The administration decided to merge intermediate dance and advance dance classes into one dance class due to the number of sign ups.

The dance program has three freshman PE classes and one mixed dance class.

Dance instructor Amy Moorhead said in the late summer, the numbers for the merged dance class had climbed to 49 students, but by the start of school, the number for the merged dance class was back down to 30.

“The effect on the dance program is tremendous,” Moorhead said. “Multiple students who were in the advanced class in prior years dropped the class because they felt they would not be challenged enough in the merged class, though I would find ways to challenge them.”

Senior Eliza Kauffman said having one dance class is a different experience because there is nothing to look forward to.

“I have no problem dancing with other people but it was something I looked forward to when I was in lower level to be able to say I’m in the advanced class,” Kauffman said.

Moorhead said she she loves teaching dance to students of all levels of ability, however, having students of such vastly varying skill levels in the same period does a disservice to all students in the class.

“There are students quite new to dance who need extensive extra help with their skills and dance technique,” Moorhead said. “There are also students in the class who are quite advanced and are ready for material that stretches them to their full potential.”

Moorhead said all teachers can expect a certain amount of variation in skill level in any class, but it is extreme in the combined Intermediate/Advanced dance class this year.

“I am the only teacher for the class, but I’m doing my best to provide differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all the students,” Moorhead said.

Senior Robert Yu said having only one dance class this year, instead of the traditional two dance classes; intermediate and advanced, gives a good opportunity for people of all levels to spread their knowledge of dance.

“I can still learn from intermediate dancers and visa versa,” Yu said.

Yu said having one class as opposed to two will benefit the program because the advanced dancers can share their knowledge and teach the intermediate dancers some new choreography and technical movements.

“There is no longer that disconnect between intermediate and advanced dance class, thus we will be able to unite as a class rather than two separate classes,” Yu said.

Moorhead said it is a delicate situation in that the program would work better if the classes were separate

“I am working very hard to make sure that the class this year provides a positive and valuable experience for the dancers and that we cover all the material we need to cover,” Moorhead said.

The dance concert will be on December 5-6.