Dance increases your confidence and self-esteem, improves problem-solving and creativity and allows you to make knowledgeable decisions about dances.
Why Study a GCSE/A Level in Dance?
- It promotes fitness, a healthy lifestyle, teamwork and creativity.
- It develops independent learning and critical and reflective thinking.
- It develops an understanding of a range of dance styles through performance, creation and appreciation.
- It develops physical, technical and expressive skills which enable you to communicate choreographic intention and individuality as a performer.
- It helps you to build an understanding of choreography through which you are able to communicate ideas and meaning, drawn from a range of dance styles.
- It develops a critical appreciation of dance in its physical, artistic, aesthetic and cultural settings.
Development in Dance
The study of dance as an art form contributes to your aesthetic and social development and, as a physical activity, it promotes fitness and well-being. It also supports learning across a range of subjects. Studying dance helps you to develop:
- as a performer, building up confidence and self-esteem
- self and body awareness as well as sensitivity to others and team-working skills
- effective performance requiring physical effort and determination to succeed and improve
- as a choreographer, employing problem-solving, creativity by using imagination and the ability to synthesize a number of elements
- interpersonal and communication skills
- critical skills, making informed decisions about the dances you see
- articulation of knowledge, opinions and preferences, and
GCSE Dance Assessment
Unit 1: Performance and Choreography – Practical Exam 60%
- Perform set phrases through a solo performance (30%).
- Solo or group choreography (30%).
Unit 2: Dance appreciation – Written Exam 1½ hours 40%
- Based on students own practice in performance and choreography and the GCSE Dance anthology.
A Level Dance Assessment
- Component 1: performance and choreographyWhat’s assessed
Solo performance linked to a specified practitioner within an area of study
performance in a quartet
Group choreographyHow it’s assessed:
Practical exam
80 marks
50% of A level - Component 2: Critical engagementWhat’s assessed
Knowledge, understanding and critical appreciation of two set works.- One compulsory set work within the compulsory area of study
- One optional set work within the corresponding area of study, from a choice of four.
How it’s assessed
Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
100 marks
50% of A-levelQuestions
Section A: short answer questions (25 marks) and one essay question (25 marks) on the compulsory set work/area of study.
Section B: two essay questions on the second set work/area of study (25 marks for each essay).
