Dear Students,
Yesterday, the Institute sent out information regarding the CalArts return to Campus details. With the start of a new school year just around the corner, The School of Dance is eager to begin dancing and making art again. We are thrilled to welcome you back to campus this September!
We’d like to provide some additional context specific to The School of Dance and our plans for the Fall Semester. There is a lot of information here, so please read thoroughly.
Registration/Orientation/Course Advising Day will be a little different this year. Registration will be completely online beginning August 11th. Please note that most of your required dance classes will be pre-loaded onto your schedule so you don't need to register for them. You will receive a separate email with more details from The School of Dance before online registration begins. On September 6th through September 13th, Sunday to Sunday, The Institute will be opening a 100% online orientation program. You will have one week to complete the orientation before classes begin on September 14th. This innovative plan for orientation will provide all the information you need to begin/continue your CalArts careers, and prepare you for Course Advising Day occurring that week on Sept 10th.
Fall classes begin on September 14th, 2020. In order to abide by the guidelines shared in the CalArts Returns packet and restrictions due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the School of Dance has created a schedule that uses a hybrid model of in-person classes and online, remote learning. You will be placed in small group cohorts, consisting of other students from your year level. All students will have a minimum of 2 complete days per week of in-person classes, and a minimum of 2 complete days per week of online/remote learning. All classes will be held synchronously, unless individual exceptions are necessary. While working remotely, you will sign in to your scheduled class for a live, online session.
Technique classes will maintain a live, in-person and simultaneous remote class structure. Each day, each level will have a small group of students who will report to campus for in-person classes, while the remainder sign into the live remote class. Instructors will be able to interact with all students, both in person and using our digital platforms. These small group cohorts will rotate daily.
All Dance Critical Studies classes will be taught remotely, via a digital platform. Other classes within the School of Dance will use the same hybrid model of in-person and online instruction. Others may stick to a 100% in-person structure.
Before you arrive to CalArts in September, you will be assigned a Mentor, if you do not already have one. Your mentors are available to assist you in navigating your time at CalArts. This fall, meeting with your mentors will need to be scheduled in advance. You and your mentor will email directly to schedule dates/times for meeting and greeting. Mentors and students usually meet, at minimum, twice each semester. Mentors are a pivotal resource for you in both academic, and artistic advising.
We are excited to still be able to create, present, and perform work in the School of Dance. This fall, our indoor events and productions will be presented via a live stream media platform. In-person audiences will be limited to small number of attendees, consisting of current students, faculty and staff. We will be utilizing a variety of performance venues, both indoor and outdoor. We are brainstorming venues unique to our environment; the desert, a drive-in, a vast, open field. Outdoor events may allow for a larger CalArts audience. Students will be able to check-out studio space for individual/personal rehearsal time via an online reservation system. Guidelines and structures in relation to the coronavirus will be put in place and must be adhered to in order to promote the health and safety of everyone.
At CalArts, there will still be wonderful opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations. Open to the Institute classes can be found in the Course Catalog. The School of Dance is also looking forward to continuing our Summer 2020 Lecture Series with an exciting line-up of guest artists including, Rashaun Mitchell/Silas Riener, Okwui Okpokwasili, and Charles Atlas. Please watch for an invitation reminder in your email.
After Thanksgiving the School of Dance will be moving to fully remote instruction through the remainder of the semester ending on December 18th. Your instructors will be working with you directly to ensure you can continue with your courses throughout the remainder of the term.
In the coming weeks, you will be receiving additional information from the School of Dance about our Health & Safety Guidelines and how best to prepare for your fall semester at CalArts. You should all now have access to your CalArts email - please continue to check this on a regular basis so you’re up to date on all the important info you will need before September.
In the meantime, our Dean and Program Directors would like to invite you to a special gathering in July to discuss our exciting plans for the fall, and entertain any questions you may have.
Here is the zoom link: Q&A Thursday, July 16th, 2020 12:30pm-1:30pm PST
https://calarts.zoom.us/j/91263818628 We hope to see you there!
From all of us at CalArts, we wish you a marvelous 2020-2021 school year. Until we see each other soon, be well, and keep dancing!
All the best,
Dimitri Chamblas, Dean
The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance
California Institute of the Arts