Dance
In Expressive Arts we aim to foster a love for the Arts by offering a broad and balanced experience across art, dance, drama and music.Curriculum rationale
In Expressive Arts we aim to foster a love for the Arts by offering a broad and balanced experience across art, dance, drama and music. We want to enthuse passion, creativity and a love for our subjects that you may not have previously experienced.
The KS3 curriculum should serve as an enjoyable, engaging and broad dance experience for all students. It is created to go above and beyond the national curriculum requirement that learners perform dances using advanced dance techniques within a range of styles and forms.
Curriculum Design
The KS3 curriculum includes various topics such as choreographic skills, critical appreciation of professional set works and Duo/trio performance. Written elements are incorporated into each unit of work through summative quizzes, as well as mid-point assessments and end of unit assessments. Our curriculum allows students to make rapid progress and take ownership of what is required from them to progress to the next step.
The curriculum is designed around securing deep understanding of key knowledge and developing academic literacy through exploratory talk and oracy. The 4Rs are at the core of the Dance curriculum and can be seen throughout curriculum planning and delivery.
Curriculum Plan
Key Stage 3
Year 7
| Topic | What will students learn by the end of the topic | Assessment | |
|
Topic 1 (on rotation with drama) |
Dance Through the Decades
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What Social Dance is. Understand what the technical skills of actions and dynamics are. Know how to create a simple combination of taught actions and apply performance skills skills through . To apply creative transitions to their pieces. Know how to consider the use of space and simple dance relationships. Understand the importance of working to music. | Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Duo/ Small group performance of Dance Through Decades weighted 60%. End of topic written knowledge assessment weighted 40%. |
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Topic 2 (on rotation with drama) |
The Greatest Showman Looking at the genre of Musical Theatre and all it encompasses with particular focus of creative and expressive skills as well as features of production. |
Explore the genre of Musical Theatre. Develop skills of analysis by looking at existing dance work and discussing what makes it successful. Exploration of using a stimulus such as lyrics of a song and how this can influence and inspire dance work. understand the importance of expressive skills and how these can enhance and imrpove performance work. Reflect on and evaluate own work and that of a peer. |
Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Whole Class Dance Performance weighted 60%. End of topic written knowledge assessment weighted 40%.
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Year 8
| Topic | What will students learn by the end of the topic | Assessment | |
|
Topic 1 (on rotation with drama) |
Harry Potter Homecoming Dance
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Develop their knowledge and application of new physical, technical and expressive skills through taught dance phrases. Learn about choreography and creating narrative dance. further develop samll group dance, space and relationships with a focus on formations and levels to create interest. How to rehearse effectively. Simple and safe contact. |
Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Group dance performance weighted 60%. End of topic written knowledge assessment weighted 40%.
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Topic 2 (on rotation with drama) |
Exploring Hip Hop Style
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Develop analytical, physical and technical skills. Demonstrating understanding of choreography through alanysis of professional dance work by Boy Blu Entertainment. Demonstrate increased performance skill through taught phrases. Understand and use the term motif. Use choreographic skill to develop motifs and signiyure phrases. Increse confidence with more complex use of contact |
Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Group performance of E of E Dance extract weighted 60%. End of topic written knowledge assessment- Live theatre review weighted 40%.
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Year 9
| Topic | What will students learn by the end of the topic | Assessment | |
| Topic 1 (on a rotation with drama) |
The Contemporary Style and Performance Handbook
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Using physical skills effectively and how these relate to the specific dance style of Contemporary Dance. Learn about and increase knowledge of the origins of Contemporary dance in Britain. Further devleop the understanding and use of RADS and where able perform as a solo. Learn taught dance material from the GCSE dance specification and develp this through use of choreography devices into small group pieces |
Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic - Group performance of Girls Like That extract weighted 70%. Written knowledge assessment- Concept pro forma weighted 30%.
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| Topic 2 (on a rotation with drama) | Dance: Health and Fitness Exploring dance to help and support a healthy lifestyle to include, aerobic worksouts, Pilates, Yoga, Circuits, Diet & Nutrition and Health & Safety |
Practical sessions to cover a range of dance fitness programs and styles in order to identify and understand own fitness and lifestyle goals. Develop leadership skills by creating and delivering small group fitness sessions. Written work to cover the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, staying safe in the studio and during dance sessions or workouts. | Formative assessment throughout lessons to inform intervention. Summative assessment of practical skills at the end of the topic. Create and Lead Practical fitness session 60% Written knowledge assessment- Diet, Nrition, health and safety weighted 40%. |
Curriculum Assessment
Years 7 and 8 will have regular, low stakes diagnostic tests to check understanding and allow teachers to address misconceptions. They will also have an end of rotation practical and written assessment. These assessments allow teachers and students to identify areas of strengths and areas to improve.
Extra-curricular opportunities
Dance offers a wide variety of opportunities outside of the classroom. We have visiting artists delivering professional practical workshops, we offer an after school dance club at key stage 3 which also leads to performance opportunities in our Summer Arts Festival and we support Moving Together in the Arts Award scheme. Alongside side this we plan in an annual theatre trip and we work collaboratively across the Expressive Arts Team to stage a whole school musical production.
Essential equipment
All students must wear the college PE kit for their dance lessons.