Gcse dance?

[Jays]

DD is thinking of doing GCSE dance but is currently undecided.

She wants to go to dance college after school so would it definitely be worth taking GCSE?

She would dance every hour if she could so would enjoy the extra dance. 

She takes classes in Ballet, tap, lyrical, contemporary, jazz and street, along with an monthly associate (Jazz, lyrical, ballet). She doesn't/hasn't taken exams in all of them but is just about to take grade 5 ballet & tap this month.

Things that she is unsure about is the written aspect and because there are no prerequisites she is unsure what the content will be like for her and those that do several hours dancing a week if someone with no experience can do the course? 

We have a final GCSE meeting at school at the end of this month.

[Neverdancedjustamum]

I would be interested in this too as my DD also plans to take Dance GCSE. She also wants to do PE and I know that dance can be one of the ‘sports/activities’ of the 3 required for PE (she is already in two school sports teams so that hopefully takes care of the 2 group ones and she can, if allowed, take dance as the individual for PE). I was therefore wondering if she can do Dance GCSE but also take dance as part of her PE GCSE at the same time. I know she’s been asked to help in several GCSE and A level dance projects over the last couple of years but still doesn’t know the details for when she actually takes them. I have parents evening this week so can ask the dance teacher. We also have options evening sometime soon so will try and find out and share any pertinent info.  I’m not sure the content would differ for someone who dances a lot compared to someone who doesn’t. I would have thought the requirements at the end of the day would be the same in terms of what they need to produce/submit? My DD has danced since she was 6 but nowhere near as many hours as her peers do. Probably less than ‘hobby hours’ especially given the volume of school work she has now at year 9, there’s not much time left. For her it was natural to pick it as a GCSE option as she’ll pick what she thinks will be the best way for her to get a good set of GCSEs to go to Sixth Form and then to a good uni to do something in the sciences. So for her, I think it’s more the theory side that she wants to know more about.

Edited February 1 by Neverdancedjustamum

[WhereToNow]

My DD is about to sit her Dance GCSE.  For Theory they have an anthology of performances that they have to know everything about.  From choice of choreo to lighting, costuming and phrasing, it’s quite detailed.  I think only a couple come up in the exam, a bit lile poetry in English.

Then there is the practical which for mine is a duet, choreo to a title/phrase (showing your interpretation, choosing your own music), she is also doing a duet.  This may vary per exam board or school.

 

At least this is my understanding from what I am told!

[MrsMoo2]

I did A Level Dance many moons ago! It covered solo and group choreography, (you both choreographed and danced in other students pieces). Dance notation, (solid!) then learning a set study, analysing a ballet in depth in a written exam, and anatomy and physiology. At the time my peers said it was one of the hardest A Levels going! 🤣🤣🤣

[Jays]

Thanks Neverdancedjustamum, I think I worded the content line correctly.

DD is wondering if the actually dancing will be basic if it's aimed at anyone who wants to study it rather than just serious dancers. She currently dances an average of 10 hours a week and helps in the younger ballet and lyrical classes. One of the girls in her form who is thinking of doing it only does street dance and another never did dancing until school dance lessons in year 7. There are a couple of others considering it who are more advanced than DD. 

Thanks wheretonow, DD may not like the non practical side of the GCSE but then again having an interest in dance may mean she will enjoy it more than say doing a different GCSE.

[Lifeafterballet]

My Ds did GCSE and AS Dance at his College before going to vocational ballet school at 17. We had the opportunity to watch them perform their own choreography one evening at the school before it was assessed. Out of all the ballet / dance I have seen at Dd and Ds’s vocational school I think I enjoyed that evening the most. There was no anxieties, no fear, no competition, just pure love, passion and expression in a supportive and non judgmental environment. The students were all so raw and natural. My son did a beautiful piece to the music from Sam Smiths Writings on the Wall. We were allowed to film from the audience. I still have it on my phone 🥰

I’ve just watched a clip on Instagram that his company has shared of him dancing a pas de deux and the music and the piece reminds me of that evening. 

[Jan McNulty]

Hello @Jays and welcome to the Forum!

[Dance.Mum]

Not sure if this is helpful - DC’s friend is doing it and sent her this for me.  
 

