Dance
Subject Leader: Ms K Sterran
The Dance Department at Coppice Performing Arts School provides students a unique, enriching and progressive experience in Dance. Through a diverse curriculum, outstanding extra-curricular opportunities and connections with the Creative Industries, students benefit from the development of specialist and transferable skills, improved physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and enriched cultural experiences. The Dance Department is proud of its strong reputation for outstanding results and students progressing into higher education and careers in Dance and the Creative Industries.
Learning Environment & Resources
The Dance Department boasts 2 large Dance Studios with fully sprung floors, fitted mirrors, sound systems, and free-standing ballet barres. Students have access to an extensive library of Dance Books, Articles and Digital resources including a wide range of recorded professional dance works.
The Dance teachers are dedicated to providing an impactful support system to students wanting additional tuition, classes, rehearsals, private lessons and audition preparation at lunch times and after school. All Dance groups are of a mixed ability.
Key Stage 3
All students participate in weekly Dance lessons throughout Year 7 & 8. At KS3 students develop their technical competence and skills in choreography, performance and analysis, encouraging active and healthy lifestyles.
Students study a range of styles including; Contemporary Dance, Street Dance, Capoeira, Latin-American, Contact Improvisation & Site-Specific Dance, based on current Professional works and practitioners.
Key Stage 4
AQA GCSE Dance
The new specification for GCSE Dance offers a greater focus on practical work, with an exciting content informed by professional works and opportunities to participate in workshops, classes and performances with professional artists and companies. The course will enable you to develop technical competence, physical and performance skills, and develop an artistic voice through choreography.
GCSE Dance is delivered within 2 lessons a week over 3 years and is made up of practical and theory lessons. Each term, modules are delivered to improve techniques in a range of styles; choreography projects that explore and synthesise ideas; performance opportunities learning the exposure skills necessary for effective performance and critical appreciation lessons developing critical, perceptual and evaluative skills.
Post 16
AQA A Level Dance
This course is designed for candidates from any dance background with a strong interest in Dance or the Performing Arts Sector. A-level Dance is a dynamic qualification which encourages students to develop their creative, physical and intellectual capacity. The course provides an in depth practical and theoretical study of dance, with excellent progression routes in to University and Conservatoire Dance and Performing Arts courses.
Over 2 years, students experience and develop technical and performance skills in a wide range of styles, the process and art of choreography and the interrelationship between the creation, presentation and appreciation of dance.
A – Level Dance students at Coppice Performing Arts School are provided excellent enrichment opportunities, access to national programmes and connections within the Dance and Creative Industries.
Extra Curricular
Students at Coppice Performing Arts School have access to an exciting, diverse and enriching extra-curricular programme including weekly Dance Clubs and classes in Contemporary & Commercial techniques, Ballet and Musical Theatre. Students regularly engage in workshops and projects with external professional artists from the Dance sector and are supported in application to and participation in National Programmes. Students are provided numerous opportunities to view dance works and perform themselves in professional settings.
KS3 Elite Dance Training
The KS3 Elite Dance Training Programme provides a foundation for intense technical and choreographic training in order to nurture dancers who display strong potential, high attainment, and an appropriate attitude to follow a pathway in dance.
The highly successful programme is identified as an extra lesson on the students timetable over four days a week from 8:15am – 8:50am. The programme aims to support the students studies of dance within the curriculum and training outside of school, focusing on the academic styles of Jazz, Ballet and Contemporary Dance including choreographic development.
Flexus Dance Collective
Flexus Dance Collective is a Dance Organisation based at Coppice Performing Arts School that provides empowering and impactful training, performance and engagement opportunities for young people and emerging artists. Coppice houses 2 of FDC’s Nationally recognised Youth Dance Companies and FDC Training Ground, an open class programme with professional dance artists. Heavily connected to the Dance Department, students benefit from regular classes, workshops, performance opportunities, projects and programmes with FDC.
