Dance

Curriculum Guides

Associate in Art
Dance

Classes for Adults & High School Students

We welcome and invite high school students and adults from the community to join dance technique classes for personal enjoyment. Barton specifically offers lunchtime and evening classes to be available to working adults.

Dance for Aging Adults

Our program has unique movement classes designed for seniors to help increase balance, promote better posture and develop a stronger mind-to-body connection necessary for mobility. See Dancing for Mobility (DANC 1003) in dance class options offered through the Silver Cougar Club.

Modern Dance I & II (DANC 1020 & 1030 - 2 & 3 credits) 

Modern Dance is an expressive style of dance where students learn how to use dance and movement as a form of non-verbal communication through studying multiple diverse techniques. Modern Dance I & II are dance major requirements.

Ballet I & II (DANC 1035 & 1036 – 2 & 3 credits)

In ballet class, students will gain strength, flexibility, balance, muscle control, and musicality related to movement. All levels of experience welcome. Ballet I & II are dance major requirements.

Tap Dance I (DANC 1016 – 2 credits) 

This course introduces and develops on the principles of tap dance including weight shift, rhythm, and tap vocabulary. Students will gain an appreciation of tap dance as an art form. No experience necessary.

Jazz Dance I & II (DANC 1100 & 1102 - 2 credits) 

The energetic style of Jazz Dance teaches a variety of dance steps, coordination, rhythmic control, and different techniques from early jazz styles to contemporary jazz. A great class for musical theatre!

Barton Dance Theater (DANC 1001 - 2 credits)

Barton’s student dance company offers dance students a better understanding of what it is like to work in a dance company. In BDT students will learn, rehearse, and perform multiple styles of technical dance at a variety of venues and engage in dance education experiences such as dance field trips to see professional dance companies perform. Excellent performance scholarships available. To be considered for company placement dance students must have at least 2 years dance experience. Learn more about BDT. 

Dance Composition I (DANC 1010- 3 credits)

This is an introductory-level course in the art of making dances.   The class explores movement improvisation as a means for developing movement phrases and the fundamental elements of dance-space, time, weight, and energy flow.  Students will learn how to combine motivated movement within a structure to create original choreography. This class is a dance major requirement.

History of Dance I (DANC 1040 - 3 credits) 

Why did people start dancing anyway? How did dance equal political power in the royal court? Where does Hip Hop come from? Do you really have to move your belly in Belly Dance? Learn these answers and more in this interactive dance academic class! This class is open to all students, regardless of dance experience. This class is a dance major requirement and fulfills BCC’s Humanities requirement.

Dancing for Mobility for Aging Adults (DANC 1003 - 2 credits) 

This dance therapy class helps aging adults maintain mind-to-body connection, improve balance, increase memory and have a good time while learning a variety of dance styles in a safe environment. 

Barton Dance Theatre (BDT) is committed to bringing high quality dance experiences with artistic motivation to Barton students and beyond. BDT members learn, rehearse and perform challenging dances from a diverse range of styles with intent to represent the college at a wide range of local and national venues. Giving students the experience of what working in a dance company is like while gaining two college credit hours, BDT is an excellent choice for those looking to work in the field of dance or for those who pursue dancing with commitment, energy, and perseverance.

BDT (course DANC 1001) meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. After being accepted by audition, students must register for the 2 credit hour class to participate.

BDT Company Requirements: 

• Acceptance by audition.
• A minimum of two years dance experience in Modern/Contemporary Dance, Jazz Dance, and/or Ballet.
• Be actively enrolled and attending dance technique classes in the fall semester at Barton or regional dance studio.

Upcoming BDT Auditions

Spring 2022:

The class-style audition can be done either virtually through Zoom or live. Please contact Danika Bielek at bielekd@bartonccc.edu or (620)792-9253.

• Check back soon for audition details!

Dance Scholarships

Barton offers multiple generous dance scholarships for dance majors and non-majors. Barton Dance Theatre members are eligible for Activity Award Scholarships. Please contact Danika Bielek at bielekd@bartonccc.edu or (620) 792-9253 for more information. 

Danika Bielek began dancing in a modern dance class at Phoenix Community College when enrolled as a visual art major. Very quickly her creative energies had shifted into the moving arts and changed her major. She graduated from Arizona State University with a B.F.A. cum laude in Dance Performance/Choreography as a scholarship recipient (Young Choreographer Award). While at ASU, she benefited from training and performing with significant instructors, companies and choreographers such as modern dance pioneer Daniel Nagrin, Kee-Juan Han (Indianapolis & Boston Ballet), Madame Xenia Christova (Kirov Ballet), Bebe Miller (Bebe Miller Company), Joe Goode Performance Group, “Uncle” CK Ganyo (Ganyo & Dancers), Marion Kirk-Jones (Horton Dance Company), and Cliff Keuter (Paul Taylor Dance Company). Throughout her training at ASU, Ms. Bielek studied at The Phoenix School of Ballet and at Ballet Arizona. She continues her dance professional development by “studio hopping” in NYC, networking with other dance professionals, taking summer classes at Ballet Arizona, and attending a wide range of workshops in all dance styles nation-wide.

Ms. Bielek began her performance career with Phoenix, Arizona's oldest modern dance company, Desert Dance Theater. Additional performances include dancing works by Kelly Roth, Bill Evans, Cleo Parker Robinson, Peak Ballet, and Rosangela Silvestre, founder of the exquisite Silvestre Technique (Brazil). Later, she performed as a modern dancer soloist with classical and jazz musicians. As a choreographer she has choreographed directed student dance companies, founded her own modern company, Composite Dance (Colorado), has guest choreographed for contemporary companies, ballet companies, and multiple musicals and operas. Commercial choreography credits include choreographing the Heart Ball event for the American Heart Association and being a featured choreographer on the PBS’s series Dance Horizons.

Teaching has been one of Ms. Bielek's greatest interests and is honored to have over 20+ years working as a dance educator. She teaches contemporary and classical modern dance techniques (specializing in classical modern techniques of Horton, Limón, Taylor-Style, Graham, and Dunham), ballet/pointe, men’s ballet technique, jazz dance, dance for musical theatre, movement improvisation, dance history and specializes in choreographic instruction. She has taught students from beginners through pre-professionals of all ages. One memorable instructional experience was enhancing Olympic Athletes’ training through dance technique (Colorado Springs, CO). Most recently, she has been in training under the Dance for PD (Parkinson's Disease) program with the Mark Morris Dance Center (Brooklyn, NY) and founded the Rhythm Connections for PD of Central Kansas. She has taught dance as a form of therapy for many purposes- whether it be maintaining a mind-to-body connection in aging adults or building self-confidence in abused children.

Past positions held include Dance Department Chair at Pikes Peak Community College (Colorado Springs, CO), Executive Director and Dance Director of the Bethel College Academy of Performing Arts (Newton, KS), dance instructor at ArtisTree Dance Studio (Hutchinson, KS) and is one of the rehearsal directors for the Prairie Nutcracker.

Ms. Bielek is excited to work with dance students at Barton Community College as the Performing Arts Dance Instructor/Coordinator. Duties of her newly developed position include program development, directing the student dance company Barton Dance Theatre, developing the Dancing for Mobility program, choreographing musicals for the Theatre Department and, doing what she loves most, teaching dance!