This presentation analysis power, culture and gender in Indian Kathak Dance and would be suitable for anyone studying dance at GCSE / A Level. It explores: Kathak - which dates back to the twelfth century and the North Indian invasion of the Moghuls. How until that point, Natya had dominated and had been a very important part of religious ritual. How it is a fusion of Arabic and Hindu and became popular as a form of entertainment. And how Bharata Natyam is a religious convention passed down from Father to Son. (Southern India) Included is also a video links.

This is a full presentation with findings in to bone density in dancers, which can be used at GCSE, A-Level or Sports Science. It looks at weakening of bones and osteoporosis. The purpose of this PowerPoint was to compare the body composition and distribution of adipose tissue in two groups of female professional ballet dancers. The first group had already been identified as having low BMD and consisted of 10 dancers. The second group had been identified as having ‘normal’ BMD and were of a matching height and weight to the first group.

This unit takes its inspiration from the painting Guernica (1937) by Pablo Picasso. The unit makes cross-curricular links with Art and History and shows pupils how other art forms and historic events can be a powerful stimuli for dance. The unit focuses on an emotive, moral issue. The pupils analyse and interpret the painting, using both the visual imagery of the shapes and a discussion of events that inspired the artist. A key focus of this unit is the development of expressive skills. Pupils are asked to empathise with the people of Guernica and portray images, such as chaos, pain, outrage and brutality, within their own dances. The use of focus and facial expression, contracting, twisting and arching the spine and forming geometric shapes with the body, aid the powerful and vivid expression of the work. Choreographically, pupils will reflect the composition of the painting, using devices such as overlapping and changes of level to represent the work. The dance progresses from duet to small group work. As they work, pupils should make connections between their movements, body shapes and expressions and the content and meaning of the painting. Performance skills: Demonstrate clarity and expressive use of the spine when performing (eg twisting, arching and contracting positions are taken to their extreme). Demonstrate good technique when jumping, falling and rolling at speed (eg take-off and landings show control and clarity of shape in the air; flight actions have an ‘explosive’ quality, showing power and vitality; falling and rolling actions use the floor safely). Demonstrate appropriate facial expression/characterisation showing emotion (eg open mouths as if screaming, eyes wide-open as if terrified) Composition Skills: Create movements that reflect key shapes, images and emotions within the painting (eg out-stretched hands and upward focus, use of torso [twisted, arched, contracted] when creating key shapes and phrases of movement). Compose various tableaux in small groups that reflect the compositional structure of the painting (eg the use of over-lapping and contrasting levels to show the chaos and juxtaposition of body parts). Create a dance based on a given narrative (eg dance to show the bomb being dropped and the response to this). Appreciation skills: Identify and interpret what is seen in the painting, offering explanations for responses (eg describe key motifs and point to objective features of the work to support answers). Discuss the moral issues surrounding the events depicted in the painting and how this is shown in the dance (eg describe how the fleeing woman in the painting might feel). Evaluate the success of other groups in communicating the dance idea (eg success at depicting chaos, pain and outrage).

This presentation can be used at GCSE or A-Level Dance and looks at: How has ‘Political expression and repression’ been communicated historically through dance and what has its conveyance strived to achieve? It aims to: Contextualise the work of the New Dance Group and Anna Sokolow. Convey how repression and political issues have been expressed through dance from the early 20th Century. Relate this to Liedtke’s work in the 21st Century.

This scheme of work is designed to introduce students to using a variety of historical texts and facts as stimuli for drama, as well as considering the consequences of actions. At the end of the unit, students perform a whole class improvisation enacting a court trial. Links to GCSE Drama and cross-curricular links with History, Geography, English and PSHE. The scheme encourages students to analyse character through exploratory methods, such as monologue, improvisation and tableau to successfully present a character analysed in the historical story of a shipwreck. Each lesson in this 6 lesson plan also includes a full breakdown of practical exercises and activities and links to the true story of the mignonette as their stimulus, to aid students learning. Enjoy!

This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans are designed to introduce students to Shakespeare as well as use new drama techniques to create performance. The scheme encourages students to explore their imagination, concentrate on creating and presenting a character, as well as exploring the use of script, scenario, soundscape and stereotypes, all ending with a short performance from Macbeth. Each lesson in this 6 lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities and links to creating a scene from Macbeth’s 3 witches, to aid students learning. Enjoy!

