GCSE Dance

In this course, students are prepared for AQA GCSE Dance (8236). The following eight units are studied sequentially across Years 10 and 11.

Year 10

Unit Content

Unit 1

Emancipation of Expressionism

 

Students begin their GCSE by revisiting Emancipation of Expressionism, a professional work by Boy Blue Entertainment. They develop their knowledge of the piece by making connections between features of its production and Kenrick Sandy's choreographic intent. They learn aspects of hip hop and street dance, and focus on Kenrick's use of unison and group dynamics. Students also learn their first assessed movement phrase, and begin their journey of recognising and improving their physical performance skills.

Sources and/or texts: 

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the importance of safe practice in Dance.
  • Knowing a range of physical performance skills and understanding how to improve them

Key skills developed:

  • How to demonstrate physical performance skills
  • How to make connections between features of production and choreographic intent
  • How to describe movement styles.

Assessment: Students' learning is assessed in class by their teacher and peers, based on their understanding of the concepts studied and on their ability to demonstrate physical performance skills.

Unit 2

Shadows

In this unit, students study Christopher Bruce's professional piece, Shadows, focusing on the choreographer's use of motif development and characterisation. Using the narrative structure and contemporary style of this work, students will complete their own choreography projects, in pairs, in preparation for their formal assessment in Year 11.

Sources and/or texts:

  • Shadows
  • Choreographer Christopher Bruce
  • Phoenix Dance Company

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing various dance structures and understanding how these can communicate a choreographic intent.
  • Knowing a range of expressive skills and how to improve them

Key skills developed:

  • How to demonstrate and develop good contemporary technique
  • How to respond to a stimulus and choreograph creative movement
  • How to follow choreographic processes when choreographing a dance piece

Assessment: Students are assessed on an on-going basis in lessons during their choreographic project. Feedback comes from teachers, peers and self-assessment. All students perform their choreographed dance piece in a Dance Showcase, receiving formal feedback from their teacher.

Unit 3

A Linha Curva

In this unit, students study the professional work A Linha Curva by Itzik Galili. They learn the basics of capoeira and samba, and develop motifs from Galili's piece, incorporating elements of its spatial design and movement style. They make connections between Galili's choreographic intent and various features of production. Students also learn the second AQA set phrase 'Breathe', and continue to track their progress of key performance skills.

Sources and/or texts:

  • A Linha Curva
  • Choreographer Itzik Galili
  • The Rambert dance company
  • AQA set phrase, 'Breathe'

Key knowledge developed:

  • Understanding various aural settings (audible accompaniments to dance)
  • Understanding various performance environments
  • Understanding how aural setting and performance environment contribute to the audience’s understanding of choreographic intent

Key skills developed:

  • How to choreograph using devices such as accumulation and counterpoint
  • How to choreograph using props
  • How to apply knowledge of the professional dance works to a long mark exam question

Assessment: Students are assessed across the unit by their teacher and peers. They receive written and verbal feedback on mock exam answers.

Unit 4

Infra

In this unit, students study a professional work, Infra, exploring its use of pedestrian movement and its fusion of ballet and contemporary styles. They analyse and make connections between features of production and its choreographic intent. Students develop a small paired composition, using the style of Infra, further improving their ability to perform with another dancer.

Sources and/or texts:

  • Infra
  • Choreographer Wayne McGregor
  • The Royal Ballet

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the production features of Infra
  • Understanding how McGregor's production decisions link to his choreographic intent

Key skills developed:

  • How to draw upon knowledge of a professional work when shaping a response to a 12-mark question
  • How to choreograph a dance sequence, demonstrating the dance style, spatial design, and dynamics of Infra
  • How to demonstrate ballet skills

Assessment: Students undertake their practical and theory mock assessment during this unit. They receive detailed feedback from their teacher.

Unit 5

Artificial Things

In this unit, students start to learn their final performance-assessed duet or trio piece, tracking their progress in the performance skills they demonstrate. They also study a further professional work, Artificial Things, comparing the features of production to its choreographic intent. This highly emotional piece explores life’s limitations and resolutions through dancers' personal experiences.

Sources and/or texts:

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the production features of Artificial Things.
  • Understanding how the decisions relating to features of production link to Bennet's choreographic intent

Key skills developed:

  • How to perform the duet/trio sequence demonstrating physical, expressive and technical skills
  • How to use the elements of dance to choreograph movement, while demonstrating consideration of physical limitations

Assessment: Students are assessed across the unit by their teacher and peers. At the end of the unit, they undertake a mock practical exam for the duet/trio component and receive detailed feedback.

Unit 6

Within Her Eyes

This unit provides students with detailed knowledge of another professional work, Within Her Eyes, a site-sensitive work exploring the relationship between two dancers, one of whom never touches the floor. Students analyse and understand its features of productions and movement styles, and make connections to its creator's choreographic intent. Students work in pairs to create a site-sensitive composition based on lifts and relationships between dancers. Towards the end of the unit, students complete a solo choreographic task.

Sources and/or texts:

Key knowledge developed:

  • Knowing the production features of Within Her Eyes
  • Understanding how the decisions relating to features of production link to Cousins's choreographic intent

Key skills developed:

  • How to structure answers to a 12-mark 'compare and contrast' exam question
  • How to demonstrate choreographic intent through performance

Assessment: Students are assessed throughout the term and receive feedback on their performance skills. In this unit, they are formally assessed for the practical element of their AQA Dance GCSE.

Year 11

Unit Content

Unit 7

Assessed choreography task

At the beginning of this unit, AQA releases its choreography assessment task. Students work independently to apply their knowledge and skills by creating a solo or group dance piece. They evaluate the five given stimuli, and create their own choreographic intent, carefully reflecting on how they can suitably demonstrate this in their dance.

Key skills developed:

  • How to research a stimulus and make informed decisions when creating an original dance piece

Assessment: Students' original dance pieces are assessed by the teacher based on the AQA assessment criteria.

Unit 8

Set phrases

Students continue to develop their performance skills and self-assess their dance pieces in preparation for their set phrases assessment. Students also consolidate their learning of the professional dance works and apply their knowledge and understanding of them in 'compare and contrast' questions.

Key skills developed:

  • How to structure answers to a 12-mark 'compare and contrast' exam question
  • How to demonstrate choreographic intent through performance

Assessment: Students are assessed throughout the term and receive feedback on their performance skills. They are formally assessed for the practical element of their Dance GCSE this term.