Hard shoes to fill

The quality of dance education at Laguna Beach High School has declined since a new dance director took over the job from Tod Kubo last year, several parents alleged Tuesday to the Laguna Beach Board of Education.

The parents voiced their frustration and presented a letter from students detailing problems in the department under Dance Director Kelee Thompson.

Kubo, a long standing dance teacher and choreographer, resigned at the end of the 2006-07 school year to pursue new creative opportunities.

Both parents and students conceded that Kubo’s shoes were hard to fill, but contended the school and district have not paid close enough attention since Thompson stepped in.

They alleged that Thompson was too inexperienced for the job, having been hired too rapidly without enough examination of her qualifications, and has made several mistakes that have resulted in the exodus of many dance program veterans.

Due to Brown Act requirements, board members were unable to speak with the parents about the issue as it wasn’t on the meeting agenda.

Thompson has been asked by the school not to comment on the situation for the time being; Principal Don Austin referred to it as a “personnel issue,” but answered questions about the circumstances on Thursday.

“I think there’s a conflict between past experience at Laguna Beach High School and what dance programs are doing across the entire country,” Austin said, adding that students were privileged to have a world-class instructor in Kubo.

Austin said Thompson has made many changes to the dance program in concert with him and several students.

“Every one of those changes was a direct response to either parent or student concerns,” Austin said. “Everything that was brought forward to her, she was attempting to correct.”

However, many students who were highly involved in the school’s renowned dance program have quit the program; 11 dance students wrote a joint letter to Austin in December expressing their displeasure.

The letter was read by a parent at Tuesday’s meeting. The students never made any specific demands or requests, choosing instead to list changes to the department that they found unsatisfactory.

“Although we have no personal bias against Ms. Thompson, it is undeniable that the requirements of her position exceed the level of her experience,” they wrote.

Parents who made their own statements were less reserved.

“These things are not being upheld in our dance department,” longtime district parent Kathleen Moore said, waving printouts of Superintendent Robert Fraisse’s keys to success and commitments pledged by Austin. Moore said parents and students strongly feel an evaluation is necessary.

“I don’t know how to do it; I just know it has to be done,” father Tim Somerset said.

Winter dance concert

A primary complaint was an alleged failure during the last dance show, “On the Precipice,” to showcase top and graduating dancers; instead, dancers of all levels were allowed to perform in the production.

“By praising the equal opportunity given to the dancers of the previous show, you are implying that if we decided to try out for girl’s volleyball, we should all make varsity, play in every game, and play starting positions,” the students wrote in their letter.

“Can you fairly say this would happen at our high school?”

Thompson commented on the show in her December/January dance newsletter.

“I thought that as our first show as a new department, it went off very well, and I was pleased to see dancers of all levels trying their hardest while having a great time performing,” she wrote.

Austin said he concurred with Thompson.

“The general opinion is that all kids should have an opportunity to express themselves in whatever it is they want to do,” he said.

Parents and students also complained that injuries were common during “On the Precipice” due to a lack of regular technique training and combining beginning and advanced performers.

“Part of the concern that we heard was that mixed levels of dancers performed in the same routines, and that has been corrected,” Austin said; the practice will be discontinued.

More professionals added

Students have five dance class options during the school day, three of which are offered as part of the Capistrano-Laguna Beach Regional Occupational Program. In addition, an after-school performance class puts on biannual dance concerts in the Artists’ Theatre.

Dancers said Thompson wasn’t working often enough during the school day with the students, who often sat around or worked on concert routines during class rather than learning technique, that she didn’t offer constructive criticism, and hasn’t enforced discipline or promptness.

“It is difficult [to] improve technique and performance skills without guidance and corrections,” they wrote.

“As dedicated dancers, we have been forced to seek and pay for outside training because we receive few to no corrections.”

Thompson wrote that concert pieces will only be rehearsed and performed after school now, rather than during school day classes, and students will work on technique daily.

She is also developing uniformity in assignments.

The students said they would welcome any additional instructors. Thompson confirmed that more guest teachers and choreographers will work with the classes and on the upcoming dance concert, “Moulin Rouge;” Thompson will continue teaching the students one or two days a week.

“The addition of guest choreographers was a direct request from students and parents, and very much in line with what has happened in the past,” Austin said.

Thompson discontinued choreographing the fall musical, “Urinetown,” when she realized she needed time to work on her own program, Austin said.

“It just didn’t make sense for a brand new teacher to take on both shows at the same time,” Austin said. Austin said no changes to Thompson’s job requirements have been made since she took on the role.