Welcome to Dance

Dance is studied by all students in KS3 and is an optional subject in KS4

Aim of the Dance Curriculum

The Dance curriculum aims to inspire a love of dance by developing students physically, creatively, emotionally and intellectually so they can use and appreciate dance as a means of expression and communication. Exposing students to a range of genres and styles develops their understanding of dance as a cultural practice and its relevance today.  

Students will be provided with the knowledge and skills to enable and challenge them to perform, choreograph and appreciate dance with increasing skill, complexity and confidence. By doing so, students can build upon their transferable skills of collaboration, leadership, problem-solving and resilience, supporting their growth as creative, ‘thinking dancers’.   

The knowledge the students will have by the end of the course:

By the end of KS3 students will:

• Understand and demonstrate improving physical skills such as co-ordination, stamina and control
• Understand safe practice before, during and after performance in relation to the dancer, their execution of movement and the dance environment
• Be able to create, develop and perform different motifs, using different dance styles in response to different stimuli
• Be able to use a range of choreographic devices in their work
• Perform and choreograph showing an understanding of action, space, dynamics and relationships to express an idea or theme
• Appreciate their own and others’ performances, identifying successes and how to improve
• Understand and accurately use an increasing range of dance terminology
• Have a knowledge of a range of dance genres and their characteristics
• Have a knowledge of selected professional works and their social/historical/cultural context
• Understand the importance and process of effective rehearsal discipline

By the end of KS4 students will:

• Be able to apply their knowledge and understanding of physical, technical, expressive and mental skills to perform as a soloist for one minute and as part of a duet or trio for three minutes
• Demonstrate a practical and theoretical understanding of safe working practices before, during and after performance
• Be able to respond creatively to a set stimulus and create their own dance using action, space, dynamics, relationships (where relevant), choreographic devices, structural devices and aural setting to effectively communicate their choreographic intent
• Use appropriate terminology to critically analyse, interpret and evaluate their own work in performance and choreography, both verbally and in written form
• Be able to describe, analyse, interpret, evaluate and compare six professional dance works in relation to the choreographic content, features of production, performance environments and choreographic approaches commenting on how these enhance the audience’s understanding of the choreographic intention

Gremlin 2025

Gremlin 2024

Gremlin 2023

The Department has organised workshops at ‘Pineapple Dance Studios with cast members from both ‘Chicago’ and ‘Stomp’ as well as visits to theatres to see Dance/Ballet companies and workshops from professional choreographers in school.

Some recent highlights from the Dance Department:

On 10th December 2025 the Dance department travelled to Sadlers Wells East in Stratford to watch the brilliant ZooNation perform Ebony Scrooge, an imaginative take on the well-known 'A Christmas Carol'. Read more...

 

In April 2025  the Year 10 GCSE dance class were fortunate to participate in a workshop run by Laura and Cherie from Stopgap Dance Company, an inclusive contemporary dance company in which diversity is pursued. Read more...

In February 2025 Year 11 participated in 2 online workshops with the fabulous Mel Simpson to work on the trios for their exam. They worked extremely hard but had a fantastic time and were really pushed to learn some challenging choreography.

In September 2024 the dance department visited Sadlers Well's to see the fantastic 'Decade in Motion' by the Cuban dance company Acosta Danza. We were lucky enough to mingle with the director of the company himself - Carlos Acosta - considered to be the greatest principal dancer of his era. What a highlight! 

 

Interested in pursuing a career involving dance?... This link will help!