Dance for Musical Theater
About the Course
Supplies are included for all students.
Students will explore how dance brings energy, character, and storytelling to musical theater. Through hands-on movement practice, they’ll discover how hip hop, street dance, and commercial jazz influence choreography across the stage, film, and digital media.
Through guided exercises and dance combinations, students will develop coordination, musicality, and performance technique. They’ll practice learning choreography, moving between styles, and making clear physical choices that support a character or scene.
Students will also explore the cultural roots and influences behind the movement they’re learning. Through individual practice and ensemble work, they’ll build confidence, strengthen their stage presence, and develop versatility as performers.
What Students Will Create
Students will learn and rehearse dance combinations that draw on contemporary musical theater styles. Their work will demonstrate their growing ability to connect movement with music, perform choreography with expression, and work together as an ensemble.
What Registration Will Include
This registration will cover one afternoon elective only. A morning intensive, a second afternoon elective, and housing will require separate registration.
Students will be able to take this elective on its own or combine it with other Summer@Cornish courses. No morning intensive will be required.
How Students Will Build Their Schedules
Full-Time Program
Students will register for a morning intensive and two afternoon electives, one from each schedule. Morning intensives will meet Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon, with a lunch break from noon–1 p.m.
One Afternoon Elective
Students will register for this course and attend on the days listed in its schedule. Afternoon electives will run from 1–4 p.m.
Afternoon Electives Only
Students who wish to attend every afternoon will choose two electives: one that will meet Monday/Wednesday/Friday and one that will meet Tuesday/Thursday.
Students will be able to pair this elective with the Musical & Theater Intensive + Audition Prep & Performance, or combine it with another morning intensive to explore interests across disciplines.
Students will need to add each course to their cart separately.
Browse Summer@Cornish courses →
Housing Options
A residential option will be available to full-day students and will include supervised housing, evening and weekend activities, and extra studio time.
Students who plan to stay in housing will need to begin with the residential application before registering for courses. They’ll receive instructions for selecting a morning intensive and two afternoon electives as part of the residential package.
Learn about the residential program and how to apply →
Questions?
Students and families will be able to get help choosing courses and building a schedule by emailing cornishplus@seattleu.edu.
My So-called High School Rank
My So-Called High School Rank chronicles the creation of a musical theater production at Granite Bay High School in Sacramento, CA, inspired by students’ stories of the constant pressures to achieve a top-rank in every part of their lives to get ahead in today’s fierce college admissions process.
The film features the “Ranked” creators Kyle Holmes and David Taylor Gomes, as well as students, parents and staff of Granite Bay High School and Cupertino High School in California, Fordham High School for the Arts in New York City, and Ripley High School in West Virginia.
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