Course Outline
This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams and submit all their non-exam assessment at the end of the course.
Subject content
Core content
1.    Performance
2.    Choreography
3.    Dance appreciation
Assessments
Students must complete both assessment components.
Component 1: Performance and choreography
What's assessed
Performance
•    Set phrases through a solo performance (approximately one minute in duration)
•    Duet/trio performance (three minutes in a dance which is a maximum of five minutes in duration)
Choreography
•    Solo or group choreography – a solo (two to two and a half minutes) or a group dance for two to five dancers (three to three and a half minutes)
How it's assessed
Internally marked and externally moderated
Performance
•    30% of GCSE
•    40 marks
Choreography
•    30% of GCSE
•    40 marks
Total component 60%
Non-exam assessment (NEA) marked by the centre and moderated by AQA.
+
Component 2: Dance appreciation
What's assessed
•    Knowledge and understanding of choreographic processes and performing skills
•    Critical appreciation of own work
•    Critical appreciation of professional works
How it's assessed
•    40% of GCSE
•    Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
•    80 marks
QuestionsBased on students' own practice in performance and choreography and the GCSE Dance anthology.

[taxi4ballet]

DD did it and it was a complete and utter waste of time.

 

But then again, it might just have been the teachers at her school who weren't very good. I've heard of other people taking it at other schools and their experiences were entirely different. DD's GCSE dance teachers had a 'thing' against ballet for some reason, and treated it (and her) with utter disdain. The syllabus gives a choice of set works to study, all of the ones they did were contemporary, and they expected all choreography done by the students to be in similar vein.

 

Bear in mind that, unlike music GCSE, you need no prior experience whatever to choose GCSE dance as an option, and there may be a number of students in the class with little or no prior dance training, and one or two who have chosen it as an easy option and have no real interest in the subject.  That means that the standard of actual dance training during the course could be pitched at their level - ie adolescent beginner. You might also find that the school doesn't have a studio with a properly sprung dance floor. 

 

Not that I would want to put you off! 🤣

[Neverdancedjustamum]

Just had parents evening and had a good chat with the Head of Dance at her school who outlined what will be covered for each of the two years, from what I recall it’s as  @Dance.Mum above posted. It was a lovely chat that got my DD excited but I must say that the HoD is one of maybe a handful of people in her school who knows DD does ballet and contemporary (or dances, full stop, as she keeps dance and school very separate - until next year I guess) and already seemed excited to work with her. In the end she thanked my DD for being part of a good number of her former students’ GCSE and A level choreo and performances…and made sure she’s said yes to another two who have asked her recently to be involved in their A levels. It was really lovely as I hadn’t known that my DD has helped out with so many of these for the last couple of years. I must say that dance, whilst perhaps not as prioritised as sports in her school, does get a lot of support with annual events and a fair number of GCSE students actually going on to dance sixth forms and colleges. For anyone else who might have been curious like me, yes they can take Dance GCSE and still have dance as one of their PE GCSE ‘sport/activity’.  Both the dance and PE teachers actually said that this is very handy for those who like dance anyway and they can use their dance choreo for one of the PE requirements. 

[Pas de Quatre]

I had various pupils do it in the past, but most schools in this area have dropped it now. One of the last of my pupils to do GSCE dance was very dismissive of the whole thing. She was a very able dancer but they were put into groups by the school and she was placed with some people who basically had no prior training and no idea! This meant she ended up doing all the work.  They all passed with a reasonable mark, but she was convinced if she had been marked on her own she would have had a much higher mark. The school tried to get her to do A level dance but she refused point blank

[Pointetoes]

DD did it, as did quite a few from her dance school- they all went to various different local schools. They were all a high level in most genres of dance.

 

For them it was an 'easy' GCSE One they could go to enjoy,relax and have fun.

 

Yes DD was the highest standard in her year at her school and the only one to go on to vocational 6th form,  but she enjoyed the way they all worked together helping each other. No-one got below a B, DD got an A* ( old grades)

 

I would add that if DD hadn't taken Music GCSE early, at the end of Year 9 she would have done music instead of dance.

