Dance

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Philosophy

The Wildern Dance Department is staffed by a team of passionate, committed, and enthusiastic teachers who endeavour to make dance accessible and exciting for all students. Students not only develop their physical, expressive, technical, and choreographic skills, but also benefit from a focus on independence, dance etiquette, and pride.

 

 

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  • KS3

    In Years 7 and 8, students develop high-quality performance, choreographic, and analytical skills through an exciting range of themes, including:

    • Poetry in Motion
    • Responding to a Stimulus
    • World Dance
    • Still Life at the Penguin Café
    • Superheroes
    • Capoeira
    • Super Mario
    • "Why do you laugh at me?"
    • The Car Man
    • Emancipation of Expressionism

    Through studying diverse dance styles, students develop their knowledge of actions, space, dynamics, and relationships, while exploring cross-curricular links with English, Geography, Education for Life, and Maths. Students are assessed through the Wildern Steps on both their practical and theory work throughout each term.

  • KS4

    Students opting for GCSE Dance experience an exciting course exploring physical, choreographic, expressive, technical, and analytical skills. They study a vibrant anthology of 6 dance works, ranging from Contemporary Dance to Hip Hop and Samba. For their practical assessment, GCSE students choreograph a three-minute group piece, perform in a duet or trio, and execute two set solo phrases. At the end of Year 11, students sit a written paper to showcase their knowledge of the six diverse anthology works, alongside their understanding of performance and choreographic skills.

    Strong links with local colleges, theatres, and universities offer students a glimpse into careers, performance, and education in the wider world of dance. Our partnerships with the University of Chichester and Barton Peveril College regularly involve students in specialised workshops, trips, and performances.
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Co-curricular

The department offers an extensive range of weekly co-curricular activities, including the Year 7 and Year 8 Dance Clubs, Junior and Senior Bare Roots Dance Companies, Dynamism Boys Dance Company, and DanceLive!. Each year, we host three Dance Showcases - one in the Autumn, one in the Spring, and a final show in the Summer. These are held in the spectacular Berry Theatre, featuring tiered seating, a full lighting rig, and a professional sound box.

Facilities

The Dance Department boasts two purpose-built studios equipped with sprung floors, full-length mirrors, and excellent sound systems. These professional studio environments inherently enhance and promote a focused performance atmosphere. Throughout the year, the department also organises numerous visits to local theatres, such as The Point and The Mayflower, alongside additional performance opportunities at a variety of venues.