A Level Dance

The course aims to provide the opportunity to: gain experience of performance and choreography and to develop critical thinking about dance; develop understanding and knowledge as well as critical skills for the analysis of choreography and performance within your own work and in professional repertoire; gain experience of choreography and performance through practice; and gain in-depth knowledge of specific study areas and professional works whilst working on dance skills and techniques.

We follow the AQA specification. Over the course of two years you will complete the following components of study:

Component One: Performance and Choreography
This component will consist of three performances:

Solo performance linked to a specified practitioner within an area of study. You will choreograph a solo in the style of a specified practitioner. The piece will be 2 – 3 minutes in duration and will be created by you and teachers. You will be required to write a Programme Note of no more than 150 words, which identifies the chosen practitioner and reveals an insight into the stylistic features explored.
Performance in a quartet. This will be choreographed in a group with the teachers and will be 3 – 4 minutes in duration. This work does not have to be based on a practitioner, however, if it does link to a practitioner this must be different from the chosen practitioner for the solo. You will also be required to write a Programme Note, of no
more than 150 words, which clearly references the style and dance idea.
Group choreography. You will create an original piece of choreography for three to five dancers, 3 – 4 minutes in duration, in response to an externally set task. You will also be required to write a Programme Note, of no more than 300 words, which clearly informs the examiner of the choreographic intention of the work and how it relates to the selected assessment.

Component Two: Critical Engagement
You will be required to demonstrate knowledge, understanding and critical appreciation of two set works: one compulsory set work within the compulsory area of study and one optional set work within the corresponding area of study from a choice of four.

Assessment

The written examination is worth 100 marks (50% of the A Level) and consists of two sections. Section A contains short answer questions (25 marks) and one essay question (25 marks) on the compulsory set work and area of study. Section B contains two essay questions on the optional set work and area of study (25 marks each). The written examination is 2 hours 30 minutes in duration.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Minimum 54444 including a 5 in Dance, Drama or Performing Arts GCSE.

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