Edited February 2 by Pointetoes

[NeverTooOld]

My daughter did GCSE dance and hated it. At the time, she was doing as much dance as she could fit in - ballet, tap, lyrical, contemporary etc and was a member of a musical theatre company so it was her main passion. The dance GCSE seemed to put her off dance - I think the teachers at her school were quite bad though because several of her friends dropped out of the GCSE course within a few weeks! Maybe better teachers would improve the experience. It is worth bearing in mind though that it is very theory heavy, the actual dancing element seems minimal - much more essay based. Some obviously enjoy it as they go onto to do A Level dance but just don't go into it thinking it will be an easy option!

[Jays]

Thanks for all the replies.

Taxi4ballet thanks for the honest reply. At her school they have a dedicated dance teacher (there may be more than one but DD's had the same one for the 2.5 years) who I think studied ballet so hopefully there shouldn't be a problem there. However the level of dance they have done last year hasn't been difficult and DD got the top marks but one of her friends who doesn't dance, isn't interested in dance and doesn't even try got second to top marks so does make me thing year 8 wasn't hard if the non dancers could do well.

There is already someone in her form saying she might do it because she doesn't want to work hard and it's an easy subject!!

I've seen the studio when we visited back in year 6 but I don't know if it's a sprung floor, I will ask DD.

Pas de quatre I think that's what DD is unsure on, if she is put into groups with those with no/limited dance experience. Dance is an area that she strives to be perfect in and would be unhappy if she got a lower grade than capable of especially if it was down to others not being at the same level.

Nevertooold thanks for another honest reply. Your DD sounds very like my DD, dance is her passion. 

DD isn't thinking it will be an easy GCSE, she doesn't like writing but was/is considering because it's available, dance is her passion and it may be easier than her picking say geography.

[glowlight]

My DD did GCSE Dance many years ago. For her it was simply a chance to fill some of her school time table with something she loved doing. There was a definite mix in her class between those with little experience who had chosen it because they saw it as a soft option, and those who danced regularly. Although I think she found the 'free-riders' a bit frustrating at times, it didn't deter her and it gave her a chance to learn more about and explore contemporary dance, which she wasn't doing much of at the time. She did a solo choreography on the subject to Guantanamo bay for her exam piece, which she really enjoyed. I think we've still got the orange boiler suit somewhere!

[Mrs Brown]

My daughter opted NOT to take it. She danced a lot outside of school and before starting GCSEs had taken grade 6 or above in 4 dance styles.

 

Her main reason not to do it was because so much of it at her school had a contemporary focus and she doesn't like that. However, on discussion the teacher did feel it would in a way be a bit pointless for her unless she had a particular desire to just do more dance.

 

So I would say it comes down to whether she is really interested in doing it and also whether it stops her taking something else she really wants to do. If she is struggling to think of another option to do then take it, if she is choosing between that and something else she is interested in then I would probably advise the something else as she is already doing other dancing. 

[taxi4ballet]

If you like contemporary and making up your own routines, or collaborating with others to choreograph group dances, fine. 

If the teachers have actually trained as dancers rather than as PE teachers with 'dance' as an add-on module as part of their teacher training, fine.

If you are planning on staying at school to do A-levels and are considering A-level dance, and then going on to university to study some sort of dance course, fine.

 

Otherwise, don't bother.

[balletbean]

On 01/02/2024 at 15:25, Jays said:

Thanks Neverdancedjustamum, I think I worded the content line correctly.

DD is wondering if the actually dancing will be basic if it's aimed at anyone who wants to study it rather than just serious dancers. She currently dances an average of 10 hours a week and helps in the younger ballet and lyrical classes. One of the girls in her form who is thinking of doing it only does street dance and another never did dancing until school dance lessons in year 7. There are a couple of others considering it who are more advanced than DD. 

Thanks wheretonow, DD may not like the non practical side of the GCSE but then again having an interest in dance may mean she will enjoy it more than say doing a different GCSE.

This is a tough one. My DD didn’t choose GCSE as she personally felt it just duplicated on her RAD/ISTD training. She chose Drama instead as its a supporting skill to Dance.   The students that did select the Dance GCSE & A level loved it mainly because they ended up teaching the teacher. The ‘dance’ teacher just happened to adopt the course by default as she was head of Drama.  Her new cohort were already RAD Grade 6/7 and ISTD intermediate. 

I’d suggest to look beyond the written curriculum but also look closely at what training the teacher has for Dance before making any decisions. 

Edited February 13 by balletbean