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Ivybridge Community College

Ivybridge Community College

Dance

Our prime purpose is to provide the highest quality of education, core skills and preparation for life in a stimulating and exciting environment.

The Dance Department is committed to equality of opportunity for all students in gaining access to the Arts.  The provision of a good and balanced curriculum is central to our philosophy.  The Department aims to work collaboratively between all areas of the Arts, and with community partnerships, to provide a wide variety of opportunities making the best use of the resources available.

The Department believes that the Arts have a significant part to play in the personal development of all students.  Dance contributes significantly to achieving the 8 best subjects for students and to facilitate greater community cohesion.  In addition, Dance aims to play a central role in improving Teaching and Learning at the College and in raising standards.

 

Subject Benefit

To develop students academically, vocationally, socially, physically and morally.  Also to promote independence, co-operation, responsibility and creativity in young people with a lifelong interest and ability in learning and the Arts.  Dance offers young people a wide range of psychological and emotional benefits, including artistic and aesthetic understanding, cultural awareness, health and well-being, different modes of learning and a range of life skills.

Dance is a creative activity that uses the body, with imagination in its creating, performing and appreciating.  It complements other forms of intelligence and provides a vehicle for young people to physically express and communicate their ideas, identity and culture, and their understanding about themselves, others and the society in which they live.  The Department believes that anyone con enjoy Dance regardless of their gender, age or background, whether they are disabled or non-disabled, whatever their shape and size, and whether or not they have danced before.  We believe that Dance plays a key part in today’s culture.

Dance can be lyrical, narrative, dramatic and poetic; it makes connections within and across art forms, cultures, ages and other boundaries; it develops team work, creative and reflective thinking skills; it provides a means of expressing identity and develops an understanding of other identities.

 

Aims

  • To instil on understanding of a core artistic discipline and communicating with others
  • Provide a variety of kinaesthetic, physical, spatial and visual awareness and literacy opportunities
  • To integrate the processes of performing, making, observing and appreciating
  • To collaborate with other art forms
  • Guide students to make informed and critical judgements
  • To foster creative thought and action
  • To promote on appreciation of diversity in cultures, cultured values and traditions
  • To develop a responsible attitude to health and well-being
  • To foster confidence and self-esteem
  • To encourage communication and negotiation skills; experience in giving and taking feedback
  • To develop skills in working with others and in building consensus to achieve goals
  • Ability to respond creatively to challenges; to generate innovative ideas
  • To help access funding for students who require financial support
  • To provide a curriculum that offers breadth, choice and depth in arts provision
  • To ensure that talented students are challenged and extended
  • To give all dance students the opportunity to show work or take part in a performance at least once a year
  • To present dance work to parents and the wider community of least once a year
  • To give all students the opportunity to work alongside a professional artist at least once a year
  • To involve the Arts subjects in leading on innovative Teaching and Learning
  • To foster cross-curricular links between Dance and other subjects

     

Dance Staff

We are very successful classroom practitioners who work well as a team, while offering students individual, creative and varied teaching styles.   Every member of staff is committed to helping students to achieve the very best that they can and this is reflected in our results.

The teaching staff includes:

  • Head of Performing Arts – Mrs Helen Reddy
  • Teacher in charge of A Level Dance – Mrs Natalie Gardiner
  • Teacher in charge of BTEC Performing Arts – Mrs Rachel Long
  • Teacher in charge of GCSE Dance – Mrs Helen Reddy
  • Teachers of Dance – Mrs Natalie Gardiner, Mrs Wilson and Miss Hannah Mattinson

 

Facilities

The Department has the following facilities:

  • Drama studio fully equipped with technical facilities
  • Performance hall with an open-plan stage fully equipped with technical facilities. The hall is the focal point of College concerts and presentations
  • Two Performing Arts studios with mirrors and a sound system
  • Gymnasium with mirrors and sound system
  • Dance Classroom (C309) with white board
  • Performing Arts ICT Suite

 

Curriculum Organisation and Courses

Central to the Department is an ethos of team-work and collaboration. We aim to deliver a creative, supportive, professional environment in which to study, research and learn.

The curriculum comprises of:

  • KS3 Dance
  • GCSE Dance
  • RSL Dance (Level 2 and 3)
  • A Level Dance
  • BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts (equivalent to one or two A Levels)

The Department’s staff are renowned for their dedication to an extensive programme of lunchtime and after-school activities, which enables the College to run sparkling music concerts, Performing Arts shows, highly acclaimed musicals, dance shows and other exceptional College productions.

 

Community Links

The learning community of the Department is supported and enhanced through access to a variety of innovative professional programmes of activity including:

  • Exeter University
  • Plymouth University
  • The Barbican Theatre
  • The Theatre Royal
  • Primary partner schools
  • Ballare Dance School