Technique Assessment
Curious about your current mastery of dance fundamentals and technique?
Feel like your dance is stagnating, or you’re not sure where to best focus your efforts to improve as an artist?
New to Sahara Dance and not sure which class to join?
Want tools and a framework for evaluating your dance technique and practice?
Level up your dancing with a two-teacher technique assessment. Both teachers will offer a comprehensive evaluation of your movement repertoire, starting at the foundation. Open to all dancers who learn the respective curriculum choreography (choreography video included with registration).
Dancers receive personalized video and / or written feedback on their performance of the choreography for their individual dance development by Rachel Kay Brookmire and a second Sahara Dance curriculum teacher of their choice (based on availability).
Assessments are designed as a two-fold tool to help dancers progress through the Sahara Dance curriculum:
- Provides a framework and criterion for dancers to understand current technique mastery
- Provides detailed feedback for personalized dancer development, as well as technique recommendations
Spring video submissions are due May 8.Upon registration, dancers will receive videos of the choreography. Dancers may learn the choreography in classes, the curriculum choreography workshop, and/or by the included recordings. Dancers submit their performance videos of the choreography for assessment of technique execution.
Technique Assessment Forms are two separate one-page written forms, one by each evaluating teacher summarizing their recommendations for the dancer to most improve their technique and artistry.
Video Evaluations are a supplemental option which includes two 10 – 15 minute recorded videos by each teacher. Both teachers expound upon, and demonstrate, how to best improve the key areas they outlined in the dancer’s Technique Assessment Forms, as well as offer additional insights.
Though not required, dancers may submit their performance video in costume if they would like additional feedback on artistic presentation.
Video submissions should be filmed twice for each choreography (one video filmed twice for Aziza & one video filmed twice for Zeina). Please film each choreography consecutively and without pause, and email as an unlisted youtube link to techniqueassessment@saharadance.com.
FAQS
Question: Why is it recommended that especially advanced dancers start with a Beginner Technique Assessment?
Answer: Advanced students are often more concerned about progressing and may feel plateaued. To most effectively evaluate their technique, it’s best to start at the foundation. Challenges and problems that show up in later years causing plateau are often based in fundamental technique or posture. so looking closely to make sure the foundation techniques are all well executed helps addresses layering and complexity concerns before looking at the higher levels.
Question: Will I be evaluated on my ability to memorize the choreography? That feels intimidating.
Answer: No, the choreography is just a means to evaluating dance technique in time with the music. You may have the choreography playing on a screen while you film. The purpose is not to assess choreography memorization, but to see movement technique and transitions executed in time with music.
Question: Is the corresponding curriculum workshop required to do an assessment?
Answer: The curriculum choreography workshop is not required for students to participate in a Technique Assessment, merely offered as a support. It will be a spoon-fed preparation for students wanting to quickly and easily refresh or get ready for an assessment. Also, for those attending live, we’ll offer lots of individual feedback.
Question: Why isn’t this feedback just offered as part of class?
Answer: A technique assessment is the kind of comprehensive, detailed, personalized feedback that isn’t easily offered in a group class as there isn’t the structured time or place for teachers to offer this feedback. While your teachers are likely offering some of this feedback in class over time, it is not as a comprehensive and individualized overview.
