Level 1 Dance
L1DANC Course DescriptionTeacher in Charge: Miss K. Hamilton.
Recommended Prior LearningThis is an open entry course, there are no prerequisites.
Level 1 Dance is designed to expose students to a variety of genres, dance performances, and choreographic processes. Students have the opportunity to gain credits through internal performance-based assessments and an end-of-year external written exam.
Dance is a lot of fun and very hands-on. It demands much creative thinking, physical endurance, and time spent, both in and out of class, creating and rehearsing for performances.
Students will also have the opportunity of attending live performances, participate in dance workshops with dance companies, and develop their ability to analyse and interpret a professional dance performance.
"Dance is an embodied language. In dance education, ākonga learn to communicate through movement and interpret meaning from movement. Learning in Dance supports ākonga to expand the ways they express ideas, feelings, values, and beliefs, as well as how they understand those of others. Ākonga develop literacy in dance as they learn about, and extend their skills in movement, performance, and choreography.
Dance is a way of strengthening relationships. Personal experiences and identities are valid and valued components of learning in Dance, which supports whanaungatanga. Working as a collective emphasises core values of fa'aaloalo/faka’apa’apa, aro’a, tautua, and kuleana, which nurture vā in learning spaces. These values are fundamental to positive learning experiences that will support ākonga in Dance. Dance supports ākonga to develop relational skills they can take beyond the learning environment, such as collaboration, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. At the same time, ākonga will also develop confidence and a deeper awareness of their own identities.
Dance is always evolving as innovations develop from or alongside dance forms and practices. Dance can be seen as a social and historical artefact reflecting the culture from which it descends."
BIG IDEAS...
He atua, he tipua, he tangata — dance is a descendant of culture
Dance nurtures whanaungatanga
Dance is embodied cognition
Dance develops creative and critical thinking skills
Course Overview
What is taught in courses varies from year to year. This course could include:
1. Composing movements in pairs and groups to create dance sequences in response to a given brief (focusing on dance elements and devices).
2. Learning and performing choreographed dance sequences in a variety of dance genres (e.g. swing, jazz, contemporary or fusion dance).
3. Demonstrating understanding of the key features and cultural contexts of dance genres and styles (e.g. African, sasa, hula, kapa haka, charleston, hip hop) in practice.
4. Viewing, presenting, creating and responding to dance to show understanding of how the elements of dance are used in performance.
Pathway
Drama and Dance are subjects that are helpful in career choices involving: youth work, teaching, journalism, sales, marketing, and any communication-based career. For talented students, there are growing opportunities in the film industry for actors, writers, dancers, choreographers, designers, and technical fields, such as costume, set, lighting design, and production.
In Dance, learners explore and acquire transferable knowledge, skills, and dispositions. This is a holistic process not limited to physicality and movement. These transferable attributes include:
~ cognition and critical thinking
~ working effectively individually and collaborating in teams
~ creative and problem-solving abilities
~ self-confidence
~ resilience and perseverance
~ recognising and respecting diverse viewpoints
~ valuing and respecting others’ skills, cultures, and contexts.
Dancer, Artistic Director, Entertainer, Art Director (Film, Television or Stage), Actor, Artist, Interpreter, Youth Worker, Secondary School Teacher
Contributions and Equipment/StationerySmall charges may occur throughout the year for attending workshops and performances.