Dance Program
Beginning Dance
Course Description: Students will begin their dance journey focusing on the fundamental understanding of the elements of dance as they relate to numerous styles of dance. The main focus of training will be in Jazz technique and Hip Hop. Mindfulness, Yoga, and meditation practices will be incorporated into class to support the students in discovering their unique artistic voices and deepening their mind-body connection. On a typical day of class students will perform a choreographed warm-up, across-the-floor progressions, and choreography combinations in the center. Throughout the year as comfortability grows, basic Contemporary, Improvisation, and Composition concepts will be introduced to guide students in making as seamless of a transition as possible to Intermediate Dance.
Intermediate/Advanced Dance
Course Description: Students will explore their personal relationship to movement as they deepen their physical, mental, and emotional understanding of the elements of dance through numerous styles and movement disciplines. The main focus of training will be in Jazz technique, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Improvisation, and Dance Composition. Mindfulness, Yoga, and meditation practices will be incorporated into class to support the students in discovering their unique artistic voices and deepening their mind-body connection. On a typical day of class students will perform a choreographed warm-up, across-the-floor progressions, and choreography combinations in the center. A stronger focus on the dance composition process will be explored in the Spring Semester of this course to support students in advancing their skills as well-rounded dance students.
Spring 2025 Dance Show
Save the dates for the Spring 2025 Mills Dance Concert April 25-26 at 7 p.m. in the Mills High School Auditorium.
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Mission Statement
Ms. Himes's mission for this course is to facilitate an environment in which all students feel safe and possess autonomy in nurturing their own passion for the art of dance. As technique and strength-training will be a strong point of focus to provide students a firm foundation for the beginning of their dance training, the utmost importance is placed on the mental and emotional wellbeing of each and every human in the classroom. Ms. Himes's vision is for MHS Dance to become a strong community bonded by mutual respect, love for movement, and a celebration of individuality.
Meet Victoria Himes, Mills High School Dance Program Director
Victoria began intensely training as a competitive dancer at the age of 12. She trained and performed in Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, and Contemporary until she went to California State University, Fullerton to earn a Bachelors of Arts in Dance. During Victoria's college studies she took Composition and Improvisation classes with her favorite professor Alvin Rangel. He is who truly inspired Victoria to pursue a career in Dance Education. Before Mills, she was teaching in dance studios for a few years and last year completed her fieldwork both as an Intern and Student Teacher in San Mateo High School's Dance Program under the mentorship of Olivia Reidy. She passed her edTPA and earned her Single Subject Teaching Credential in Dance from California State University, East Bay. She is now in her first year of teaching at Mills High School and could not be more excited to utilize the fruitful knowledge of her recent studies to pioneer their new Dance Program!