DANCE The Dance Department at the SCGSAH offers pre- professional training in classical ballet and in modern/ ADMISSION The Dance Program accepts students at intermediate contemporary dance. and advanced ballet levels entering the tenth or eleventh The three-year program (grades 10-12) offers students a grade. Dance students are chosen based on audition, systematic and diverse curriculum that is both physically future dance aspirations, and whether the maturity and demanding and rewarding. It is designed to educate responsibility levels they portray meet the levels necessary and prepare students for entry into a highly fluid and to be successful in the residential campus setting. competitive post-secondary and professional ballet world. COURSES The dance training program aims to be both formal and Honors Ballet Technique forward thinking, blending traditions with the moving Honors Pointe/Variation/Partnering/Pas de Deux trends of the 21st century. Through sound training and a Honors Men’s Technique/Variation/Partnering/Pas progressive curriculum, this systematic approach ensures de Deux increases in technical, artistic, and intellectual scope. The Honors Modern/Modern Fundamentals/Contemporary Ballet Program is based on long-established concepts Techniques and ideas taken from the Vaganova, Cecchetti, R.A.D., Honors Repertoire and Cuban Schools, while the Modern/Contemporary component exposes students to theoretical concepts that Additional Courses per Grade Level touch on principles based on the Graham, Horton, Limon, Sophomore Year: and Cunningham techniques. Historical and Character The Department provides professional guidance, training, Ballet Coaching/Stretch and Stretch and support through its inclusive program to care for Methodology and nurture developing dancers. World-renowned Dance History instructors instill patience, tenacity, and motivation along Pilates with the necessary well-rounded technical and artistic Special Seminars: Nutrition, Yoga, Aspects of Production development required for a successful career in dance. Junior Year: Improvisation/Composition Faculty members train and prepare students for the critical Pilates and Anatomy for Dancers process of auditioning for summer and professional Music for Dancers training programs and for competitions. In addition, they Career Preparation assist students who will pursue further dance education Special Seminars: Alexander Techniques, Stretch and in establishing contacts with reputable company trainee Strength, Yoga, Aspects programs as well as with college and university dance of Production programs. Senior Year: Students learn ballet repertoire and the repertoire Audition Preparation/Senior Showcase of other dance styles to promote a wider range of Special Seminars: Alexander Techniques, Stretch and technical proficiency and strength, a deeper level of Strength, Aspects of Production expressiveness, and a more sophisticated musicality. All play an integral role in our students’ technical and artistic growth. By developing versatility, broadening knowledge FACULTY of movement philosophies, vocabulary, styles, and Josée Garant dynamic range, students gain confidence and maturity Dance Department Chair, Senior Modern/Contemporary as performing artists and become better prepared for Technique, Modern/Contemporary Repertoire, Audition national and international careers in dance. Preparation & Senior Showcase, National High School Dance Festival Coordinator, Youth America Grand Prix Competition Coordinator, Junior Career Preparation Mentor Josée Garant has had an active career as a dancer, Theater in Mexico City; the Kennedy Center in Washington, choreographer, teacher, and administrator. A Native D.C., and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. of Canada, Ms. Garant received an MFA in Dance from Additionally, Ms. Mesa-Pelly taught ballet at the National Hollins University/American Dance Festival, a BFA Ballet School of Cuba in Havana and received a Golden (honors) degree in Dance from York University in Canada Diploma of Performing Arts and Dance from the Cuban and graduated from the National Ballet School of Canada Superior Institute of Arts from Havana University. Teacher Training Program. Ms. Mesa-Pelly also taught ballet at the Fomento After a successful career as a freelance modern dance Artistic Cordobes (PROVER) in Cordoba, Veracruz, and performer, Garant shifted her focus to choreography taught Ballet, Pointe, and Repertoire. She was also a and to the education of young dancers. She joined the teacher for the Bachelor of Methodology in Ballet at the faculty of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. During Mexican National School of Classical and Contemporary this long association, she created the Modern Dance Dance (ENDCC) in Mexico City where in 2004, she wrote