Dance is a powerful and expressive subject, which encourages students to develop their creative, physical, emotional and intellectual capacity, whatever their previous experience in the subject. At Bower Park Academy we have an energetic and creative dance department. Working closely with Kings Academy, we offer a wide range of after-school clubs for all. We provide students with various opportunities to perform in shows, such as High Flyers, Glee, Kings Academy shows, Bowerstock and dance showcases.
Students have the opportunity to choose dance at GCSE level. During the course, students study:
- Six professional dance works
- Learn three contemporary set phrases choreographed by AQA.
- Various methods of choreography
- Experience various technique classes in various styles
Course Breakdown:
Study of the BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts will help learners to make more informed choices for further learning, either generally or in this sector. The choices that learners can make post-16 will depend on their overall level of attainment and their performance in the qualification.
Learners who generally achieve at level 2 across their key stage 4 learning might consider progression to:
• A levels as preparation for entry to higher education in a range of subjects
• study of a vocational qualification at level 3, such as a BTEC National in Performing Arts, which prepares learners to enter employment or apprenticeships, or to move on to higher education by studying a degree in the performing arts or production arts areas.
Learners who generally achieve at level 1 across their key stage 4 learning might consider progression to:
• study at level 2 post-16 in a range of technical routes designed to lead to work, to progression to employment, to apprenticeships or to further study at level 3. For these learners, the attitudes and the reflective and communication skills covered in this qualification will help them achieve
• study of performing arts post-16 through the study of a technical certificate.
Learners who perform strongly in this qualification compared to their overall performance should strongly consider this progression route as it can lead ultimately to employment in the performing arts sector
The course is structured into three sections, details of which are below.
Component 1: Exploring the Performing Arts
Assessment type: Internal
Component in brief
Learners will develop their understanding of the performing arts by examining practitioners’ work and the processes used to create performance.
Introduction
To develop as a performer and/or designer you will need a broad understanding of performance work and influences. This component will help you to understand the requirements of being a performer (in acting, dance, or musical theatre) and/or designer across a range of performances and performance styles.
You will look at elements such as roles, responsibilities and the application of relevant skills and techniques. You will broaden your knowledge through observing existing repertoire and by learning about the approaches of practitioners, and how they create and influence performance material.
This component will give you an understanding of practitioners’ work and the processes and practices that contribute to a range of performance styles. You will develop transferable skills, such as research and communication, which will support your progression to level 2 or 3 vocational or academic qualifications.
Learning aims
A. Examine professional practitioners’ performance work
B. Explore the interrelationships between constituent features of existing performance material.
Component 2: Developing Skills and Techniques in the Performing Arts
Assessment type: Internal
Component in brief
Learners will develop their performing arts skills and techniques through the reproduction of acting, dance and/or musical theatre repertoire as performers or designers.
Introduction
Working as a performer or designer requires the application of skills, techniques and practices that enable you to produce and interpret performance work. You will communicate intentions to an audience through a variety of disciplines such as through performing or designing in any performance style from acting, dance or musical theatre.
In this component, you will develop performing or design skills and techniques. You will have the opportunity to specialise as a performer or designer in one or more of the following disciplines: acting, dance, musical theatre. You will take part in workshops and classes where you will develop technical, practical and interpretative skills through the rehearsal and performance process. You will work from existing performing arts repertoire, applying relevant skills and techniques to reproduce performance or design elements of the work.
Throughout your development, you will review your own progress and consider how to make improvements.
Developing performance or design skills and techniques will enable you to consider your aptitude and enjoyment for performing arts, helping you to make informed decisions about what you study in the future. This component will help you to progress to level 3 qualifications in performing arts, where skills and techniques are looked at in more detail. Alternatively, you may want to progress to other level 3 vocational or academic subject areas. This component has many transferable qualities, for example communication skills and teamwork, which will be valuable whatever you decide to do.
Learning aims
A. Develop skills and techniques for performance
B. Apply skills and techniques in rehearsal and performance
C. Review own development and contribution to the performance
Component 3: Responding to a Brief
Assessment type: External
Component in brief
Learners will be given the opportunity to work as part of a group to contribute to a workshop performance as either a performer or designer in response to a given brief and stimulus.
Introduction
Live performance can happen in a number of places and for a range of reasons. For example, you may perform in a traditional performance space to an audience to communicate ideas about a particular theme or issue, or you may be part of a touring group that takes a performance to a community setting, such as a local school, to teach a young audience a safety message.
In this component, you will have the opportunity to respond to a brief. You will be given a brief that outlines the performance and design requirements and that asks you to consider your target audience and to start the creative process by using the given stimulus included in the brief.
Working as part of a group, you will develop your ideas for a workshop performance and apply your skills and techniques to communicate your creative intentions to your audience.
The performance or design skills you will use will vary depending on features such as your selected performance discipline and the content of the work, your venue and target audience. The work may involve improvisation, vocal work, movement techniques or assisting with audience involvement.
The group performance may involve some solo or small-group work or it may be an ensemble piece. You will have the opportunity to inform the performance using existing or newly developed skills, in performing or designing and adapting them to suit the performance.
This component will help you with progression to level 2 or 3 vocational or academic qualifications.
This component will also enable you to develop transferable skills, such as communication and teamwork, which will help you to progress onto further study.
Synoptic assessment
This external component builds on knowledge, understanding and skills acquired and developed in components 1 and 2 and includes synoptic assessment. Learners will apply their skills and techniques creatively to a workshop performance for a selected audience. Learners will capture their ideas on planning, development and effectiveness of the production process in a written log and an evaluation report.
A task worth 60 marks will be completed under supervised conditions. The supervised assessment period is a maximum of three hours and should be arranged in the period timetabled by Pearson.
The assessment availability is May/June only. For assessment, learners will be given a brief and stimulus to create performance material as either a performer or designer. In groups consisting of a minimum of three and a maximum of seven performers, plus up to a maximum of four designers, learners will respond to the stimulus and create a workshop performance that communicates ideas and creative intentions to a target audience of their choice.
Assessment objectives
AO1 Understand how to respond to a brief
AO2 Select and develop skills and techniques in response to a brief
AO3 Apply skills and techniques in a workshop performance in response to a brief
AO4 Evaluate the development process and outcome in response to a brief
Are there any websites that will support my son’s/daughter’s learning?
AQA | Teaching guide: Set phrases
AQA | Subject-specific vocabulary
Head of Department: Mrs M. Freer
