BTEC Level 3 | Dance – Leighton Park

Exam Board:  Pearson

BTEC Extended Certificate – Performing Arts  (Dance)

Will the course suit me?

Performing Arts is an exciting course which will suit students who:

• Enjoy performing, creating and working collaboratively
• Are motivated, organised and able to meet deadlines
• Are willing to rehearse and perform with focus, discipline and professionalism
• Are prepared for both practical performance work and written academic tasks
• Are positive, committed and willing to develop performance and choreographic skills as a dancer
• Are interested in dance as a possible future career or area of further study

Course Description

During the course, you will:

• Develop technical and performance skills in dance
• Learn how to create, rehearse and perform solo and group dance work
• Study the work of influential contemporary dance practitioners
• Analyse and evaluate professional and personal performance work
• Develop skills in choreography, collaboration and creative decision-making
• Learn how to plan and stage performance events
• Build an understanding of the performing arts industry and professional practice
• Regularly reflect on your progress through written work, developing your ability to evaluate your own practice as a developing dance artist

The course gives you the opportunity to work on practical and written tasks in accordance to a given brief, assessment or project. You will complete these tasks through research projects, workshops, rehearsals and performances.

By the end of the course you will have:

• Understanding of all aspects of performing arts
• Insight into the nature of the performing arts industry
• Understanding of employment opportunities, constraints and the issues facing professionals working within the sector
• A knowledge of the working methods used by professionals: as an individual in teams, with clients, commissioners and audiences.

Above all, you will be encouraged to discover yourself as a dance artist.

Please expect to be involved in rehearsal and performance activities at a consistently high standard of focus, discipline and professionalism. You will need to commit to the high level of ongoing written reflective and critical work as you will continually record development and progress reflecting upon your own professional practice.

How is it assessed?

The BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Performing Arts is a 360 guided learning hours (GLH) qualification that consists of four units.  BTEC assignments are all graded as Pass, Merit or Distinction. Each unit is awarded points, which are translated into an overall grade by the examiners at the end of the course. The assessment process is ongoing and the projects that students undertake form the basis of their unit results which are graded as a Pass, a Merit or a Distinction.

Unit 1: Investigating Practitioners Work 25%

• 90 Guided Learning Hours – Externally Assessed – Mandatory
• Critical analysis through research tasks and extended writing skills. Students will study two dance practitioners. The exam paper will give the students a theme and the students must link two influential dance practitioners to the theme in an essay based format under controlled conditions.

Unit 2: Developing Skills and Techniques for Live Performance 25%

• 90 Guided Learning Hours – Internally Assessed – Mandatory
• Students will study, rehearse and perform dance work to an audience. Students will keep a dancers’ log, skills audit, setting short and long term targets.

Unit 3: Group Performance Workshop 33%

• 120 Guided Learning Hours – Externally Assessed – Mandatory
• Students will be given a stimulus and have to work in a group to create a performance given to a live audience based on a given stimulus (from the exam paper). Students will write about their creative journey.

Unit 4: Option Choice 17%

• Chosen in support of the students on the course from: Unit 8 Classical Ballet technique; Unit 9 Tap dance technique; Unit 10 Jazz dance technique; Unit 11 Street dance technique; Unit 12 Contemporary dance technique; Unit 13 Healthy Dancer; Unit 14 Choreography for Live Performance

Benefits of the course

By completing this qualification, students will develop:

• Performance and rehearsal discipline
• Confidence, communication and teamwork skills
• Creativity and problem-solving abilities
• Critical thinking and reflective writing skills
• The ability to respond to briefs and work to deadlines

These skills are highly valued in higher education and across a wide range of careers.

Outside the classroom

• Theatre visits, workshops with professional dance artists, opportunities to perform in school.

Future Opportunities

This course supports progression into:

• Higher education courses in dance, performing arts or related subjects
• Professional dance training
• Apprenticeships and employment in the creative industries with careers such as: Dancer, Choreographer, Dance Producer, Dance Filmmaker, Dance Journalist/Critic, Dance Scientist, Dance Healthcare Practitioner, Teacher, Community Arts Worker, Dance Movement Therapist, Physiotherapist, Stage Manager, Lighting/Costume/Set Designer, Technician, Photographer, Videographer, Broadcasting and Media Roles, Arts Administration, Higher Education Lecturer, Dance Historian, Dance Notator, Project Co-ordinator.

If you have any questions about this course, please contact Lead Teacher: Beth Butler