Why Study Dance?

Studying Dance prepares students for a lifetime career in the performing arts. Our Dance course sets out to create self-aware dancers who are highly educated and knowledgeable as well as versatile, creative, and technically accomplished. There are numerous aspects that will be learnt and developed on this course – leadership, ability to choreograph, teamwork, improved fitness, improved confidence, opportunities to perform and compete as well as providing a varied skill-set for students to expand upon in their CVs/University applications.

What does the Course involve?

You will complete 4 units in total, all of which contain practical and theory assessed elements. In a normal week, you will attend some practical and some theoretical lessons. Unit 1: Investigating practitioners’ work You will investigate the work of Professional Dance Practitioners and develop critical analysis skills and contextual understanding of how practitioners communicate themes in their work. In this Unit, you will watch and complete a range of Dances in different styles and learn about a range of practitioners and why their work is relevant to contemporary society. This unit culminates with a written assessment on what you have learnt. Unit 2: Developing skills and techniques for live performance You will explore technical performance skills with a focus on developing skills and techniques in at least two performance dance styles. You will participate in regular workshops, classes, and exercises where you will acquire, practice and develop new, and often innovative, performance material. This may be in response to a specific commission, to meet the needs of a target audience, or to explore an artistic theme or idea. This unit culminates with a devised performance to a live audience. Unit 3: Group performance workshop You will explore and integrate creative, physical, and choreographic skills and techniques, working collaboratively to create a performance in response to a given stimulus. Many professional practitioners work as devising companies to develop new, and often innovative, performance material. This may be in response to a specific commission, to meet the needs of a target audience, or to explore an artistic theme or idea. This Unit culminates with a devised performance to a live audience. Unit 22: Movement in Performance You will look at the four components of movement in performance in their most uncomplicated form, taking into account Rudolf Laban’s theories of movement. Having gained an understanding of how to use the body as an expressive instrument, you will then apply your knowledge of movement in performance.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed internally for units 2 and 22 and externally for units 1 and 3. The course is vocational and assessed through coursework – recorded evidence from rehearsals, and performances, research, written assignments, reflective writing, journals, discussion, and evaluations. Over two years, you will compile a portfolio of coursework. There will be certain key dates and deadlines for all work. The nature of a BTEC allows for a more varied and vocational approach to student learning, with coursework, portfolio, and video evidence at its heart.

Leading to a career in?

University: study Dance at degree level. Work: teacher/dance therapist/community worker/professional dancer/artist in residence/ travel & tourism. Supporting other courses – acting/singing/stage work/make-up/theatre/music/film.