About Our program

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The High Tech Dance:Choreography program is an accredited NJ Career & Technical Education program within the Hudson County Schools of Technology. The program fulfills all state and national standards for dance and performing arts, while also providing a unique perspective on dance as an art form. Setting the program apart is an intense focus on creative process, improvisation, and artistic collaboration. The program reaches beyond performance to build leaders, choreographers, and directors in dance and the arts. With close proximity to New York City, annual guest artists are professionals recognized in one of the most progressive dance communities in the world. Program instructors maintain the most current and innovative approaches to dance making, which are passed on to the students. Students are further empowered to find their own creative voices and to forge their own paths in the field.

CUrriculum 

DANCE I – 5 credits

The Dance I class meets daily for 40minutes.  This class gives students an overview of dance as an art form, and provides the opportunity for students to experience a variety of dance styles (West African, ballet, tap, jazz, modern) in a safe, non-competitive environment.  Through their experiences, students develop kinesthetic awareness, and learn the proper techniques involved in moving efficiently to avoid injury.  We investigate the origins of various dance forms and develop the ability to identify cultural influences in movement. Students learn to improvise movement and recognize that everyone has the potential to be creative and expressive through movement.  At the end of this level, students are evaluated individually to assess their potential for success in the program.

DANCE II – 5 credits

Dance II meets daily for 80minutes, and is the preparatory level for the Dance Major.  It is a modern-based dance course. Students practice regular technique classes in modern dance, and also incorporate ballet, Pilates, and yoga in training the body.  Students develop kinesthetic awareness, proper body alignment, physical strength, flexibility, and endurance.  Students begin to understand improvisation as a tool for generating new movement and for demonstrating the 8 Laban movement efforts.  Students must pass tests in basic anatomy and kinesiology and audition/perform in senior student choreography.

DANCE III – 10 credits

Dance III, 80minutes daily, is a course designed to introduce students to a more focused and vigorous level of dance performance and composition.  Students continue to study modern technique at a higher level, including partner work.  This course focuses greatly on the creative process.  Students study dance appreciation, how to critique and review performance, and elements of composition.  Selected students propose and choreograph pieces for the final concert. 

Prerequisite:  Dance II or instructor’s approval.

DANCE IV – 10 credits

Dance IV, 80minutes daily, serves as a continuation of Dance III with a strong focus on performance and technique skill building.  Through this course, students develop an advanced level of dance technique and refine skills as both choreographer and performer.  Students will realize dance as an art form and a medium for communication and social development.  Guest artists of dance and other mediums will work with students to expand their understanding of the vast possibilities in the arts.  Students are required to complete a research paper on a specific aspect of dance history and complete an exam covering material from Dance I, II, & III.  Selected seniors propose and choreograph pieces for the end of the year concert.

Prerequisite:  Dance III or instructor’s approval.

DANCE TECHNIQUES - 3 credits

The dance techniques course is a credited after school training course, which was designed to offer students additional physical practice to prepare for college auditions and professional dance performance. While these technical classes are available through private schools, this course makes extended dance training available to students without the additional resources to take class privately. The class covers various ballet-based techniques as well as somatic approaches to understanding and executing movement. The class meets for 5 hours/week.

Prerequisite: None

Dance Company - NHSDA credits

The 407 Dance Company meets for 2 hours/week, offering advanced dancers an opportunity to learn the work of professional guest artists and participate in public performances in the tri-state area.

Prerequisite: Audition

Awards 

The Program, under the direction of teacher Heather Warfel-Sandler, has earned multiple invitations to perform at the NJ State Teen Arts Festival, in addition to the following awards:

Hudson County Teen Arts Alliance

  • 2024 - County Top Honors for Lost In Grief by Alissa Colon, Judges Award for Home, NJ State Teen Arts Festival

  • 2023 - Top Honors for “End of a Beginning” choreographed by senior Naomi Bayas, Judges Award for The Search

  • 2022 - Highest Honors for ‘You There’, Top Honors for ‘Solo’

  • 2021 - Outstanding Achievement for Too Many times & Look Through Look At

  • 2020 - Individual Student National Recognition from NHSDA/National Dance Education Organization

  • 2019 - Large Group Top Honors, 2 Small Group Judges Awards

  • 2017 – Large Group Top Honors, Small Group Judges Award,

    • Individual student Governor’s Award

  • 2016 – Large Group Top Honors, Large Group Judges Award,

    • Individual student Dodge scholarship

  • 2015 - Large Group Judges Award, Small Group Top Honors, Small Group Judges Award

  • 2014 – Large Group Top Honors, Small Group Top Honors

  • 2012 – Large Group Judges Award

  • 2011 – Large Group Judges Award

  • 2010 – Solo Judges Award, Duet Judges Award

  • 2006 – Large Group Top Honors

  • 2005 – Solo Top Honors, Large Group Top Honors

  • 2004 – Solo Top Honors, Small Group Top Honors

  • 2001 – Large Group Top Honors

Field Trips

Along with our rigorous curriculum, the Choreography Program also offers many opportunities to go and watch professional dance as well as perform throughout the New Jersey and New York City area. Students have had the opportunity to: 

  • Perform for 10 years in the Gala Performance of the Brooklyn Arts Exchange Teen Arts Conference in Brooklyn, NY.

  • Experience a college dance setting at Dance Day, Monclair University and Rutgers University

  • Attend the NJ State Teen Arts Festival

  • Watch professional dance at renowned venues such as:

    • Joyce Theater

    • Brooklyn Academy of Music

    • 92 St Y Dance At Noon

    • Gibney Dance

    • New York Live Arts

Community

Along with performing on our own stage, the program also performs, studies, and partners with various organizations and locations throughout our community. Some of these venues include:

  • Brooklyn Arts Exchange

  • NJ High School Dance Festival

  • SMUSH Gallery

  • JC Public Libraries

  • Everything JC Festival

  • 407 Movements on Newark Pedestrian Plaza – 2017

  • Jersey City Arts & Studio Tour

  • Your Move Dance Festival

  • Summer in the City - Exchange Place Pier Dance Series

Guest Artists

We have also had the honor of having several guest artists come in and teach the dancers in our program:

  • Ladies of HipHop

  • Kyle Marshall

  • Pilobolous Dance Company

  • Brian Brooks

  • Jonathan “Schwing” Pena

  • Randy James

  • 10HL Dance Company

  • Nicole Smith Levay

  • Myssi Robinson

  • Ravish Momin

  • Katie Down

  • Nimbus Dance Works

  • Tony Bordonaro

  • Bo Belza

  • Eric Ortega

  • John Hines

  • plus our artists in residence of the CHIRP program! (see CHIRP page)

and many more!