My second draft of a Ballet & Contemporary theory focussed scheme of work for AS Level Dance. The scheme explores Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, Erick Hawkins/Release Technique and the origins of modern dance as well as touching upon a range of dance styles. This work will prepare students for studying A Level dance and taking the written paper in the summer. This is also relevant for the A2 paper. The PowerPoints link to each of the lessons and the videos are what I have used in class alongside the VHS Tapes/DVDs that I already have. Please comment, suggest ideas for improvement or point out anything I ought to include that I have missed. Thank you!

This presentation was created using information from the 'Bird Song Resource Pack' (NRCD) and 'The Dancing Times'. I usually get the students to create a very literal whole-class dance based on the starting points of 'Bird Song' while getting them to speak out loud as they perform using this presentation.

Resources for teaching NDT as part of the A Level Dance specification - the A2 Area of Study. Please let me know your thoughts on these resources giving feedback and points for improvement. I would love to see your resources for this area of study. Thanks. Hans van Manen, Jiri Kylian, Glen Tetley, Netherlands Dance Theatre, Nederlands Dance Theater, 1959 - 1999

Lesson including practical approaches to teaching the anatomy and physiology of the A Level Dance course. Covers flexion, extension, rotation, abduction, circumduction, adduction. Students create a dance in which they perform these actions and say the movement and the joint in which it takes place as they perform to the rest of the class. Please leave feedback or ideas for improvement. Thank you. Significance of dances. Understanding dance.

A Level AS A2 Dance. Theory written paper resources. Worksheets, activities & revision games. I used these resources in the summer term to prepare students for their exam. I should be very grateful for your feedback. Thanks!

Based on 'dreams and nightmares' this one hour one-off workshop draws on teaxt from &'Twilight&'; as a stimulus and Hans Zimmer's music from &'Inception&';. Students use unison, floorwork, low level transitions, push, pull, fall & support and assisted jump to create a character and communicate with the audience. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated. This could easily be adapted fro year eight classes all the way up to GCSE.

This is a Powerpoint Tutorial on the importance of the programme note. It provides points for discussion, gives guidance on how to write a programme note for solo and group choreographies and provides some basic examples. Please leave comments if this has helped you or for advice on how the tutorial might be improved. Many thanks.

This is a choreography task I have used with my year 11 GCSE Dance cohort to create a performance piece with them. The poem is 'At 3am' by Wendy Cope and was used in the A level Dance as a solo choreography question a few years ago.

My first draft of a Basic Composition Skills Scheme of Work for GCSE Dance. I am teaching this to my high ability Y9 GCSE Dance group. The scheme is particularly related to the unit 4 composition task, but uses a group (trio/quartet suggested) approach instead. The scheme explores motif and motif development through learning & developing extracts of 'Forest' by Robert Cohan, 'Revelations' by Alvin Ailey and 'A Christmas Carol' by Massimo Moricone. It incorporates contemporary, jazz and ballet technique as well as all three elements of performance, choreography é appreciation. The attached PowerPoint is an example of what I might use to present lesson 2 on developing the motif from 'Forest'. Please comment, suggest ideas for improvement or point out anything I ought to include that I have missed. Thank you!

An unofficial guide to the episodes of dance within Sutra (2008) by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Useful for A Level Dance's Optional Area of Study number 4 - The Independent Contemporary Dance Scene in Britain 2000 - current time.

My scond draft of an Enter Achilles Scheme of Work for GCSE Dance. This is a practice for the duo/group performance unit which also draws upon their analysis and choreographic skills. I am teaching this to my high ability Y9 GCSE Dance group. The scheme explores contact work, physical theatre, lifts, weight-sharing and transitions through creating a dance which has 3 clear links to 'Enter Achilles', but is actually based on peer pressure rather than pressure to be what is considered 'masculine'. It incorporates contemporary, jazz and ballet technique as well as all three elements of performance, choreography & appreciation. The attached PowerPoint is an example of what I might use to present lesson 9. Please comment, suggest ideas for improvement or point out anything I ought to include that I have missed. Thank you!

