The Brakenhale School

Sixth Form Welcome Pack

BTEC Dance

Tasks to Complete Checklist

Section and task Tick once completed

1. Skills Audit: complete strengths and weaknesses table

1. Skills Audit: complete opportunities and threats section

2. Technique: read information and watch videos

2. Technique: complete research task for three contemporary practitioners

3. Choreography: watch three dance works and complete analysis charts

3. Choreography: answer research and analysis questions for one dance work

4. Performance: research and create mind map for stimulus

4. Performance: complete improvisation task and reflection for stimulus

5. Reflections: complete reflection questions for course

Welcome to BTEC Dance

As part of your BTEC course you will be studying a range of units focusing on the three

main areas of Technique, Choreography and Performance. Your course will be mainly

practical with written work supporting this in the form of evaluations, essays and

logbooks. Your practical assessments will be through live and filmed performances-

some of this in class and some on stage in front of an audience.

At the start of the course you will receive your assignment briefs; they will clearly

breakdown each unit you are studying – the tasks you are expected to complete, the

deadlines for these tasks and what you will be graded on. You will also be given a

timetable of the different deadlines for each unit so you can keep on track – meeting

your deadlines is extremely important and will help you achieve the best possible grade

on the course.

As part of the course you will be required to do extra lessons outside of your timetable,

this will feed into your course supporting you and also link into your assessments. This

will include enrichment sessions, being a member of The Brakenhale Dance Company

and different one off workshops. You will also have intensive projects where you work

with an external choreographer for 1-2 days creating dance works, you will be graded on

the process of this as well as the final performance – a little like an exam.

This course will support your progression in dance and allow you to focus on the areas

that interest you, for example performing, choreographing, teaching, dance analysis etc.

If you have any questions or requests for the course now is the time to make them and

there’s a section to do this within the booklet. This

might be a choreographer you would like to work

with or a dance technique you’re interested in such

as Ballet.

By completing the tasks set out in this booklet you

will help to shape the course and what we study. It

will also identify your areas of interest and the

different elements you want to improve. The tasks

should support your transition from Year 11 to Year

12 and start building your knowledge of the subject

ready for September.

BTEC Dance is your chance to be independent and

really challenge yourself, take each experience and

make the most of it.

SKILLS

Choreographing dance works on myself

Choreographing dance works on other

people

Finding interesting stimulus or starting

points

Improvising movements

Using a stimulus to create movements

Developing movements

Structuring dance pieces

Researching dance ideas

Contemporary technique

Ballet technique

Jazz technique

Street dance/commercial styles

Performing in front of an audience

Picking up movement material quickly

Being motivated and positive

Being focused

Using feedback and making improvements

Reflecting on your work

Rehearsing effectively

Meeting deadlines

Working with others well

Contributing ideas to group work

Leading others and organising them

Analysing dance pieces; being able to say

why something has been used and what

the intention of the piece is

Understanding dance pieces;

understanding what you are seeing and

describing the work

Dance knowledge; choreographers and

companies

Portraying a character or idea through my

performance

Technical skills; posture, alignment,

control etc.

Expressive skills; facial expressions,

timing, projection etc.

Learning and adapting to different dance

styles

Having ideas about costume, set, lighting

elements

Task 1: Skills Audit

Read through the following skills and put them into the categories of strength, weakness or unknown

on the next page.

Be positive and think back to GCSE Dance to help

Add any skills I’ve missed that you think are relevant and any notes e.g. ballet is strength because I’ve

done some when I was younger but I can’t remember everything

Dance Skills Audit Strengths

Weaknesses

Unknown

Looking at your strengths and weaknesses and thinking about the BTEC dance course,

complete the following questions.

What opportunities do you have to work with your strengths and weaknesses? What might this course give you the chance to do? Be positive, think of the possibilities.

What threats are there to you doing this? What might get in the way and what could the issues be? Be negative, what could go wrong.

Technique

Ballet Provides the foundation to all dance techniques. Classical ballet is all about how we perform each movement – the method and execution. Key features include alignment, turn out, extension and pulling up (resisting gravity). Classical ballet uses the same movements and vocabulary across the world and different countries have slight stylistic variations. Modern ballet is inspired by modern/contemporary styles and is less concerned with classical ballet lines, using the upper body more freely.

Contemporary Contemporary dance was originally inspired by modern dance, ballet and jazz styles. Using the leg work of ballet, the freer use of the torso from modern dance, it also borrows ideas from African and Japanese dance. Currently it’s inspired by a wide range of dance styles. Key features include contraction and release, use of the floor, fall and recovery. This is now one of the most dominant training styles.

Jazz Developed from African American culture, music halls and alongside Jazz music forming different styles such as Lindy Hop and Shag. Nowadays linked to musicals and more commercial dance styles. Key features include isolation of body parts, stepping patterns, kicks and leaps all with high energy and a focus on the performance element of the style.

