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Introduction

Dance is well-established within the curriculum at Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College and is a vibrant, ever-changing subject, which enables our students to develop their communication, problem-solving and confidence, as well as maturing their memory, creativity and initiative.

Dance is taught at both Key Stage 3 and 4 at Abbs Cross Academy.  It is within the Performing Arts faculty and increases students’ knowledge on physical, technical and expressive skills, through practical activity.

General Outcomes and Objectives of Dance

  • Promotion of fitness, healthy lifestyle, teamwork and creativity
  • Develops independent learning
  • Allows for critical and reflective thinking
  • Matures students’ understanding of a range of dance styles through performance, creation and appreciation
  • Advances physical, technical and expressive skills, which you are able to communicate choreographic intention and individuality as a performer

We expect

  • All students to take their shoes off at the bottom of the stairs, before walking up to the dance studio
  • All students to comply with changing expectations, both male and female, getting changed into their dance kit, in less than 6 minutes
  • All students to wear the Abbs Cross Academy green polo shirt, with Abbs Cross Academy black shorts
  • All students to tie up their hair
  • All students to rehearse and perform bare foot
  • If a non-participant, students should bring in a note that is dated and signed by a parent/carer/ guardian.
  • All non-participants are expected to bring in their kit and will complete a non-participant worksheet.
  • All non-participants are expected to catch up on any work missed.

KS3

In KS3, students are enriched with multiple genres of dance, where they can increase their physical and mental skills, enhancing teamwork, communication skills and practical ability. 

Students are able to observe professional works and peers, to aspire and encourage further improvements in performances.

 

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Autumn

An Introduction to Dance:

 

 

5 Basic Body Actions

 

 

 

 

Dance For Film:

 

 

Iconic Music

and Dance

 

 

 

Dance Genres:

 

 

Evolution of Dance

 

Dance For Musicals:

 

 

Charlie and the

Chocolate Factory

Spring

Sports Dance:

 

Physical Skills

 

 

Dance For Musicals:

 

 

Matilda and Aladdin

 

 

World Dance:

 

 

Samba

 

Creating A Dance:

 

Action and Space

Summer

Dance For Musicals:

 

 

The Greatest

Showman

 

 

 

World Dance:

 

 

Bollywood

 

 

 

 

Dance Genre:

 

 

Hip Hop

Dance Genre:

 

 

Street Jazz

KS4

GCSE Dance helps students to develop technical and expressive skills as well as knowledge and understanding of dance through performance, choreography and critical appreciation.

The course combines practical and written skills with a focus on choreography and performance, as well as analysis and criticism of dance.

The subject content details the knowledge, understanding and skills that students are expected to learn during the course of study. This is set out below in three core areas of dance: performance, choreography and appreciation.

  • Component 1A: Performance - Students must develop and apply the following knowledge, understanding and skills to perform dance as a soloist for approximately one minute and in a duet/trio for a minimum of three minutes.
  • Component 1B: Choreography - Students must learn how to respond creatively to an externally set stimulus, to choreograph their own complete dance. The dance created must be either: • a solo dance of a minimum of two minutes and a maximum of two and a half minutes or • a group dance of a minimum of three minutes and a maximum of three and a half minutes for two to five dancers.
  • Component 2: Dance Appreciation - Through written communication and use of appropriate terminology, students must be able to critically analyse, interpret and evaluate their own work in performance and choreography and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of professional practice in the six set works in the GCSE Dance Anthology. This is the end of year 11 written exam.

 

 

Year 10

Year 11

Autumn

Practical:

Physical, Technical and Expressive Skills

Set Phrases

Anthology 1: Shadows; Christopher Bruce

Anthology 2: EOE; Kendrick H2O Sandy

 

Theory:

Dance Appreciation – The Background Knowledge

Anthology 1: Shadows; Production Aspects

Anthology 2: EOE; Production Aspects

Practical:

Group Choreography

 

Theory:

Anthology 5: Within Her Eyes; James Cousins

Anthology 6: Infra; Wayne McGregor

Exam style questions and revision

Spring

Practical:

Choreography From A Stimulus

Choreographic Process

Duo/ Trio Performance

 

Theory:

Anthology 3: ALC; Production Aspects

Anthology 4: Artificial Things; Production Aspects

Dance Appreciation topics and revision

Practical:

Performance: Set Phrases

Performance: Duo/Trio Performance

Choreography

 

Theory:

Anthology revision

Exam style questions and revision

Summer

Practical:

Duo/ Trio Performance

Anthology 4: Artificial Things; Lucy Bennett

Working From A Stimulus

 

Theory:

Section B – Personal Experiences

Section A – Holistic Choreography

Section C – The Anthologies

Practical:

None

 

Theory:

Anthology revision

Exam style questions and revision

Future careers after GCSE Dance:

  • Arts Administrator
  • Community Arts Worker
  • Dance Psychotherapist
  • Events Manager
  • Professional Dancer
  • Teacher

 

GCSE Results 2019

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving 89% grades 9-4.

GCSE Results 2020

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving 83.3% grades 9-4.

GCSE Results 2021

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving 87.5% grades 9-4.

GCSE Results 2022

Congratulations to the Year 11 students on achieving 100% grades 9-4.

Extra Curricular

The Dance Studio is open for additional rehearsal or club time four days out of five, morning and lunchtime for students who want to use the space to either rehearse for a piece of class work, school performances or an outside school event.  The Dance Studio needs to be booked with the subject lead.

The Dance Department offer a variety of dance clubs and companies:

  • Yr7 Dance Club: This exciting club is run by the subject lead in the Autumn and Spring term, working towards a choreography for the Winter Variety Performance and the Summer Showcase.  Students will learn up to 4 choreographies, in variety of styles.

 

  • Yr8&9 Dance Club: This starts in the Autumn term, allowing for 15 weeks of technique and performance skills to be performed.  In the Spring Term, the focus moves to GCSE physical and expressive skills, learning an upbeat choreography ready for the Summer Showcase and a contemporary performance for the Evening of Dance. 

 

  • AX Dance Company: The Dance Company was founded in 2003. Year 10 and 11 students audition for their place in the dance company, to compete in multiple external competitions, performances and internal events throughout the academic year. The company rehearse once a week before/ after school.

 

  • KS4 Intervention – The sessions run in the morning or at lunchtime to allow Year 10 and 11 students to rehearse and refine performance and choreography units, ready for examinations.

Useful Links

GCSE Dance AQA Specification

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/dance/specifications/AQA-8236-SP-2016.PDF

GCSE Dance AQA Glossary

https://www.aqa.org.uk/resources/dance/gcse/dance/teach/subject-specific-vocabulary

Sadler’s Wells Performances

https://www.sadlerswells.com/

GCSE Dance Anthologies


https://www.aqa.org.uk/resources/dance/gcse/dance/teach/dance-anthology

Google classroom

This is a fantastic tool, utilised weekly by the Performing Arts faculty.  The online application allows for paperless communication, between staff and students and for staff to streamline curriculum, classwork, examinations and homework.