About Us
Opus Incipit...the work begins
Founded in 2018, the Terrell Dance Department was created to provide an avenue of rigorous trining in the dance arts to the Fort Worth Public School Community and experience. The department has remained on the cutting edge of training and extra-curricular experiences, with a yearly provided, state-of-the-art, Master Class series, along with nationally and world renowned choreographers working with our dancers.
In just 5 years, Terrell Dance became the FIRST FWISD Dance Program to be featured on the National Gala Evening Performance at the National High School Dance Festival. A festival that hosts hundreds of dance programs around the nation and performed in front of thousands of students across the nation. This is an extreme honor and feat for our newly developed program.
Our Story
Since our inception we have performed on National Stages, performed works choreographed by members of the Ailey Company, Ballet Frontier, Bruce Wood Dance and more! Our first graduating class received over 6 million dollars in scholarships in the study of dance and beyond! Our faculty are not only equipped with a formal education in dance, but also have had professional experiences in dance in the United States and beyond! In only our 2nd year of existence, we were invited to perform 2 different works at the National High School Dance Festival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We have a very active chapter in the National Society for Dance Arts, of which our apprentices have placed nationally in choreographic, academic, and leadership awards. The Terrell Dance Union, a non-profit 501 3(c) , that was put in place to support the needs of the Terrell Dance Apprentices directly. Our Terrell Dance Union will be hosting the first Fort Worth Dance Festival bringing local studios, high schools, colleges, and professional companies all together in ONE place for an immersive, educational experience, with goals to expose the Fort Worth community at large to the vast possibilities of dance!
Curriculum Overview
The Terrell Dance Department offers rigorous training in the ballet and Horton techniques. With a conservatory approach, Terrell Dance Apprentices take an 80 minute ballet class every-other-day, and a Horton class on the opposing day.
Auxiliary Classes Include:
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Principles of Dance (Somatics, Pilates, Contemporary)
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Dance Composition and Improvisation
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Performance and Ensemble
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Dance & Media Communications **
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World Dance Forms (West African, Jazz, Tap, Ballroom, Ballet Floklórico, Social Dances, etc.)**
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Dance Appreciation**
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**(Available to all Terrell Apprentices)
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Apprentices at I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM & VPA earn their English and Social Studies credits through their humanities class -- a college-preparatory, interdisciplinary course that incorporates the study of literature, history, religion, philosophy, politics, arts, sciences, language, poetry, and sciences. The pieces we read will be challenging. The writing is frequent and rigorous. Expect this class to be equally demanding and rewarding.
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Algebra 1 is commonly taken in middle school. If this applies to your apprentice, slide math requirements to the left. Fill the Senior Year course with a higher level Math Course, Academic, or Arts Elective.
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Only 2 levels of Foreign Languages are required, though many selective universities recommend a 3rd level.
Please Note: Coursework may be individualized to maximize student learning.
To achieve the Gold Seal recognition upon graduation, a student must complete a minimum 8 courses from the Program of Choice listed above AND participate in either a capstone or internship.
Our Partnerships
