Performing Arts: Drama and Dance

I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.
--Oscar Wilde.

Contact

Head of Drama: Mrs A Thorpe - thorpa@harpergreen.net

Lead for Dance: Mrs T Gunn - gunnt@harpergreen.net

Subject overview

The performing arts department has worked hard to put together a broad, coherent and rigorous course of study across drama and dance. Our purpose is to inspire creativity in students. We want our young people to make and understand drama and dance, recognising them as practical art forms in which ideas and meaning are communicated to an audience through choices of form, style and convention.

Students will study drama throughout years 7-9, and capacity is built into the PE curriculum for them to study dance. There is the option for students to deepen their study at KS4 by choosing to specialise in either drama or dance.

Key Stage 3 Drama overview

Students will enjoy the opportunity to participate in a range of learning opportunities, both through the curriculum and through the extracurricular offer, during their key stage 3 studies.

Year 7

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Acting skills & techniques

Introduction to Berkoff

George’s Marvellous Medicine

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will develop an understanding of a variety of acting techniques through the exploration and experimentation of a variety of stimuli.

Students will explore and develop their vocal and physical skills to enhance their role as a performer.

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will explore the conventions of physical theatre and the work of Stephen Berkoff.
Students will develop an understanding of how physical theatre can be used to create non-naturalistic drama pieces.

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will explore the characters’ intentions and apply their acting skills to bring their written character to life on stage.
Students will develop an understanding of how relationships between different characters can be presented on stage.
Students will develop their understanding of how vocal and physical skills can be used to create a character.

Year 8

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Greek Theatre

Introduction to Stanislavski

Setting Shakespeare to a modern setting

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will explore and experiment with chorus work, implementing the exaggerated acting style of Greek Theatre.
Students will consider chorus, acting skills and staging in their performance of a well known Greek Myth.

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will develop an understanding of why Stanislavski developed his system.
Students will explore what was expected from actors training with Stanislavski’s methods.
Students will explore practically a number of key ideas within Stanislavski’s system.
Students will create and develop work within a naturalistic style.

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will develop an understanding of how Shakespearian plays should be performed.
Students will develop effective storytelling skills through acting.
Students will rewrite a well-known Shakespearean play into a modern setting.
Students will apply a plethora of acting techniques to the writing of their classic play.

Year 9

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Introduction to Brecht

Danny’s Story

John Godber: Bouncers/Shakers

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will explore the naturalistic style and work of Stanislavski.
Students will apply their knowledge of naturalistic style to a performance.
Students will explore Brechtian Style Theatre.
Students will develop an understanding of the different elements of Brechtian Theatre and the impact Brecht has had on the theatre.
Students will apply their knowledge of Brechtian Theatre to a performance.

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will explore the stimulus ‘Danny’s Story’ devising a piece of drama that considers a range of styles suitable to a chosen genre.
Students will apply a plethora of acting skills and techniques to communicate their intentions to an audience.
Students will incorporate practitioners' work to create a professional piece of drama.

Key Ideas, Skills and Knowledge:

Students will explore the script ‘Bouncers/Shakers’, considering its’ contextual influences.
Students will incorporate the conventions of Berkoff, Stanislavski and Brecht by interweaving these into the performances of selected scenes.
Students will apply a variety of acting skills and techniques to communicate their characters’ intentions.

Key Stage 4 Performing Arts overview

For students who wish to continue their study of the performing arts into key stage 4, we offer two routes: one is drama-focused and one is dance-focused.

BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts

The BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts is for learners who want to acquire technical knowledge and technical skills through vocational contexts by studying acting as part of their Key Stage 4 learning. The qualification recognises the value of learning skills, knowledge and vocational attributes to complement GCSEs.

This is an excellent platform for further study of the performing arts, or for learners who simply enjoy the subject and wish to continue with it throughout key stage 4.

Please look at the Edexcel specification for more information about the BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts course content

Year 10

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Component 2: Developing Skills and Techniques in the Performing Arts

Component 3: Responding to a Brief

Component 1: Exploring the Performing Arts

Skills and Knowledge:

Learning aim A: Develop skills and techniques for performance

A1 Development of performance/design and interpretative skills
A2 Develop skills and techniques during the rehearsal process

Learning aim B: Apply skills and techniques in rehearsal and performance

B1 Application of skills and techniques during rehearsal
B2 Application of skills and techniques in/for performance

Learning aim C: Review own development and contribution to the performance

C1 Review own development of skills and techniques in/for performance
C2 Review own application of skills and techniques in/for performance

Skills and Knowledge:

Developing ideas in response to a brief

A1 Understand how to respond to a brief through discussion and practical exploration activities

Selecting and developing skills and techniques in response to a brief

B1 Demonstrate how to select and develop skills and techniques that are needed to realise the creative ideas in response to a brief.

Contributing to a workshop performance

C1 Skills and techniques
C2 Working effectively with others
C3 Communicating ideas through performance

Evaluating the development process and workshop performance outcome

D1 Reflect on the process
D2 Reflect on the outcome

Skills and Knowledge:

Learning aim A: Examine professional practitioners’ performance work

A1 Professional practitioners’ performance material, influences, creative outcomes and purpose
A2 Practitioners’ roles, responsibilities and skills

Learning aim B: Explore the interrelationships between constituent features of existing performance material

B1 Processes used in development, rehearsal and performance
B2 Techniques and approaches used in performance

Year 11

Term 1	Term 2
Component 2: Developing Skills and Techniques in the Performing Arts	Component 3: Responding to a Brief
This year will see students anchoring and applying the skills development work from the start of the course.
Skills and Knowledge: Learning aim A: Develop skills and techniques for performance A1 Development of performance/design and interpretative skills A2 Develop skills and techniques during the rehearsal process Learning aim B: Apply skills and techniques in rehearsal and performance B1 Application of skills and techniques during rehearsal B2 Application of skills and techniques in/for performance Learning aim C: Review own development and contribution to the performance C1 Review own development of skills and techniques in/for performance C2 Review own application of skills and techniques in/for performance	Skills and Knowledge: Developing ideas in response to a brief A1 Understand how to respond to a brief through discussion and practical exploration activities Selecting and developing skills and techniques in response to a brief B1 Demonstrate how to select and develop skills and techniques that are needed to realise the creative ideas in response to a brief. Contributing to a workshop performance C1 Skills and techniques C2 Working effectively with others C3 Communicating ideas through performance Evaluating the development process and workshop performance outcome D1 Reflect on the process D2 Reflect on the outcome

BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts - Dance focus

More information about this course's content will be available shortly.

Please look at the Edexcel specification for more information about the BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Performing Arts - (Dance focus) course content