and Choreographic Programs, was the director of the a text book for ballet teachers, Classical Dance Technique, postgraduate Aspirant Program, and collaborated as a edited and published under the National Institute of Fine choreographer on many productions with Winnipeg’s Arts (INBA). GroundSwell New Music Series. In the United States, Ms. Mesa-Pelly has also As a choreographer, Ms. Garant has garnered participated as a juror for the Valentina Kozlova Regional numerous choreographic awards, including the Youth International Ballet Competition in New Orleans. Ms. America Grand Prix competition in Connecticut and at the Mesa-Pelly currently teaches ballet at South Carolina International Choreographic Competition in St-Sauveur, Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. She is the Québec. In 1988, Ms. Garant was nominated by l’ADISQ Dance Department Coordinator for the Youth America for a Felix for Stage Direction and for Scenographer of the Grand Prix International Competition (YAGP). Year for her work with singer songwriter Daniel Lavoie. Ms. Thomas Shoemaker Garant’s choreography has had an international impact and has been presented on many stages around the world Men’s Ballet Technique, Junior and Senior Ballet Technique, ranging from the Olympia Theatre in Paris to the New York Men’s Technique, Men’s Ballet Variation, Pas de Deux, Joyce Soho Theatre. Her work has been produced by Repertoire, Dance History, Junior Career Preparation, diverse organizations such as by the Festival of Women Aspects of Production, Coaching/Stretch and Strength, in the Arts in North Dakota, the Winnipeg Symphony Audition Preparation and Senior Showcase Mentor, Orchestra’s Du Maurier New Music Festival, and by the Assistant Production Coordinator 1999 Pan American Games. She has created works for Thomas Shoemaker was an acclaimed principal international dance competitions held in Istanbul, Tokyo, dancer with companies including the Atlanta Ballet, Jackson (Mississippi), and New York City. Miami City Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Augusta Ballet, and Prior to joining SCGSAH, she founded Josée Garant Charleston Ballet Theatre in a professional career that Dance in Miami, Florida, a company with a dedicated spanned 25 years. As a guest artist and choreographer, he mission to educate, promote, and increase the public’s has worked with numerous dance and theatre companies awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of contemporary throughout the U.S. and abroad. As an educator, Mr. dance and arts. While living in the Miami area, she also Shoemaker has taught elementary through college- worked at New World School of the Arts and Harid aged students in studios, schools, colleges and summer Conservatory and was awarded the Miami-Dade County programs throughout the southeastern United States. Department of Cultural Affairs Choreographer Fellowship He received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Award. Ms. Garant served on the Board of Directors for Hollins University/American Dance Festival. the Florida Dance Association from 2008 to 2012. Before joining the faculty of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, Mr. Miriam Mesa-Pelly (Gonzalez) Shoemaker taught and choreographed for the Vanderbilt Ballet Technique, Pointe, Repertoire University Dance Program and was Artistic Director of Miriam Mesa-Pelly, BFA, was born in Havana, Cuba, Vanderbilt Dance Theatre. He also served on faculty where she was a 1st Soloist with the world renowned with Middle Tennessee State University Dance Program, National Ballet of Cuba (BNC) under the direction of Austin Peay State University Dance Program, Tennessee Fernando and Ballerina Assoluta, Alicia Alonso. In 1948, Governor’s School for the Arts Summer Program, and this couple, along with choreographer Alberto Alonso, American Dance Festival. Mr. Shoemaker also served as founded the Cuban Ballet Company where Ms. Mesa-Pelly Associate Artistic Director for StillPoint Dance Theatre. danced for 24 years. In May 2009, Shoemaker’s ballet just let go was Ms. Mesa-Pelly danced principal roles in works by awarded Best Ballet at the Panoply Choreographic such prominent choreographers as Alberto Alonso, Competition. In 2010, he won the same award for VS. His Brian McDonald, and Alberto Mendez, and performed ballet Foreverly (based on the lives of the Everly Brothers) throughout Europe, Latin America, United States, and was awarded Best Live Performance of 2005 by the Canada in such venues as the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow; Augusta Chronicle. The Opera Theater of Les Champs Elysées; the Colon As artistic director and ballet master, Mr. Shoemaker Theater in Buenos Aires; La Scala in Milan; the Beaux Arts has staged or restaged numerous works including Nutcracker, Cinderella,