This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans are designed to introduce students to the different performance devices and explorative strategies, that can be used in performing and analysing a piece of text. In this set of lessons students will be looking at a scene that is cut up into lines, they need to reorder the lines of the scene. Analyse how the lines of a scene intentionally progress to build tension. They then use specific moments in the text creatively to form dramatic tension. They will then go on to decide which role they will take, discuss their text to establish character relationships and decide where and when the scene takes place. They will then rehearse their scene for assessment. For this scheme you can use any scene from any play. Enjoy! Lesson Objectives & Activities: Lesson 1: Reorder the lines of a scene. Analyse how the lines of a scene intentionally progress to build tension. Activities - Warm-up Listening, question and answer. Reorder scenes to make a narrative. Decision making. Use specific moments in the text creatively to form dramatic tension. Lesson 2: Decide which role they will take. Discuss their text to establish character relationships. Decide where and when the scene takes place. Discuss brecht vs naturalism Activities - Warm-up Listening, question and answer. Discussion & Decision making. Establish relationships, geography and chronology of the scene. Listening / practical. Lesson 3: To Construct their scene. Manipulate their scene. Rehearse their scene. Activities - Warm-up Listening and Question and Answer. Discussion, Q&A, Discussion of what props / set they may need. Practical rehearsal. Lesson 4: Rehearse their scene Perform to peers. Activities - Warm-up Performance of scenes to peers. Peer evaluation. Lesson 5: To rehearse their devised scene for assessment. Activities - Rehearsal of scenes. Peer evaluation. Lesson 6: To Perform their devised scene for assessment Activities - Performance of scenes to peers. Peer evaluation Teacher assessment. Decision making. Use specific moments in the text creatively to form dramatic tension.

This online full unit of work created for online or classroom based learning includes a 35 page / 6 lesson PowerPoint, which introduces students to: Melodrama as a genre Melodrama plots Mime Stock Characters Silent Film Writing a silent Melodrama Storyboard Writing & Perfoming a Monologue This can be used as a blended or online scheme of work, which could be used instead of or alongside our full practical scheme of work.

This online full unit of work created for online or classroom based learning includes a 41 page / 6 lesson PowerPoint, which introduces and develops students to: Characteristics Witch Wizard Pitch Voice Movement Facial Expression Posture Accent Soundscape Macbeth The three witches / weird sisters Script Spell Lighting Set This includes all resources that teachers can use with the students work to build up a picture of progress and tracking in Year 8 KS3 either as a classroom based, blended or virtual learning.

This online full unit of work created for online or classroom based learning includes a 32 page / 6 lesson PowerPoint, which introduces and develops students to: Character Traits Mythical characters Stereotypical characters Monologue / short story Tableau / Still image Thought track Using stimuli Storyboard Writing a duologue Flashback Interview Role Play Costume This includes all resources that teachers can use with the students work to build up a picture of progress and tracking in Year 8 KS3 either as a classroom based, blended or virtual learning.

This scheme of work and 6 lesson plans are designed to be used with ‘Forty short plays: Plays and sketches for the classroom which can be bought online but can be used with any set of short scripts, for example there are many free scripts available online also. The scheme encourages students to build upon their knowledge of creating a character by now thinking about using stage directions and taking own the perspective of the director. Included are also a sheet which highlights the role of the director and stage directions, as well as suggested scripts to use. Each lesson in this 6 lesson plan also includes a full break down of practical exercises and activities, to aid their students learning. Enjoy!

This worksheet is for students at home self-isolating who need to be working from home. There are a selection of 15 tasks based on different learning styles: written, oral and visual in relation to both directing and performing. Recommended for Year 7. Feel free to use it as you wish.

To display in your dance space, feel free to amend. Enjoy!

This worksheet can be used as a stand alone set of questions or alongside the full scheme of work on Masked Theatre. It has generic questions which could be used as a quiz or assessment after studying masked work.

This free worksheet can be used for thinking about analysing live theatre or students own work. It encourages students to think about: Verbal code Symbolic code Narrative Tension Natrualism / Non-naturalism Hope you enjoy!

This worksheet can be used as a stand alone written lesson for students studying ‘The Demon Headmaster’ or as part of our full scheme of work. Enjoy!

This resource introduces students of the ‘Brechtian’ technique and also includes exercises. Brecht’s plays had a strong political social function in seeking to promote a Marxists analysis of society. His purpose was not simply to show the world as it was but to change it into a better world for workers and other oppressed groups. Early in his career he wrote a series of plays called Lehrstucke or ‘learning plays’. The Lehrstucke offered very clear and unambiguous lessons to the audience and are an example of didactic theatre. The social function of didactic theatre is clearly educational, often political, rather than for amusement or entertainment.