Aims of the Course

Students develop their knowledge, understanding and skills of dance through PERFORMANCE, CHOREOGRAPHY AND APPRECIATION.

What does it involve?
GCSE Dance consists of both practical and theoretical work.

You will have the opportunity to:

• improve your technical Dance skills through studying performance
  
• choreograph dances for yourself and other people
  
• discuss and write about any dance that you do or see in a theatre or on video

Why choose Dance?

Dance is about being able to communicate and express yourself through movement. It provides a learning experience, which is physical, emotional and intellectual.
In Dance you will be able to: work creatively on your own and in groups, develop an aesthetic and artistic sense, improve your dance skills, evaluate your own and others work, develop understanding about Dance as an art form, learn about historical and cultural contexts and most importantly; you will get many opportunities to perform.

Career opportunities

Dance GCSE is a useful qualification to hold, because not only does it prove you academically able but also portrays that you have creative ability, well developed communicative skills in addition to an ability to evaluate and improve upon your own performance - a skill useful in any workplace. Dance GCSE also shows a prospective employer or college that you are a well rounded individual with a wide variety of interests, who is able to work co-operatively and sensitively as part of a team.
Dance GCSE opens the door to many other courses in colleges of further education and is an advantage to students who wish to pursue a career in Dance, Drama and the Arts.

What do you need?

Students wishing to take Dance GCSE do not need to have studied the subject outside school. You need to be committed and enthusiastic about Dance and prepared to invest time and effort into a most rewarding subject.
What is Dance?

Dance is:

• Movement with the rhythm of sound, especially to music.
  
• To perform with an artistic nature
  
• Patterned or rhythmical bodily movements. These movements serve as a form or expression or communication.
  
• The transition of ordinary movements into extraordinary movement e.g., walking in dance is performed in a patterned way, perhaps in circles or to a special rhythm.

Dance can:

• Express emotions, ideas, moods
  
• Tell a story
  
• Be religious, political, social, cultural
  
• Simply be an enjoyable and exciting experience.

Types of dance

Assessment

What will I be assessed on ?

Personal performance
You will be graded on your personal performance. The examiner will take into account your competence and interpretation when performing individual skills. These skills may be based on gestures, stepping, locomotion, jumping, turning, stillness, and balance.

Choreography:
Application of skills and knowledge
You will need to compose and perform a group dance (2-3 minutes) and either a solo dance (1-2minutes) or a duo dance(1-2 minutes).
Marks will be given based on the understanding of a motif, control, rhythm, fluency of movement, group dynamics and relationships.

Appreciation
You will be assessed on your understanding of movement, vocabulary, composition, performance and choreographic devices. You should be able to evaluate other pupils or peoples dances, and make judgments on the choreography, performance, cultural and historical contexts as well as production.

The written examination:

Section A comprises short-answer questions which focus on the syllabus content.

Section B comprises questions based on the study of a set work and comparison and contrast with at least four, other professional dance works, in at least, two different styles.

Section C comprises one question based on the area of study. It will require candidates to use their knowledge and understanding of both the set work and a minimum of four other professional dance works, which embrace at least two different styles.
Dance lesson guidelines.

Clothing

• pupils should wear cotton clothing that allows the skin to breathe.

• stretch leggings, jogging bottoms, leotards and t-shirts allow freedom of movement.

• pupils should always have a jumper to hand to wear during breaks.

• no jeans or long skirts.

Shoes

• it is very important to have the correct footwear.

• pupils will not be allowed to wear shoes with heals, and will be asked to have bare feet.

• pupils need flexible shoes that offer support and protection i.e. Jazz shoes.

• trainers are o.k since they protect the feet and absorb shock. However dancers will need jazz shoes or the like so that more difficult movements can be accomplished.

General guidelines

• no chewing. This could cause choking, and is against the school rules.

• pupils should bring water to drink.

• if pupils have an injury, they should watch rather than take part.

• any health problems must be brought to the teachers attention.

Choreographing a group piece –
Choreographic devices

1. 1. Change group formations: E.g., straight lines, blocks, triangles, v shapes, irregular groupings
   
2. Use of unison (chorus): A number of dancers perform the same material at the same time. This is often seen in dances like YMCA and pop groups like Steps.
   
3. Use of canon: Dancers do not all begin at the same time i.e.,
   
   a) Successive canon - a ripple effect 1st dancer goes, then the 2nd etc. the Mexican wave is an example of this.
   B) as above, but varying the time intervals, or how many people go, e.g.,
   1234. . . 1432. . . 4321 . . . 2314
   1234. . . . . . .1234. . . 1234. . . . . . .1234
   1&2,3&4
   1&3&4, 2,3 &4
   Nb. Most choreography uses a mixture of canon and unison (chorus) at different times within the dance.
   
