DANCE (GCSE) Lessons per week
4
Home learning tasks per week
1
Examination Board
AQA
THE COURSE GCSE Dance helps students develop technical and expressive skills as well as knowledge and understanding of dance through performance, choreography and critical appreciation of dance. In addition to helping students acquire subject knowledge, this specification promotes: Fitness A healthy lifestyle Teamwork Creativity. WHAT YOU WILL STUDY Unit 1: Critical appreciation of dance – written examination, (20%) The aim of this unit is to describe, analyse, interpret and evaluate features of dance using appropriate terminology. They will compare and contrast different choreographers, dance works, styles and cultural influences. Learners will be able to understand the relationship between choreography, performance and production including aural and physical settings, costume and dance for camera. Unit 2: Set dance – practical examination, (20%) Learners will perform one of two solo dances. The dances are choreographed by professional dancers in styles from within the contemporary dance genre. This unit explores the physical, technical and mental skills necessary for an effective performance. Learners will also gain knowledge and understanding of health, fitness and safe working practice. Unit 3: Performance in a duo/group dance, (20%) Candidates will perform in a group dance that relates to a piece of professional work. The task is open-ended, allowing learners to answer the task in a variety of ways. The learners will gain an understanding of how to achieve a high quality performance using the expressive skills necessary for an effective performance. Unit 4: Choreography – (40%) In this unit learners will demonstrate their increasing effectiveness as a choreographer and their ability to appreciate dance. With guidance from the teacher, candidates select three motifs and will develop them to create a short solo dance, with clear form and structure. Learners will understand how to explore and synthesise ideas, thoughts and meaning through movement and be able to select and use actions, dynamics, space and relationships to convey an artistic intention.
DANCE (GCSE) HOW YOU WILL BE ASSESSED Pupils will be assessed in an on-going fashion, with the exception of Unit 1: critical appreciation of dance and Unit 2: set dance, which is marked externally. Useful resources http://www.rambert.org.uk/ http://www.phoenixdancetheatre.co.uk/ http://www.surrey.ac.uk/nrcd/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ http://www.educationquizzes.com/
