Dance

Curriculum Intent

At Peacehaven Community School, our Dance curriculum is expertly crafted to drive our vision of providing an outstanding education for all our students. Our curriculum nurtures creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration, equipping students with invaluable skills that prepare them for further education and future employment.

Embracing a diverse range of dances, students learn about different cultures, historical and geographical contexts. Our curriculum enables students to become versatile dancers who excel in working with others, demonstrating empathy, leadership, and responsibility. By encouraging students to undertake challenging movements in a secure environment, we nurture a sense of achievement and self-belief.

Beyond classroom learning, our curriculum offers numerous opportunities for students to showcase their talents and hard work, such as the annual dance show and prestigious events like Let’s Dance, Swale Dance Fever, and an event at the University of Brighton. Our enriching trips expose students to specialist dancers, moulding them into well-rounded performers. At Peacehaven Community School, we ignite a passion for dance that transcends the stage and empowers our students to reach their full potential.

Miss Hulatt - Subject Leader - emily.hulatt@swale.at

KS3

In KS3, students will have one dance lesson a week. Over the year this will be made up of  practical and theory lessons. These lessons will grow their knowledge and physical ability to be prepared to take GCSE dance if they choose too at KS4.

To further support students physical ability they can be involved in extracurricular activities. This session will also build towards our Annual dance show, and performance opportunities at Brighton university, with other swale schools and The Congress Theatre, Eastbourne. Not only are these great opportunities, these allow students to work with and learn from other students across different year groups.

Through lessons and extracurricular, students will explore different dance styles and learn about cultural dance. This educates our students about the world and grows them as a versatile dancer, so there is something for everyone.

Year 7

In term 1 & 2 students will learn to move and understand the components of dance through the scheme of work Cartoon Capers. Students then will move on to take ownership of developing their physical fitness. They will spend lessons planning a fitness programme then carry this out.

In term 3 & 4 students will learn about a professional work, they will learn repertoire and how to analyse a professional work. Students will then explore cultural dance in the scheme of work Dance Around the World. They learn to be versatile in their performance skills and develop knowledge on the world.

In term 5 & 6 students will explore the use of props and students show creativity and problem-solving with how to use this item. They will then go onto exploring musical style dance with a focus on isolation and musicality.

Medium Term Plans
Term 3
Artificial Things
Term 4
Bollywood

Year 8

In term 1 & 2 students will learn about a professional work, they will learn repertoire and how to analyse a professional work. Students will develop from critically analysing themselves to  taking ownership of developing their physical fitness. They will spend lessons planning a fitness programme then carry this out.

In term 3 & 4 Students will start to learn one of the solos from the GCSE specification. Students will learn about the skills they would be assessed on (physical, technical, expressive and mental) and learn how to critically appreciate themselves. 

Students explore cultural dance in workshop style lessons, focusing on The Can-can, The Haka and Capoeira. They learn to be versatile in their performance skills and develop knowledge on the world.

In term 5 & 6 students will explore street dance, tutting. They will focus on performing and choreographic angular actions, with focus on solo and group work. They will then go onto exploring musical style dance with a focus on learning to perform contact safely with others and use a hat as a prop.

Medium Term Plans
Term 3
Set Phrase
Term 4
Dance Around The World

Year 9

In term 1 & 2 students will look at one of the professional works from the GCSE specification, Emancipation of Expressionism. E of E explores hip hop style of dance, with a focus on isolation and angles of the body. Students will take ownership of developing their physical fitness. They will spend lessons planning a fitness programme then carry this out. 

In term 3 & 4 students will start to learn one of the solos from the GCSE specification. Students will learn about the skills they would be assessed on (physical, technical, expressive and mental) and learn how to critically appreciate themselves.  

Students will learn about the choreographic process. They will carry out mini workshops to explore the creation of choreography.

In term 5 & 6 they will learn about dance for camera. They will learn a routine, record it and edit this. This will develop their computer skills and also focus on their timing in performance to make the editing process smooth. Students will also go onto looking at developing their technique, ready for if they choose to take Dance further.

Medium Term Plans
Term 3
Set Phrase
Term 4
Exploring The Choreographic Process

KS4

Students who pursue AQA GCSE Dance at KS4 will take a course that is well-structured and also meets their needs. Students will have 3 allocated hours to GCSE dance, but there is an expectation to rehearse also outside of this time.  Students will show great organisational skills through choreographing their own dances and taking on leadership skills. Whilst students have a chance to perform to an audience, they also get to visit theatres to analyse professional works.

Students will leave the course with a secure understanding of dance technique and cultural influences, being ready for further educational progression.

 
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/dance/gcse/dance-8236

Year 10

In term 1 students will finalise the set solos from the GCSE specification where they will also develop the knowledge deeper on the performance skills. They will use this knowledge to answer questions which could come up in their written component in year 11.

In term 2 and 3 students look at the choreographic process and complete a choreography based on one of the intentions of the professional works.

Alongside getting ready for the dance show in term 4 they will look at answering questions regarding their group performance and learning about the anthologies in greater depth.

In term 5 the students will learn the group performance dance and show great mental skills to allow them to achieve the best they can. Alongside learning this they will also continue to push themselves physically in the set solos.
In the last term of year 10 there will be a focus on theory and they will have a pre-assessment on the performance component of the qualification. This will allow for Miss Hulatt to analyse their work over summer and return at the beginning of year 11 with detailed feedback for improvement.

Medium Term Plans
Term 3
The five anthologies
Term 4
Theory Shadows and Infra

Year 11

At the beginning of year 11 the student will gain feedback regarding their solos and group performance. They will implement this and be assessed in both areas by the October half-term.

During term 2, students will start to research and start their choreography. This will link in with section A and B of the written component.

During term 3 students will have a pre-assessment of their choreography, receiving feedback to improve in the first two weeks of term 4.

One all the practical components are recorded students will then spend time drawing on all of the knowledge they have learnt to prepare for the final written exam.

Medium Term Plans
Term 3

Homework

Students are expected to rehearse taught material prior to the next lesson. KS4 students will be given choreography tasks and theory to complete depending on the time of year and scheme of work being studied.

Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion

MARTHA GRAHAM