4. Use of group pathways
   Follow the leader, meeting and parting, crossing, traveling forwards, backwards, merging etc.
   
5. Use of copying, complimenting and contrasting People in the group do the same actions, opposite actions, whilst one pupil is performing a slow movement, another may be using vigorous actions.
   
6. Change spatial features
   a) Change the size of the movements. 1 pupil performing it small and another exaggerating it.
   
   b) Change of speed. 1 pupil could be performing it slowly, whilst another is performing it quickly.
   
   c) Change the levels. 1 pupil on knees, sitting, standing, on an object.
   
   d) Change the directions, some going forwards, some backwards or diagonal.
   
7. Change dynamic features
   A dance performed at the same speed is like a person who talks at the same level all the time; very dull!!
   
   a) Change the timing of an action or phrase. If there are quicker bits in the movement, change the speed of the actions. Listen to the music.
   
   b) Changing the accent. Accentuate different actions more than others.
   
   c) Change the weight positioning.
   
   d) Change the quality, tension. Very strong to very delicate.

A motif

A motif is a single movement or a short movement phrase that is used as a source or a spark for development. During the dance, the
Motif can keep being used, but it may change slightly.

An example of a motif in a well known dance, might be steps interpretation of tragedy. The dancers use their hands by the side of their head, whenever the word tragedy is mentioned. They have not altered the motif in any way during the video.

Ways of manipulating a motif

Once you have a basic motif you can change (manipulate) it in many ways.

Ideas for themes that could be used:

Seasonal festivities - e,g, Christmas, harvest, Easter.

The January sales; hustle, bustle, queues.

Autumn - windy days, falling leaves, sharp frosts, fog,

Summer holidays - sea, sand, hot sunny days, swimming, sunbathing , sunburn,
Sporting actions
Age
Household jobs

Boyfriends/girlfriends - arguments, fun,

Jobs - traffic warden — motif might be beckoning arm actions.

Making your dance

1. Choose a theme - find a piece or music to fit it or

2. Choose a piece of music and base a theme on it.

3. Develop a motif. Start to alter it.

4. Think about ways of developing the motif.

The five body actions

The five body actions that can be used in all dances are jumps, turns, stepping, transference of weight and gestures. The nature in which these are used will depend on your choice of music and/or theme.

Jump
A jump must have both feet leaving the ground and includes:

• 5 basic jumps - ie 2 feet to 2 feet, 1 foot to 2 feet, 2 feet to foot, 1 foot to the same foot, 1 foot to the other foot
  
• resilience and elevation
  
• shape in the air - stretched, curled, twisted
  
• on the spot or traveling
  
• directions - forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonally linking jumps together

Turn
After a turn, the whole body faces a new direction or front, and includes:

• quarter, half and full turns
• on the feet, one foot two feet
• on different body parts
• opening or closing
• leading the turn with different body parts
• changing level
• at different speeds

Stepping includes:

• on the feet - walk, run, skip, gallop
• Step patterns
• Directions
• Pathways
• Large or small

Transference of weight
This is transferring weight from one part of the body to another, and includes:-

• Rocking and rolling
• Spinning
• Sliding
• Continuous changing of the body part taking the weight

Gesture a gesture can be performed by any part of the body which is not taking the weight, and includes:

• Small or large gestures
• with one or more body parts
• variety of body parts
• pathways in the air

Dance working notebook

• The Working Notebook should be a hardback book that can be used during each lesson and also taken home.
  
• Use this notebook to record your responses to the lessons and your thoughts about the Dance you see and create.
  
• The notebook should form a link between one lesson and the next. It should help you to remember the activities you have completed and the sequences that you have created.
  
• Write directly into the notebook and also paste materials in. Include images, drawings and photographs.
  
• Focus on the immediate within the lesson as well as deep thoughtful reflection.
  
• Remember to discuss form and content.
  
• Include questions that you feel are important.
  
• The Working Notebook should build evidence of your skill development and also be a record of the work you have covered.
  
• It should also contain evidence of any homework set.

Homework Sheet

This sheet will assist you with your homework each week. Try to answer all of the questions in as much detail as you possibly can. Some questions will not be possible to answer every weak and where possible this is shown. Please answer in sentence form using your neatest handwriting. Good presentation can earn you extra merits.