A resource for students that need to develop their skills in using the choreographic device ‘motif development.’ I used this for a 3-week virtual/remote project, however it could easily be adapted to be used in one-off workshop or lesson or extended to a 6-week scheme of learning with an assessment/peer-assessment task at the end. The resource is on a PDF document and the option to ‘copy’ the resource to an electronic Google Form for ease of use is available! Includes: Step by step instructions to learning the son’s solo motif highlighting action, spatial and dynamic content. It would be beneficial if you were also able to access the video of ‘Shadows’ by Christopher Bruce from the E-AQA website - the selected motif starts at 7 minutes. Link to an extract of Rutka Laskia’s diary from the Polish ghetto in 1943 which is used as a stimulus. Informative quiz which breaks down the choreographic device of ‘motif development’ into developments of action, spatial and dynamic content (as students should know them for the GCSE Dance written paper examination) along with definitions and examples. The quiz asks students to select the ‘motif development’ devices that they think are appropriate for their solo. Suggestions for aural settings. Visuals throughout the resource to support students’ understanding of the choreographic device ‘motif development.’ Nb. When I assessed this, I graded students on: a) Choreographic device of ‘motif development.’ /8 b) Choreographic devices of contrast highlight and climax. /8 c) Structuring devices and form /8 d) Spatial content /8 GCSE Dance Specification E-AQA is available to teachers in registered UK schools. Alternatively, you can purchase Phoenix Dance Theatre’s digital resource pack through their Learning and Participation department. I strongly recommend booking a workshop with Phoenix Dance Theatre. Their youth/education dance practitioners, in my experience, have an excellent understanding of the ‘Shadows’ repertoire and are highly engaging teachers! Please give feedback and feel free to ask any questions about delivery of these activities! Good luck!

An ambitious cross-curricular scheme of work using war poetry by Siegfried Sassoon and Kate Tempest, and photographs from the Imperial War Museum collection as stimuli to create an episodic performance work for assessment. Includes PowerPoint presentations, visual worksheets that can be printed out or used digitally in class, optional homework tasks and music to accompany performances. Great for encouraging students to develop a physical theatre style or for working with realism, improvisation and writing for performance. A series of six lessons which can be augmented or diminished to suit your curriculum delivery. The scheme can also be adapted into a series of stand-alone workshops. Materials can also be adapted for use with students in KS4 and KS5, or across across other Performing Arts disciplines including Dance. https://twitter.com/becky_smithson

My first draft of a Ballet & Contemporary practical focussed scheme of work for AS Level Dance. The scheme explores Cunningham, Graham and Release Technique and steps towards successful choreography. I have taken some ideas for this scheme from the dance matters resources published by the NDTA. I have also relied upon 'Dance Composition' by Jackie Smith-Autard for choreography class ideas. This work will prepare students for studying A Level dance and taking the practical coursework in the summer. The resources link to the choreography tasks. Please comment, suggest ideas for improvement or point out anything I ought to include that I have missed. Thank you!

GCSE Performing Arts (Double Award) Unit 4 Designs for the Chosen Commission. This is a research task for the 2011 commission on the theme of 'Separation'. Students use the websites/printouts to develop their understanding of the rural and community touring scheme. The scheme used as an example is one in North Yorkshire. There are links to resources from the National Rural Touring Forum and the student notes from the AQA website.

This is a peer assessment to be used when working on Unit 4 Part B - the solo performance in the style of a specific practitioner. The sheet could also be used for self-assessment after watching a video of themselves perform. Please leave comments and advice for how this resource could be improved. Many thanks,

CandoCo Dance Company toured 'The Stepfather' in 2007/2008. Our students loved the piece and I made this resource to support their study of it. I believe the DVD of the piece will be available soon for those of you who missed out.

Handout detailing facts and key components of action, spcae, dynamic and relationships in 'And Who Shall Go To The Ball?&' by Rafael Bonachela, a work on the GCSE Dance specification. Also contains descriptions of set, lighting and costume design drawn from reviews of the show. Please leave feedback if able. Many thanks.

This is a unit 42301 mock exam adapted from past papers. The focus is on dance for camera and safe practice - personal care and safety in the dance space. Please leave comments and points for improvement. Many thanks.

A lesson plan and resources for building students' energy and dynamic emphasis in performance. The lesson can be adapted easily - this group looked at the 'Now Nothing' section of 'Still Life at The Penguin Café' (Rainforest People). The lesson includes a match up activity, guess the dynamic game, individual reflection, paired peer assessment and finishes with a simple quiz. Created for GCSE Dance, though could also be adapted for KS3 and lower ability A Level. Choreographer is David Bintley and Company is Birmingham Royal Ballet.