Dance
Outline of Course/Qualification:
AQA GCSE Dance allows students to develop the technical, expressive and performing skills needed to effectively experience and perform in an umbrella of different genres of dance. During the study, they will have the opportunity to explore and express their own choreography ideas, building composition towards different stimuli, professional work and their own experiences or interests.
Pupils will also study professional dance work in many different dance forms and styles, they will have the opportunity to work with professional dance companies and will be appreciating and studying professional work and choreographers.
What skills and interests are needed to be successful for this course?
- GCSE Dance will suit students who enjoy dance and retrospectively are happy and committed to perform in a solo, duo and group dance situation.
- Students must have a good standard of Physical and Technical skills or have the determination to improve on these key aspects of dance, as they under pin the backbone of dance.
- The practical sessions will focus on contemporary dance styles and students must therefore be willing to explore movement that may be new to them and to approach tasks creatively.
- Commitment and determination towards rehearsals is vital, this will include after school and during their own time.
- Video analysis is essential for evidence and evaluation for improvement, therefore willingly supportive of this.
What will I study?
Core content comprises from-
- Performance
- Choreography
- Dance appreciation
Component 1: Performance and Choreography
What’s assessed?
Performance 30% towards final mark.
- Set phrases through a solo performance (approx 1 minute duration)
- Duet/ Trio performance (three and a half minutes in duration) Choreography 30% towards final mark.
- Solo or group choreography- a solo (2- 2.5 minutes) or a group for two to five dancers (3-3.5 minutes).
Total component 60%
Non-exam assessment, marked by the teacher and moderated by the AQA exam board.
Component 2: Dance appreciation What’s assessed?
- Knowledge and understanding of choreography process and performing skills.
- Critical appreciation of own work
- Critical appreciation of professional works.
How will it be assessed?
- 40% of GCSE
- Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes. 80 marks in total paper.
- Questions will be based on students’ own practice in performance and choreography and the GCSE Dance anthology.
How would I use this qualification in the future?
- Pupils can further study dance at Advanced Level
- It is also the starting point for those who wish to become a professional dancer, teacher or theatre worker and work within the entertainment and fitness industry.
Homework/Independent Learning and Extended Learning:
- Pupils will need to plan towards their own choreography, therefore, this will be produced partly in their own time, after school or during lunch. Pupils will have the responsibility to organise this.
- Pupils will plan and produce dance performances so they can show case their work.
- Pupils will need to attend and watch professional work which may be in their own time. This will be organised by the teacher.
- Homework is every week based on GCSE Dance practical or theory aspects.
What are the top universities currently for this subject?
- Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA)
- Birmingham
- University of East Anglia
- Trinity Laban Conservatoire
- Queen Mary, University of London
Check the UCAS website (www.ucas.com) for entry requirements to Higher Education courses of interest; this will provide you with information on courses which have specific subject entry requirements.
