# Dance (DANS) courses

Napa Valley College · 2026-2027 Catalog · 15 courses

Source: https://catalog.napavalley.edu/courses/dans/

"Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Fall 2026, Spring 2027.

### DANS-128A — Salsa and Latin Social Dance I

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/dans.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/dans.md)

This is a dance class focusing on basic level Salsa and other Latin social partnering dances. Partners will be rotated between fellow students. The origins of each Latin dance style will be studied.

### DANS-128B — Salsa & Latin Social Dance II

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Advisory:** Basic Salsa and Latin Dance forms experience.
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/dans.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/dans.md)

Level II of the Salsa and Latin Dance forms class. Students will advance their basic skills to incorporate dynamic intermediate techniques, more advanced rhythmic ability and add individualized self-expression within the techniques. History of dance forms incorporated.

### DANS-128C — Salsa & Latin Dance Teaching Assistant

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/dans.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/dans.md)

Course allows the advanced dance student to experience basic social dance pedagogy.

### DANS-133 — Barre Fitness

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

This is a course combining ballet barre techniques, core strength and stabilization, flexibility and conditioning techniques that help to improve the dance technique for dancers of any dance genre. Floor and barre' exercises are designed to enhance the dancer's agility, technique and overall fitness. Exercises and concepts presented in this course will enhance the performance skills of any student or athlete.

### DANS-136 — Jazz Dance I

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

Jazz Dance I focuses on entry level techniques, vocabulary, center floor stretches, isolated movements, and combinations with different rhythmic patterns. Origins of Jazz Dance in America discussed.

### DANS-136B — Jazz Dance II

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

Level II Jazz dance course is for advanced beginner and intermediate level jazz dancers. Class builds on dance level I techniques, center floor stretches, and movement and adds small choreographic assignments and level II floor work. This course explores important historical and contemporary figures in Jazz dance.

### DANS-136D — Jazz Dance Teaching Assistant

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Advisory:** Completion of DANS-136B with a minimum grade of B.
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

Course allows the advanced Jazz dance student to experience basic Jazz dance pedagogy.

### DANS-137A — Tap Dance 1

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

Learn to execute Tap dance techniques while developing rhythm, timing, and tempo in an upbeat atmosphere. We introduce beginning level form with an emphasis on rhythm and movement combinations. Tap shoes required.

### DANS-137B — Tap Dance 2

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

Tap dance course focuses on intermediate level technique and terminology. Course will include a stylistic observation of Tap dance legends. Tap shoes required.

### DANS-137C — Tap Dance Teaching Assistant

- **Units:** 1-1.5
- **Hours:** 36-54 hours activity; 36-54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

Course allows the advanced Tap dance student to experience basic Tap dance pedagogy.

### DANS-138 — Modern Dance Level I

- **Units:** 1.5
- **Hours:** 54 hours activity; 54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

Modern Dance is a creative movement class with an emphasis on rhythmic movements, isolated movements, free expression and improvisation. This course will introduce the elemental concepts (space, time, force). Emphasis on alignment, conditioning, elementary and traditional technique.

### DANS-138B — Modern Dance II

- **Units:** 1.5
- **Hours:** 54 hours activity; 54 hours total
- **Advisory:** Basic level modern dance experience.
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

The level II Modern Dance course builds on the concepts, principles and techniques of the Level I Modern dance course. Students will advance their technical acuity, learn elementary improvisational techniques and begin to craft movement combinations. Students will begin to define the modern dance experience as "dance-as-self expression".

### DANS-138D — Modern Dance Teaching Assistant

- **Units:** 1.5
- **Hours:** 54 hours activity; 54 hours total
- **Advisory:** Completion of DANS-138B with a minimum grade of B.
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

Course allows the advanced modern dance student to experience basic modern dance pedagogy.

### DANS-160 — Dance Appreciation

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/dans.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/dans.md)

This course allows the student to critically analyze and appraise dance as an art form, cultural expression, physical activity, potential profession or academic pursuit (such as Anthropology of Dance). Course will discuss the varying cultural relevance of dance, the role of dance to the individual and its importance in contemporary and historical society.

### DANS-170 — Dance History

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/dans.md); Spring 2027, 2 sections (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/dans.md)

The study of human dance from prehistory to present by investigating major cultural, political and economic events and the dance emerging at the time. Course begins with an investigation of dance before documentation (prehistory) progresses into early documentation / evidence of codified dance (Western-European scope), explores the socio-political aspect of dance in early American colonies, dance in the U.S. circa 1800-1900's and expression of dance in our contemporary lives.