The Dance Department
Head of Department = Mrs Healey-Wilde
Context
The Longdendale dance department is a long established and popular department. Dance is split across two subject areas, in years 7 and 8 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 Ms Healey and also Miss Harrisson who also specialises in dance within her role as PE teacher.
For year 9 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 9 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 Curriculum Guides
Dance
Assessment
Students will complete a practical assessment at the end of each half term to assess their progress against the assessment objectives. From year 9 onwards students also have written theory tests each half term.
Homework
The expectation for homework at 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 dance clubs for years 7 and 8, which in turn offers leadership responsibilities for year 10 and year 11 students as part of their BTEC dance courses.
Year 7 and 8 clubs run on a Wednesday after school each week and culminate in 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 Secondary Dance Festivals.
In March 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
“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.
