BTEC National Award Dance

BTEC National Award Dance
The course is designed to enable you to:

• Understand the process of preparing material for performance
• Fulfil the role of performer and present material to an audience
• Apply physical, interpretative and stylistic qualities to a variety of social, popular and formal dance styles
• Understand how to analyse, interpret and evaluate dance works
• