Performing Arts (Performance) Dance Pathway

This course is designed to reflect current industry trends and allows learners to study a variety of dance techniques. The course focuses on a wide range of techniques with subjects in jazz dance, classical ballet, tap dance, commercial dance and contemporary dance.

The units you'll study have been specially chosen to enable you to develop technical and performance skills, to achieve a sound knowledge of the industry and give you optimum scope for accessing further study or employment. Your study will provide you with the opportunity to apply your experience in the studios to a diverse range of performance spaces such as community-based contexts, choreographic projects, and professional theatres. Through practical classes you'll develop a wide range of dance performance techniques drawn from the work of world renowned choreographers and dance theorists. You'll grow as technical dancers, experiencing a range of classes which will increase your strength, flexibility and versatility. Underpinning the practical aspects of the course is the exploration of theoretical concepts of dance and its creation and presentation.

All projects and performances are linked to the performing arts industry to give a real flavour of working as a dancer, choreographer, teacher and theorist. A variety of teaching and learning methods are used to encourage and facilitate your creative and artistic development and bring together practice and theory. Independent and collaborative learning will be encouraged through use of practical workshops, interactive lectures, resource-based learning, individual and group work, tutorials, discussion, critiques, performances, and rehearsals.

• The Performing Arts Industry * Professional Development * Creative Research Project * Working in the Performing Arts * Contemporary Dance 1 * Contemporary Dance 2 * Ballet 1 * Ballet 2 * Tap Dance 1 * Tap Dance 2 * Jazz Dance 1 * Jazz Dance 2 * Commercial Dance 1 * Commercial Dance 2 * Choreography 1 * Choreography 2 Units can change according to reflecting industry trends or project design.

assesses you through the coursework that you produce as you complete each unit, this may include finished pieces of work, written work, your research, and a reflective journal which allows you to evaluate your learning and highlight your strengths and areas for further development. The majority of units have some form of performance-based assessment attached that focus on a range of performance skills and genres. There are two types of assessment that you will receive while on your course: Formative assessment is the process whereby your work and progress are assessed at regular intervals with accompanying feedback from staff to help to improve your performance. Staff will provide you with feedback on the progress of your work before you reach the assessment point at the end of the unit. This may take place one-to-one with a tutor (e.g. in a tutorial) or in group sessions. Summative assessment is the process whereby your work is evaluated and given a mark at the end of course unit. Summative assessment formally records your achievement of the unit’s learning outcomes and final feedback. You will be assessed against the approved unit learning outcomes and assessment requirements as outlined in the unit handbooks, these typically include the module descriptor, assignment brief(s) and programme outlines. The unit handbooks guide you through the specific areas of work in which you will be engaged to produce the work required for assessment and so successfully achieve the unit learning outcomes. Many courses also employ self and peer evaluation or assessment within their overall assessment processes. Self-evaluation and self-assessment require you to reflect upon your learning and performance and to submit this to tutors. Peer evaluation and peer assessment are used when students have been working in teams and require each team member to reflect upon their peers’ performance and to submit this to tutors or to give you support and guidance in developing areas of performance. There is a minimum of one piece of assessed work per unit. Your tutors will help you to track your areas of achievement for each unit/module and to identify and discuss with your opportunities to collate evidence for module achievement You will be graded using the Edexcel guidelines and specifications to assess whether the evidence produced for assignments has reached the required standard at pass, merit or distinction level. Assessment is ongoing within sessions and will comprise of peer and self-assessment as well as tutor assessment. There is a minimum of one piece of assessed work per unit.