The intention of the curriculum is to ignite an interest in the subject area that encompasses collaboration, innovation and challenging viewpoints. We strive for students to enquire a skillset of physical, technical and expressive skills. It allows students to develop their physical literacy and develop an appreciation of movement. Students have the opportunity to pursue their own ideas and express their own vision and creativity through choreography. We open students’ eyes to opportunities outside of the community exploring and tolerating different viewpoints, culture and art. The language of dance has the ability to unite and encourage a sense of identity, regardless of background. Students are able to develop their sense of self and well-being, building their self-esteem and confidence over time. The curriculum allows students to be motivated to continue in their aspirations of having a career in Dance.
The dance curriculum focuses on three threshold concepts which aims to develop a student’s understanding of performance, choreography and taking on the role of a dance critic.
The seven year journey across the subject
The Dance department offers a great range of after school clubs for all students to attend every night of the week. There are two established youth dance companies that have toured around the local area. Chicane and Charge dance company are an audition only based youth company with students training two hours a week to create exciting and demanding dance works annually.
George Salter Academy can provide 20 places per year for students who have an aptitude for Music, Dance or Drama.
Our students have been part of some amazing projects, such as:
Miss Ashmore (Head of Performing Arts) email, [email protected]
The Dance department provide an exciting and practical curriculum that develops creativity, performance and appreciation skills. The dance curriculum aims to develop students understanding The Dance department provide an exciting and practical curriculum that develops creativity, performance and appreciation skills. The dance curriculum aims to develop students understanding and skill in a range of different dance styles such as Contemporary, Street, African, Jazz and Social Dances. Students are given the opportunity to explore a range of professional works and analyse the performance environment and choreographic choices. Students then become choreographers themselves, experiencing the choreographic process and learning how to develop their own choreographic skill to create their own group and individual pieces.
Year 7
Performance-Students learn about the history and stylistic features of Contemporary, Street, African and Jazz Dance.
Choreography- Students explore different types of stimuli and use these to create a whole class choreography piece role modelled by their teacher.
Dance Critic– Student explore the fun and wacky professional work ‘Nutcracker!’ choreographed Matthew Bourne’s Style.
Year 8
Performance- Students identify the different types of dance skills and aim to improve these by learning repertoire from professional works.
Choreography- Students explore a range of literary stimuli and create their own choreography in small groups based on an English text.
Dance Critic- Students explore and analyse the subject matter of the professional work ‘Charge’ choreographed by Motionhouse Dance Company
Year 9
Performance- Students develop their physical, technical and expressive dance skills by exploring two contrasting professional works. Students also learn about the 7 elements of safe practice for a dancer.
Choreography– Students are given a KS4 exam brief and work as a group to create their own original choreography based on a stimulus.
Dance Critic– Students learn about the Independent Contemporary Dance Scene and study the stylistic features and works of 5 pioneers of contemporary dance.
BTEC TECH AWARD IN Performing Arts, with a dance approach
Students have the opportunity to study BTEC Level 1/2 Tech Award, which includes 3 units of work with theory and practical focuses. Students develop skills in different dance styles, explore and learn professional dance pieces in contrasting styles. Students track their progress and development over the two-year course completing a reflective logbook. In Year 11 students work in small groups and produce a piece of choreography exploring a brief set from the exam board. Students work on this independently in their groups to create an authentic and imaginative response, which meets the needs of the brief.
A Level Dance
This course looks at the three main components of Dance: performance, choreography and appreciation. Students will have the opportunity to develop these skills in a variety of different ways alongside transferable skills such as team working, communication and problem solving. All of these are sought after skills in higher education and by employers and will help you stand out in the workplace whatever your choice of career.
Level 3 BTEC National Diploma in Dance
BTEC Dance is an exciting and varied qualification that will give you hands on knowledge of what the Performing Arts business is like for dancers and how you can succeed within it. Throughout the two-year course, you will be given a variety of internally and externally assessed units that will enable you to develop your understanding of theatre and performance whilst also refining your skill as an actor or dancer.