Performing Arts - Dance

Keystage 3 Curriculum

All Pupils in year 7 are taught Dance. Dance is taught to pupils in year 7 once every 2 weeks. This means that every pupil in year 7 will receive 21 hours of dance throughout the year.

All Pupils in year 9 are given the option to follow pathways within Physical education and Dance is part of the aesthetic route. This means that pupils in this year group will receive 2 terms of Dance.

The focus of the dance curriculum is on developing the students' ability to compose/choreograph, perform and appreciate dance as well as further their knowledge and understanding of health and fitness. To create a broad appreciation of dance, the practical schemes of work are enhanced by the appreciation of a variety of choreographers and professional dance works on DVD and use of the internet.

Units of Work

Below is an outline of some of some of the key units of work developed for each year group. All the units focus on tasks that encourage students to work in a variety of group combinations.

Year 7

Cartoon Capers

An introduction to Dance; with particular focus on how dynamics, canon and unison are used within Dance and how this links very closely to what the pupils are seeing in Cartoons.

The Cog

An action reactions unit of work pupils will look at how everything they do will have an action reaction.

Around the World

An introduction to dance styles from a variety of world cultures including South America, Central America and South America.

Year 9

Nike advert / Street Dance off

Keystage 4 Curriculum

Our year 10 and 11 students follow the AQA GCSE Performing Arts: Dance syllabus (GCSE Dance Overview). The course is made up of a combination of practical and theoretical modules and both coursework and final exams.

In both years students will be expected to see live performances to broaden their knowledge and understanding of dance. This will help their appreciation of dance as a live art form and provide valuable information to write about within the final written examination. In year 10 and 11 all students will be expected to perform in 'Stages'.

Units of Work

Year 10

In year 10 students receive two hours dance teaching a week. In year 10 there is a focus on developing technical, choreographic and performance skills within a series of group practical tasks. By the end of the first year of the course we hope to have developed the skills that enable the students to work independently and set the major choreographic elements of dance coursework.

Year 11

In year 11 students receive three hours of dance teaching a week. All the final assessments of GCSE coursework takes place in year 11, to allow students to achieve the highest technical ability and maturity in performance. The two elements of practical coursework and the final set study examination are finally assessed in the spring term and then filmed and externally moderated in March. The written coursework is completed at the same time. The written examination is sat in May, following an intensive revision programme following the external moderation date.

Equipment Requirements

Within the dance department health and safety is a huge factor and all year groups are expected to come to practical lessons with hair tied back, no jewellery and the appropriate clothing for their key stage as listed below. All pupils are expected to dance bare foot.

Year 7 & 9

Keystage 3 pupils are expected to wear their college P.E kit during Dance lessons. If students turn up to lessons with incorrect kit then they will follow the PE department policy and be issued with a kit fault. Depending on the dance unit being covered the teacher may decide that pupils are able to wear ¾ length black sweat pants/joggers or a dance department.

Year 10 & 11

GCSE students are allowed to wear ¾ or full length black sweat pants/joggers with PE t- shirt or a GCSE Dance T-shirt.

GCSE pupils are also expected to supply the following:

  • Plain black clothing for moderation work

  • 1 file for additional notes and paper

  • 1 set of dividers

  • 3 x rewritable DVD's for coursework

Homework in Dance

Keystage 3

There will be homework for Dance set twice a term in year 7 and at the discretion of the teacher in year 9.

Keystage 4

During KS4 students will be expected to complete a range of theoretical and practical tasks for their home learning.

At the beginning of Year 11 there will be a strong focus on the practical coursework (they are expected to do this at extracurricular clubs and at home, meaning the second part of the year (after March) is more focused upon the exams in June.

Links and Online Resources

These are some of the main practitioners that students will focus on during their Dance education:

Educational Establishments Online: