LeAF Studio School

  • GCSE Dance

    Specification

    AQA GCSE Dance Specification

    Intent

    There are 3 core areas of learning within the AQA GCSE Dance course.

    • Performance – 30% = preparing students to perform two solos and duet or trio.
    • Choreography – 30% = preparing students to choreograph a group dance.
    • Theoretical Components (Written examination) 40%

    The GCSE Dance curriculum at LEAF Studio allows for the freedom to create and deliver lessons that will inspire and motivate all students. Dance is a powerful and expressive subject which encourages students to develop their creative, physical, emotional and intellectual capacity, whatever their previous experience in the subject.

    This specification recognises the role of dance in young people’s lives and students will study a range of dance styles and style fusions. Apart from the solo performance, they can choose any style in which to perform and choreograph, providing it meets the assessment criteria.

    The study of the anthology of professional works will develop their ability to critically appraise professional dance works and provide a springboard for engaging in practical tasks.

    The AQA GCSE Dance curriculum is ideal for able dancers who are both practically strong and academically able.

    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.
    The total duration of a student’s performance must be no less than three and a half minutes.

    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.

    AQA set relevant and exciting stimuli for all choreography and broadened their range of professional works. Their written assessment is clear, well-structured and easy for students to understand. The AQA Dance course assists in creating a well-rounded versatile dancer both practically and academically.

    Implementation

    Whilst some lessons are structured and choreography is teacher led, we also provide many opportunities for students to be autonomous and create their own choreography.

    It is not expected that a student who attends LEAF Studio and enrols on the GCSE Dance course will have had Dance during Year 7 and 8 at their previous school therefore we must use Year 9 to assess prior knowledge and baseline their skills and knowledge. It is, however, expected that students will have attended some form of dance training outside of school time.

    In Year 9 students explore an introductory year of the course that exposes them to the skill set required for successful completion of the AQA GCSE Dance course. Students do this through both theory exercises and through technique classes the result in learning of the set phrases. Students have an attempt to choreograph relating this to a given or chosen stimuli and allows students to demonstrate their abilities of the choreographic process.

    Students learn

    • Physical skills and attributes
    • Technical skills
    • Expressive skills
    • Mental skills and attributes
    • Safe Working practices
    • Action Content
    • Dynamic Content
    • Spatial Content
    • Relationship content
    • Choreographic processes
    • Structuring devices and form
    • Choreographic devices
    • Communication and choreographic intent

    Year 9 begin to explore the professional work anthologies and this usually occurs in Term 3 (January) when teaching staff are aware if students are mature enough and/or have the capacity to analyse the professional works at the level required. Students explore:

    • Infra – Wayne McGregor
    • A Linha Curva – Itzik Galili

    Year 10 students consolidate their learning of the above by comparing and contrasting the initial works they have studied. During Year 10 students will revisit the set phrases (Breathe and Shift) and begin to understand how these will be assessed by the examination board. Students will begin workshopping ideas for their duet/trio performance any by the end of T6 have a finished product ready for the following year.

    Year 10 students explore the remaining 4 professional works and develop understanding of how to successfully answer Section C of the examination paper; developing skills and techniques to compare and contrast works and their features. Students explore:

    • Within Her Eyes – James Cousins
    • Emancipation of Expressionism – Kenrick H20 Sandy
    • Artificial Things - Lucy Bennett
    • Shadows – Christopher Bruce

    Year 10 students have an attempt at choreography using the previous years’ exam paper and do so through using the assessment criteria set out by AQA.

    Year 11 students have their first examination paper for choreography released in September and will spend approximately 2 half terms choreographing for and to their chosen stimulus.

    In addition to the above students rehearse and refine their solo performances and their duet/trio in preparation for their 60% practical examination which takes place on a selected date in October and December.

    During practical examination preparation students will have at least one hour a week on theory to allow students to consolidate their knowledge and develop this further.

    Following the practical examination students have 2 hours a week theory and this is used to prepare for the exam paper through revision, practical explorations, active learning and group tasks.

     Impact

    It is expected that students who complete the GCSE Dance course at LEAF Studio will develop and endorse their skillset in the performing arts to best prepare them for a professional career in the performing arts industry.  

    Students who complete the course successfully are well prepared for further courses in Dance and/or Performing Arts.

    Through the study of GCSE dance students should be able to choreograph, perform and appreciate dance as an art form. A holistic engagement with dance should have informed their development as creative and artistic individuals, and broadens their aesthetic, social and cultural experience.