Dance

Director of Dance Academy: Mrs A O'Neill

Department Introduction

“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, Dance UK

Our Dance department is situated in three purpose built studios directly linked to the school's Theatre to enhance performance opportunities for all students. We offer the unique situation that all students at Key Stage 3 have a timetabled Dance lesson every week. Students in Year 7 and 8 have a single dance lesson every fortnight throughout the year, whilst Year 9 students have a double lesson every week if they select Dance as an option in Year 9. Dance is taught in mixed ability and co-educational groups in years 7-13 by three specialist staff.

In early 2021, the dance department worked on a reflective project to capture the importance and impact of dance in education, particularly here at Herne Bay High. Below is a small snapshot of the overwhelming number of responses that were received. The department would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the making of this reflective project.

Teaching Staff

Mrs A O'Neill - Head of Department

Miss Brown
Miss Challis
Miss Junsamut
Miss Thorpe
Miss Walsh

Dance Clubs and Trips

All our dance students are encouraged to develop their dance skills by taking up an extra-curricular activity. These include:

  • Junior Dance Companies: "Surge" and "Impact" – Years 7-9 - after school
  • Boys Dance Company (BDC) – any year - meet weekly after school
  • Girls Dance Company (Thirtxxn) - any year - meet weekly after school
  • GCSE/BTEC rehearsal/practice time – lunch, before and after school

Our students also take part in the following events:

  • Assembly performances
  • Open evenings
  • Dance festivals
  • Annual Dance Showcase
  • Theatre visits
  • Professional Workshops

Dance Clubs 

DAY

LUNCHTIME

TIME & PLACE

AFTER SCHOOL

 

TIME & 

PLACE

 

MONDAY

 

Independent Rehearsal

GCSE Studio 1/2

BTEC Studio 3

12.45

Studio 

1/2/3

 

 Dance Dash- Terms 1 &2

 

GCSE Rehearsal

3.45-4.45

Studio 1

 Studio 2

 

TUESDAY

Independent Rehearsal

GCSE Studio 1/2

BTEC Studio 3

12.45

Studio 

1/2/3

 

‘BDC’

BOYS DANCE COMPANY

‘Thirt**n’

Girls Company

3.45-4.45

Studio 1/2 

 

Studio 3

 

  THURSDAY

Independent Rehearsal

GCSE Studio 1/2

BTEC Studio 3
12.45

Studio 

1/2/3

 

 

Surge

Years 7 – 9

Project Rehearsals

3.45-4.45

Studio 1

 

Studio 2/3

 

FRIDAY

Independent Rehearsal

GCSE Studio 1/2

BTEC Studio 3

12.45

Studio

1/2/3

 

 

 

What do our children study?

Year 7:

  • 1 lesson per fortnight throughout the year
  • Units include: Sporting Actions, Chance Choreography, Beach Life, Poetry Stimulus, Banksy and Genre.

Year 8:

  • 1 lesson per fortnight throughout the year
  • Units include: Dance for Fitness, Gangs, The Healthy Performer/Safe Dance Practice, Parkour, Stimulus 5 and Tribal Dance.

Year 9:

  • If Dance is selected in year 9, students have ONE double or TWO single lessons per week throughout the year.
  • Units include: Performance Skills, Contact Duets, Performance Styles, Pro Work: Christopher Bruce, Pro Work: Matthew Bourne and Pro Work: A Linha Curva.

Lead Teacher of KS3 Dance: Miss K Thorpe

Years 10/11

Course Outline:

  • Component 1: Performance (solo and group) and Choreography (one group piece).
  • Component 2: Dance Appreciation: Six Professional works to study. Written exam at the end of year 11.

Years 12/13

  • BTEC Level 1/2 First Award in Performing Arts/Dance
  • BTEC Level 3 in Dance is offered at KS5.
    This is a TWO-year course with the following options: 
    - BTEC Extended Diploma in Performing Arts (equivalent to 3 A Levels) 
    - BTEC Extended Certificate Performing Arts Dance (equivalent to 1 A Level)

Students will have 6-12 lessons per week depending on the above choices.

Lead Teacher of BTEC Dance: Miss C Challis

Click here for exam board information on GCSE Dance
Click here for exam board information on BTEC Dance

Year 7 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 8 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 9 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 10 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Year 11 Curriculum Plan
pdf
Sixth Form Curriculum Plan
pdf