Mastering Movement in GCSE Dance

The morning of Tuesday 7th November, our Year 10 GCSE Dance students’ worked hard to perfect their Set Phrases and theory knowledge, in an enriching morning workshop. The engaging session was facilitated by visitors Sara, Charis and Nisha from ArtsPool, who added a unique dimension to the students’ learning experience.  

 The Set Phrases include two short solo pieces named ‘Breathe’ and ‘Shift’ and are marked on demonstration of physical skill and attributes, technical skills and expressive skills. The two solos’ will contribute 30% to the students’ overall GCSE Dance grade. Teachers Charis and Nisha helped students to understand their movements in a deeper creative perspective, allowing them to progress their movements even further, while the Proprietor of Artspool, Sara, delved into the theory work.  

 The theory work involves assessing students’ knowledge and understanding of choreographic processes and performance skills with critical appreciation of their own and professional work. The theory contributes a further 40% to their GCSE Dance Grade. Revising the related dance theory in a detailed manner assisted the students in their deeper understanding of the works they are studying and how they can apply different attributes to their own performances.  

 Sara commented on her workshop with the Leighton Park students saying: “We are working with really lovely students who are working very hard. It’s been a really enjoyable morning”. Dance student, Glasha, commented on her experience after the workshop, “I really enjoyed the dance workshop because it broke down everything step by step and helped me better understand the set phrases and timings as these are crucial to success. It was also useful how we were taught the theory and how to get extra marks as this is an important factor of the exams. I really am glad we got the opportunity to do this workshop early on as it set a foundation of knowledge, which we can use now to expand and improve”. 

 Leighton Park offers Dance at both GCSE and A Level, as well as a variety of Dance Hobbies and an annual Dance show, ‘Let’s Dance’, representing the School’s commitment to creativity and the arts.