Watch the following videos (also available on YouTube profile ‘CLHBrakenhale’ – playlist

‘BTEC Dance Induction’)

The Royal Ballet Full Class - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNQWyWuvz_U

You don’t have to watch all of this but have a scan through at the exercise and

notice the key features

Virtual Open Day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt-goGsMUAQ

Skip forward to 35:34 (the first part is ballet) and scan through the exercises

noticing the key features

Jazz dance Classes at Pineapple dance Studios -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLs4w4pAXBA

Task 2: Technique

Technique underpins everything we do in dance and having good technique helps you avoid injury and

be an adaptable dancer. Read the following information and watch the selected videos. Complete the

research tasks.

Matt Mattox Jazz technique Class - Everyone – Stephen Mear West End Sweet

Charity Choreography - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI6uGPeI1K8

Research Task

We will focus on contemporary technique which has different strands started by

different people throughout history. Research the following people and techniques to

find out;

How they contributed to the development of contemporary dance

What key features this uses/ideas

Key quotes they have said or others have about them

1. Martha Graham – Graham Technique

2. Meerce Cunningham – Cunningham Technique

3. Jose Limon – Limon Technique

You need to present this information in a professional way – ensure it is typed and

printed out with your name and clear titles. You may include images. You need to put a

list of references showing where the information has come from and ensure you have

reworded the information yourself – do not cut and paste.

Example:

Kieran West

BTEC Dance

Research Task – Graham Technique

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

References

www.moderndance.com etc. . . .

Choreographers

Watch the following videos (also available on YouTube profile ‘CLHBrakenhale’ – playlist

‘BTEC Dance Induction’) and complete the analysis chart for each one

FRESH NSCD – Ocean by Jamaal Burkmar -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIui0Xk6jrQ

The Grey People – Eurovision song contest 2016 -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIcDBqL0lf0

choreographed by Benke Rydman

Verve –‘Dynamo’ by Lea Anderson –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NEAMBWI2vc

Task 3: Choreography/dance analysis

Throughout the course you will research and study a range of choreographers- this is really important

as every dance work you watch and choreographer you study will influence you in some way, you are

like a sponge and need to absorb as much as possible.

You need to watch the following three works and analyse them – this is really similar to GCSE Dance,

breakdown what you see and then talk about it. The more detail the better. Afterwards you need to

reflect on which work you prefer and why

Dance Work _________________________________________________

Action Describe the key movements and phrases used

Dynamics How are the movements performed, what qualities do they have, how is speed and force used

Space How has the choreographer used the space, formations, pathways etc. what are the key spatial moments

Relationship What is the relationship between the dancers, how is contact used and other devices

Describe the costume

Describe any set and lighting

Describe the accompaniment

What did you initially think the work was about? Discuss the mood of the work and explain why you interpreted this

Dance Work _________________________________________________

Action Describe the key movements and phrases used

Dynamics How are the movements performed, what qualities do they have, how is speed and force used

Space How has the choreographer used the space, formations, pathways etc. what are the key spatial moments

Relationship What is the relationship between the dancers, how is contact used and other devices

Describe the costume

Describe any set and lighting

Describe the accompaniment

What did you initially think the work was about? Discuss the mood of the work and explain why you interpreted this

Dance Work _________________________________________________

Action Describe the key movements and phrases used

Dynamics How are the movements performed, what qualities do they have, how is speed and force used

Space How has the choreographer used the space, formations, pathways etc. what are the key spatial moments

Relationship What is the relationship between the dancers, how is contact used and other devices

Describe the costume

Describe any set and lighting

Describe the accompaniment

What did you initially think the work was about? Discuss the mood of the work and explain why you interpreted this

Select one choreographer to research and answer the following questions

What inspired this work?

What sort of dance background did the choreographer have?

What did you enjoy most about the work and why?

What ideas could you take from this to explore/develop?

Performance/Creative

Respond to the following stimulus creating a mind map of as many ideas as possible, this

could include different movements, dynamics, spatial elements and relationships, costume,

accompaniment, key words, themes, moods, emotions, characters. Do further research to

help you and draw connections to other possible stimuli. Be creative and detailed with as

many responses as possible.

Brooke Shaden – phoenix

‘she places herself within environments she wishes to explore, where secrets are exposed,

impossibilities are tested, and life is questioned in eras beyond our own’

Task 4: Performance/Creative

You will be required to work on different creative projects throughout the course- this will either be as

a class, with your teacher or with externals. We will work with several different stimuli and starting

points and you will have to research and explore these as part of the course. You need to push yourself

to think creatively and come up with different complex ideas and responses.

Complete the tasks below

Focus in on one or a few elements that stand out to you – try improvise with this, explore

and try out some ideas, the complete the following tasks –

Describe some of the key movements you found, try to detail them, use drawings if it helps.

Did you develop any original movement? If so describe it and how was it original.

Reflections

Complete the following questions and reflections.

What part of the course or area are you looking forward to most and why?

What part of the course or area are you looking forward to the least and why?

What are you hoping to learn or develop through the course?

Task 4: Reflections

This is your chance to reflect before the course and provide any ideas linking to what you would like to

study. Be detailed and try to really reflect on yourself as a dance student

Do you have any specific requests for the course? E.g. dance styles, external choreographers, projects that mix disciplines, any specific areas of interest . . .

If you have any problems with the work or tasks set or any questions about the course please

feel free to email me - chaley@brakenhale.co.uk