GCSE DANCE
What is GCSE dance?
Dance GCSE has recently been added to the curriculum at Shene. It is an exciting, interactive course that enables pupils to explore and analyse a range of dance styles, create their own choreographies and develop their skills as performers. At Shene we have two lessons of Practical Dance and one lesson of Theory a week (amounting to three hours). Dance GCSE is taught by Ms B. Fairbairn and an external professional choreographer who joins us every Wednesday and arranges fabulous opportunities outside school for pupils. Anne-Marie Smalldon is the Artistic Director for Combination Dance Company and has her own agency SkyBluePink (www.combinationdance.co.uk, www.skybluepinkproductions.com )
Teachers
Ms. B Fairbairn - Teacher of Dance
Ms. A Smalldon - Dance Instructor
How does the GCSE breakdown?
The GCSE syllabus is predominantly coursework which is whopping 80% of the marks. The written exam is worth 20% of the final GCSE grade.
What sort of trips and performance opportunities are there?
Pupils take part in performances at the Royal Ballet School and other site specific events. Visits to the Theatre are at least twice a year and we regularly have guest artists in to do workshops. Pupils enjoy participating in school events such as concerts and open days which take place regularly in the academic year. We have also built up good relationships with the neighbouring Primary and Secondary Schools where GCSE pupils hold or take part in workshops.
In 2007/8 pupils enjoyed the following events; seeing Matthew Bourne’s ‘Nutcracker’ at Wimbledon Theatre, seeing ‘Strictly Gershwin’ at the Royal Albert Hall, seeing ‘Key Stage 4 Choreographic competition’ at the Royal Ballet School, performing in ‘Rich dance’ at the Royal Ballet School, choreographing for and participating in the Twickenham Carnival, participating in African Dance workshop as part of Black History week, participating in workshops lead by Combination Dance dancers, teaching dance at Shene Primary, participating in Set Study workshop at Hampton Community College, participating in Shene School concerts, open days and reward ceremonies.
Do I have to be a good dancer already?
It’s great if you’ve trained in dance before and take classes, but the most important thing is that you are really interested in the subject as a lot of the preparation and coursework is reliant on exploring and developing your dance ideas.
What do I have to wear?
Dance GCSE has a uniform that is worn in every practical lesson. This consists of Leggings (no baggy clothing) and a tight fitted top. No jewellery is worn (in conjunction with the school policy). Pupils are encouraged to buy classical dance shoes, but much of the practical work is performed in bare feet.
What can I do to ensure that I get the best result?
Because the course is heavily coursework, very good attendance is imperative. Pupils must organise practising in their own time for group work. Shene school urge dance students to attend the Wednesday Master Class which will be held from 3pm-4pm where pupils can improve on any area of the course they wish.
We urge pupils to get into healthy fitness routines (especially additional dance classes) outside of school to improve their physical strength and therefore dance technique. Eating healthily also ensures that dancers are ready to learn and have the energy to dance.
Are there any resources or websites that could improve my result?
There are loads of dance websites on the internet that can be useful to help with Theory and Programme Notes. Specific resources linked to the AQA syllabus that we study please see below.
- A detailed study guide to the GCSE is AQA GCSE Performing Arts: Dance by Pam Howard.
http://www.dancebooks.co.uk/catalog/educationalsecondary.asp
- For the AQA GCSE Performing Arts: Dance specification:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gcse/perf.php
- For practise/past AQA GCSE Performing Arts: Dance exam papers:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gcse/perf_assess.php
Keep dancing!!!
