Dance

Head of Department: Ms D Healey

Context

The Longdendale dance department is a long established and popular department. Dance is split across two subject areas, in Key Stage 3 (KS3) dance is within PE and is offered as one of the rotation of activities alongside other areas of the PE curriculum. Units of learning at KS3 are constantly updated offering students a broad range of genres and experience of contrasting dance styles. Units of learning include Lindy Hop, Bollywood, Jive, Urban Dance and Contemporary.

The dance department consists of one full time dance specialist in Ms Healey with support from the wider PE team.

Year 10 students can opt to choose dance as an additional qualification in the BTEC Tech Award Performing Arts Dance Pathway. The department offers an excellent opportunity for students to experience dance both academically and vocationally as part of the performing arts.

The vision of the dance department is to provide outstanding teaching and learning accessible to all students to ensure all make excellent progress in the technical, appreciation and performance aspects of dance.

Curriculum

From Year 10 students can work towards the study of a Level 1/2 Tech Award in Performing Arts Dance BTEC and study Components 1/2 researching and analysing professional dance works and exploring and performing dance styles. As well as component 3 which is a set external exam brief from the board where students have to plan the ideas and skills needed of a performance piece and also evaluate their finished 7- 15 min group performance.

For curriculum guides for Dance, please visit our Curriculum by Year Group pages.

Assessment

At KS3 students receive ongoing formative targets for development and strengths during end of dance topic assessments throughout the year - these include written mastery recall tests and practical mastery application tests. KS3 also have two practical synoptic assessments throughout the year to demonstrate their personal development and their technical understanding and disciplinary expertise. At KS4 BTEC dance complete coursework called Pearson Set Assignments (PSA) for component 1 and 2 in the designated January or May windows and an externally marked component 3 exam practical choreography and written logbook for submission in the summer of Year 11.

Homework

The expectation for homework at Key Stage 4 (KS4) is that students will complete a minimum of one homework activity per week. students are expected to rehearse and improve practical elements after each lesson and use class charts to view practical work and assessments.

Afterschool Sessions

We offer a broad range of enrichment in dance including after school rehearsals and catch-up sessions for Year 10 and Year 11 students as part of their BTEC dance courses. KS3 have the opportunity to attend after school dance rehearsals, and this culminates towards performances in our annual whole school dance production.

Enrichment Opportunities

The dance department has strong connections with local colleges, giving students an insight into career possibilities and further education through annual college workshops based at school.

The dance department is also keen to support the development of dance within Tameside and has competed with success in Tameside Secondary Dance Festivals.

Each year the department hosts its annual whole school dance production with all Years 7-11 involved and also has other performance opportunities with its involvement in Christmas productions and whole school musicals. Year 11 also have an additional dance performance night to showcase and film their component 3 choreography work to parents. 

“Dance is vital, an activity both exhilarating and liberating to watch or do. The instinct to dance is fundamentally joyous and no matter how hard you try you can’t get away from that for long. It can also be a huge force for good, effectively drawing people together and levelling everyone through sheer hard work. It can speed up your heart rate, it can enliven your being, it can change your life.”
Richard Alston CBE.