VOL. XVII, NO. 12
APRIL 30, 1976
Dancer Speaks Out
By ANNE KUITE
At the close of each school year, hundreds of awards are given by teachers to students who have done exceptionally well in a particular class or subject.
Awards are given not only to students excelling in academic subjects, but for students involved in clubs and sports activities. At the Senior Honors Assembly on June 4, scholarships and departmental awards will be granted to senior students who have shown outstanding dedication in a particular field during their four years in high school.
All the students receiving awards will be deserving of the honor; yet many outstanding students will not receive awards because their particular activity field does not offer enough chance for advancement and recognition.
To be specific, I am speaking of the opportunities for dance at Maine West. Nearly all areas of girls' athletics except dance have been developed so that girls who want to seriously work to improve their skill in a certain area may do so.
At the close of each school year, hundreds of awards are given by teachers to students who have done exceptionally well in a particular class or subject.
Awards are given not only to students excelling in academic subjects, but for students involved in clubs and sports activities. At the Senior Honors Assembly on June 4, scholarships and departmental awards will be granted to senior students who have shown outstanding dedication in a particular field during their four years in high school.
All the students receiving awards will be deserving of the honor; yet many outstanding students will not receive awards because their particular activity field does not offer enough chance for advancement and recognition.
To be specific, I am speaking of the opportunities for dance at Maine West. Nearly all areas of girls' athletics except dance have been developed so that girls who want to seriously work to improve their skill in a certain area may do so.
It is not because of a lack of facilities that dance opportunities are not the best. On the contrary, Maine West has a dance studio with bars, a wood floor, and two full walls of mirrors, which is more than many colleges have.
Other high schools in this area have much more developed dance programs for girls than does Maine West. New Trier High School employs four fulltime faculty members to teach dance and help with their annual dance concert.
Certainly this is an exceptional case, but in our own district, Maine South has one teacher who teaches only dance classes (which include boys as well as girls) and works with the Orchesis Club.
Considering that dance is an important element in so many areas at school, such as gymnastics and Orchesis, and is an extremely important part of each musical and V‑Show, I think it would be worthwhile to take dance more seriously as an extracurricular activity.
Perhaps within time, Maine West's dancers could become as skilled in their field as are girls who are involved in sports activities.
Other high schools in this area have much more developed dance programs for girls than does Maine West. New Trier High School employs four fulltime faculty members to teach dance and help with their annual dance concert.
Certainly this is an exceptional case, but in our own district, Maine South has one teacher who teaches only dance classes (which include boys as well as girls) and works with the Orchesis Club.
Considering that dance is an important element in so many areas at school, such as gymnastics and Orchesis, and is an extremely important part of each musical and V‑Show, I think it would be worthwhile to take dance more seriously as an extracurricular activity.
Perhaps within time, Maine West's dancers could become as skilled in their field as are girls who are involved in sports activities.