perform basic to intermediate level dance techniques and performance skills in multiple dance styles. Use dance vocabulary in each style.
Create, Compose, and Choreograph: Use the creative process to create dances.
Historical and Cultural Context: Research and choose movements from multiple historical and cultural dances.
Reflect, Connect, and Respond: Describe the meaning of dances. Connect the art of dance to other school subjects.

Intermediate: (Previously, this level of dance was Eighth Grade.) This level is for students who have danced for three years.

As an Intermediate Dancer, students:

Movement, Technique, and Performance: Perform intermediate level dance technique with expression in multiple dance styles.
Create, Compose, and Choreograph: Describe their personal artistic vision when using the creative process to make dances.
Historical and Cultural Context: Research time periods and cultures to create movement. Connect to own culture and family history through dance.
Reflect, Connect, and Respond: Describe the meaning of dances. Connect the art of dance to other school subjects.

Proficient: (Previously, this level of dance was the High School Fundamental Pathway.) This level is for students who have danced for four to five years.

As a Proficient Dancer, students:

Movement, Technique, and Performance: Perform intermediate to advanced level dance techniques. Demonstrate professionalism and leadership during class, rehearsals, and on stage.
Create, Compose, and Choreograph: Include creative ideas and feedback from the director that fits the performance.
Historical and Cultural Context: Research time periods and cultures to create movement.
Reflect, Connect, and Respond: Critique dances. Discuss personal connection to the art of dance and the creative process.

Exemplary: (Previously, this level of dance was the High School Extended Pathway.) This level is for students who have danced for six years or more and who want/need a higher-level of experience. Also, this level is for students seeking to major or minor in dance in college.

As an Exemplary Dancer, students:

Movement, Technique, and Performance: Perform advanced techniques in multiple dance styles. Demonstrate professionalism and leadership during class, rehearsals, and on stage.
Create, Compose, and Choreograph: Create dances.
Historical and Cultural Context: Research time periods and cultures to inspire new dances.
Reflect, Connect, and Respond: Critique dances. Talk about their personal connection to the art of dance and the creative process.