Dance

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Curriculum Intent

We are immensely proud of the rich and varied schemes of work that the Dance department provide for our students. We have a thriving, inclusive and innovative department. As experienced practitioners we pride ourselves on creating thinking dancers for the future, enabling young people to gain experience in performance, composition and appreciation.

We believe that Dance is a valuable and necessary part of any learner’s journey at secondary school. This subject builds confidence, communication skills, determination, organisation skills and physical fitness.

We strive to provide opportunities that harness these skills in all of our Dance lessons. Every learner in our care should have the equality to access and achieve within our subject and through our varied extra-curricular programme.

Schemes of work have been carefully crafted to support learner’s understanding of dance practitioners, choreographic approaches and performance skills. We are keen to ensure that each scheme builds on prior learning and supports learners to develop a growing social and cultural awareness of the world around them, ownership and pride in their work and embed social skills that can be utilised across the whole curriculum.

Key Stage 3

The Key Stage 3 Dance Curriculum aims to engage and support students, creating a welcoming and kind environment where all students are able to reach their full potential.  

Students are introduced to Rehearsal, Performance and Evaluation in year 7 and this is embedded throughout all KS3 lessons. We aim to ensure that there is continuity and progression as students travel through the Key Stage.  Throughout each scheme we provide opportunities to broaden the horizons of our students by exposing them to a range of cultural, social and historical stimuli.

We build have built in GCSE Dance terminology throughout KS3, developing confidence in students analytical and evaluative skills. We aim to ensure that by the end of year 9 students can articulate confidently performance analysis using the dance toolkit in line with our assessment criteria.

Our KS3 Dance schemes include:

  • A range of dance styles
  • Introduction to a broad spectrum of dance practitioners
  • Physical, technical and expressive skills
  • Choreographic processes
  • Choreographic devices

 

Key Stage 3 Dance Curriculum Map

Key Stage 4

Course Code: GCSE Dance AQA 8236
Exam Board Specification: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/dance/gcse/dance-8236

The GCSE is split into two Components:

Component One – Performance and Choreography

What's assessed

  • Set phrases through a solo performance (approximately one minute in duration)
  • Duet/trio performance (three minutes in a dance which is a maximum of five minutes in duration)
  • Choreography solo or group – a solo (two to two and a half minutes) or a group dance for two to five dancers (three to three and a half minutes)

How it's assessed

Internally marked and externally moderated based on Physical, technical and expressive skills and choreography skills.

Performance

30% of GCSE

40 marks

Choreography

30% of GCSE

40 marks

Total component 60% Non-exam assessment (NEA) marked by the centre and moderated by AQA.

 

Component Two – Dance Appreciation

 

What's assessed

  • Knowledge and understanding of choreographic processes and performing skills
  • Critical appreciation of own work
  • Critical appreciation of professional works

How it's assessed

 40% of GCSE Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes

 80 marks

Questions Based on students' own practice in performance and choreography and the GCSE Dance anthology.

 

Key Stage 4 Dance Curriculum Map