Dance

KS3 (Years 7 to 9)

Throughout these years, Dance and Drama are taught together.


The Drama and Dance units of work aim to develop skills and understanding of the processes involved in performance. These processes include planning, devising/ choreographing, participating, performing and evaluating across a range of activities.


Students should develop the ability to:


(a) use appropriate vocal and physical skills with clarity, fluency and control;


(b) interpret and develop a role and character;


(c) work within a group, socialise and build confidence;


(d) express and communicate feelings and ideas;


(e) evaluate a performance while using appropriate vocabulary;


(f) use appropriate props and costumes, and design a simple set.


The Areas of Study include:


Dance - where students learn to follow set steps and also create their own dances by experimenting with a variety of styles and skills. They also cover the basic technical skills in movement.


Improvisation - where students learn to use appropriate acting skills and create a scene to illustrate an issue, theme, character, situation or text.


Acting from a script - where students will learn to use appropriate voice and movement skills when working from interpreting a role.



Programme of study Y7

Musical Theatre: An introduction to the genre, using the Musical 'Matilda', in which students learn basic skills including acting through song and dance.

Greek Theatre: Drama unit of work that introduces students to this genre.

Trestle Masks & Comedy: Drama unit of work based on Trestle masks that introduces students to performing with masks. Through this unit, students will learn to communicate more effectively using their physicality. Comedy SOW will introduce students to this genre.

Matthew Bourne: Dance unit of work in which students learn features of the work of choreographer Bourne and learn an extract of repertoire.


Programme of study Y8

Voice and Characterisation: An acting unit that develops a wide range of Drama techniques. Students are introduced to the practitioner John Godber and they learn about developing characterisation and rehearsing a script.

'Hillsborough disaster': Dance scheme of work in which students learn the key elements of dance and choreograph a piece based on the chosen stimulus. Students are introduced to written analysis of Dance performances.

Devised Thematic 'Social Media': A devised thematic unit based on Social Media in which students learn a range of explorative strategies that they can use when devising their own pieces. In this unit, students are introduced to written evaluation of Drama performances.


Programme of study Y9

‘Five Soldiers’ and ‘Swansong’: Dance unit of work based on interrogation and war. Both pieces are used for a number of activities including repertoire tasks.

'Crime and Punishment': Drama unit of work based on the topic of ‘Crime and Punishment’. It will look at the theme from many different angles and it is important to explore how this theme can be presented to an audience.


Dance and Drama theory and practical activities to prepare for students going into GCSE: Free project task based on chosen stimulus: ‘The Evacuation’, ‘The Gray Drape’ painting, Thailand Tsunami, ‘Still I Rise’ poem


Assessment

Assessment records are kept for each unit of work based on skills, commitment and conduct. 

Homework may be of a practical nature (eg. rehearsing a phrase of movement, learning a short script or preparing simple props and costumes), or consist of a research task or an analytical/appraisal written exercise.

KS4 (Years 10 & 11)

Award: GCSE

Awarding Body: AQA

Specification Code: 8236

Specification Website: AQA GCSE Dance

This course leads on to an A-Level.

The AQA GCSE in Dance offers students the opportunity to embark on a course which covers a critical appreciation of dance, in tandem with the development of practical and performance skills. Students will study professional works, perform solo and group dances and choreograph their own pieces.

This course is aimed at developing, and building on, any previous experience of dance a student may have. The study of dance contributes to students’ aesthetic and social development, increases self -awareness and confidence and will broaden students’ artistic and cultural experiences.

Year 10 - Students cover a wide range of skills through practical and theoretical tasks in order to develop all areas of the course. 

Year 11 - Preparing for the practical and written examinations.

Assessments

Component 1: Performance and Choreography

Performance

Choreography

Component 2: Dance Appreciation

Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes

What is assessed:


KS5 (Years 12 & 13)

Award: A-Level

Awarding Body: AQA

Specification Code: 7237

Specification Website: AQA A-Level Dance

Institution: Westside


This course approaches Dance from both a theoretical and a practical perspective. It provides students with the opportunity to gain experience of performance and choreography and to develop critical thinking about Dance. Students should be prepared to share their work with each other on a regular basis and to perform to an audience on occasions. Over the two-year course, students will develop skills in 3 areas: appreciation of Dance; choreographic approaches and performance. They will have the opportunity both to create their own performance works and to learn extracts of repertoire. The practical elements of the course amount to 50% of the overall qualification.

Are you suitable for this course?

This course is suitable for any student wishing to further their studies in Dance. It builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding that are covered in the GCSE Dance course; however, entry will not be restricted to those students who have attained this qualification. For those students who wish to study Dance at degree level, this course will provide them with a solid grounding in theoretical and practical aspects of the subject. 

What qualifications are needed to study this subject?

This course is particularly suitable for students who have studied GCSE Dance. The entry requirements for the course are GCSE Dance grade 4 or above OR a Level 2 in Dance (Grade 4 or above) from a QCA approved body such as ISTD or RAD. Much of the theory and practical work covered at GCSE forms the basis of the content of AS and A2; therefore, students who do not have this qualification will need to work very hard to catch up on their skills, knowledge and understanding. 

What will be expected from you on this course?

Group work will be balanced with individual study on this course. Consequently, students should be committed to their studies and have an excellent attendance record, particularly because their peers will be reliant upon them. They will be expected to be responsible, disciplined and organised in their approach. Additionally, students will be required to maintain an appropriate level of fitness to be able to keep up with the physical demands of the course.

What will you get out of this course?

Quite apart from the qualification that can be obtained at the end of this course, the approach to A Level Dance lessons requires students to work holistically using both the right and left sides of the brain, developing creativity and intuition as well as logic, sequencing and analytical skills. Students will also experience many problem-solving situations and be expected to become increasingly independent in their planning, time management and goal-setting. A wide range of physical skills will be developed and refined throughout the duration of the course. Furthermore, through their work, students will develop key social skills such as communication, cooperation, empathy, motivation, leadership and organisation that will be vital in any career in which team work is important. The course will foster a sense of responsibility and develop students’ reasoning skills. Individual self-esteem will also be developed, as the candidates will have numerous opportunities to perform in front of an audience.

Year 12

Year 13

Assessments

Component 1

All the assessment in this unit is based on practical work. Students are examined on the following:

The solo performance requires students to work in the style of a specified practitioner and will be the result of student/teacher collaboration. Students will be graded on their use of space and dynamics as well as their interpretative and performance skills and how they are used to communicate a dance idea.

The quartet performance assesses students in similar areas with additional criteria focusing on temporal and spatial relationships; however, it does not need to be in the style of a specified practitioner. The choreography performed will be the result of student/teacher collaboration.

The group choreography involves students researching, experimenting and developing dance ideas as part of their choreographic process. They will work towards creating motifs and manipulating them through the use of a range of choreographic devices. They will learn about structuring their material and responding to aural and physical stimuli. Each student will create an original piece of group choreography in response to an externally set task. 

Component 2

The set works and areas of study provide an appropriate focus for students to critically engage with dance and understand the interrelationship between the creation, presentation and viewing/appreciation of dance.

This unit requires students to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding of two set works and their corresponding areas of study:

GCSE Dance
A LEVEL DANCE