1. Give your work a title.
   
2. Name the music/accompaniment used.
   
3. What did you do?
   -Describe some of your movements. You may use labeled diagrams to help.
   
4. Who do you work with and how?
   -With a partner
   -Matching/mirroring
   -Unison/canon
   
5. How do you do the moves?
   -Fast/slow
   -Strong/light
   
6. Describe the space used in your work.
   -Floor patterns/body shapes/directions/levels.
   
7. List the keywords for the lesson and write their meaning.
   
8. What were the good points of your work and why?
   
9. What were the bad points of your work and why?
   
10. Did you need to practice any particular skills and why?
    
11. What have you learned from the lesson?
    This question needs to be answered on the final homework only.
    
12. What was the stimulus (starting point) of the work? How have your ideas developed from this point? Summarize the topic using a diagram.

Evaluating and reviewing
Contemporary dance theatre

The more you see in a dance work the more you know it and understand it. The more you see in it the more you will be able to say about it and assess its value. There is no one correct interpretation — yours is as valid as the evidence you have to support it. Here are just a few examples of the things you can look for in a dance work. These are only a few — see how many other examples you can make.

Firstly, describe to yourself what is actually happening on stage. For example:

1. What movements do the dancers actually do? (flex feet, lift arms, turn head etc)

2. Which movements or actions or steps are repeated most often — how many can you find?

3. What gestures do they make? (shake hands? Yawn? Sigh? Weep? Leer? Bow?)

4. Do the dancers ever stop moving, are they ever still?

5. What shapes do they make, individually, together, and how big or small? What patterns do groups of dancers make on the stage area?

6. Do the dancers all do the same movements at the same time, one after another, or does one group move in one way while another group does something different?

7. Do the dancers ever touch? Which ones? Do they touch hands? Is the touch used for support, to push the other away, or to pull the other closer?

8. How often is one dancer lifted by another? Is it always the same kind of lift?

9. What musical instruments are being played? Is the sound live or taped?

10. What are the costumes made of, and are they all in the same design? What colours?

11. Does the lighting ever change and when?

Secondly, describe to yourself how these facts relate to each other, and in what context. For example:

1. Does a repetition in the music coincide with a repetition in the dancers’ movements?

2. In a group dance, how many dancers are male and how many female?

3. How does the quality of a movement phrase, or a movement motif change? Is it developed, is it shortened, or is it distorted?

4. Does a change in the lighting coincide with a particular movement phrase, or with the entrance of a certain character?

5. How many dancers are used in each section?

6. What are the main directions used in a particular section? (diagonals, circles, squares)

7. What qualities do the movements have? (soft/flowing, strong/percussive etc). Are there several contrasting qualities?

8. How does the dance start? Are there any important moments or climaxes, and how does it end?

Thirdly, go through those questions again and simply ask why?.

1. Why those particular movements, actions, or gestures?

2. Are these gestures in this context intended to mean something?

3. Is this dance work intended to be tragic, comic, dramatic, narrative, literal, abstract, ‘pure’ dance, or a combination of some of these? Does it tell a story or is it more concerned with showing the movement for its own sake?

4. What does the program note tell you? Is it helpful? Why is it there?

5. What moods, qualities, ideas come across to you?

6. Why does that dancer move on that diagonal at that speed with that quality at that moment in the context of the whole dance? Etc.

Fourthly, and finally, having asked yourself what the choreographer was trying to show or say (if he or she was trying to ‘say’ anything),

1. What was your initial response?

2. Do you think the work was successful? Was it effective?

3. If it failed, why did it? Was the fault in the dance work, or in your own response?

So you will have asked and answered tour types of questions:

1. What basic ‘facts’ did I notice about each dance?

2. How did these ‘facts’ relate to each other?

3. What qualities, moods, statements, meanings did each work contain?

4. Was the choreography effective? Was the dancing good? What was my initial response, and what do I think of it now that I’ve heard what others noticed, found, saw, and thought?

 

Costume:
who?_______________________________
Colour
length
headdress
footwear
shape
neckline
makeup
hairstyle
sleeves
wealth
age
era
gender
social status
profession
location
time of day
adornment

Work on a description of feet up or the head down
Include the following:

Theatre Visits

A vital and central aspect of studying dance is seeing and analysing performance and such we reguarly attend theatre visits to Sadlers Wells and The Laban Centre as well as other Laban venues to give pupils the opportunity to improve their appreciation and performance skills.

Year 11 Written Examination

Set Study 2004-2005 Cross Channel

The Cholmondleys and the Featherstonehaughs Lee Anderson

Comparative works for thsi set study that we have studied include:

Bob Fosse Chicago

Russell Mailphant Company

Indian Dance Company Shristi

Stomp

Henri Oguire Front Line and Finale

*Flesh and Blood Lea Anderson

*Double Take Lea Anderson

*Matthew Bournes Swan Lake

Matthew Bourne The Car Man

Year 10 Written Examination

Set Study 2006-2007 Henri Oguire Front Line

Comparative works for this set study that we have studied include*