Dance

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

Please click here for GSA Dance Roadmap

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Study Support

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.

Excellence in Performing Art (EPA) Scholarship

George Salter Academy can provide 20 places per year for students who have an aptitude for Music, Dance or Drama.

Special Projects

Our students have been part of some amazing projects, such as:

  •  Chicane Dance Company performed their own work at Dynamic Youth hosted by Flexus Dance Collective at The Arena Theatre - March 2019.
  • Performing curtain raiser performance for Flexus Dance Collective at The Arena Theatre - March 2019
  • Creating and performing a curtain raiser performance with Abbot Dance Theatre Performance Company at Forest Arts Centre - March 2019.
  • Winning the U.Dance regional platform at the Birmingham Dance XChange - February 2018.
  • Representing the West Midlands in the prestigious U.Dance national dance festival in Ipswich - July 2018
  • Performing as part of a curtain raiser for Flexus Dance Collective at Forest Arts Centre - July 2018
  • Chicane Dance Company performing at The Arena Theatre as part of the Propel Platform - March 2018

Contact

Miss A Ashmore [email protected] (Head of Performing Arts)

"Dance at GSA gives me more opportunities than i’ve ever been given, they give me the chance to perform a national platforms, aswell as doing workshops with professional dancers!" Sian James Year, Year 12 

"My experience of dance at George Salter has been amazing. The dance department staff are incredible and have always encouraged and pushed me to reach my potential." Megan Plant, Year 13 

"I love the opportunities dance at George Slater has given me. I will always remember being able to perform on stage with Charge in front of a crowd." Grace Brindley, Year 13  

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.

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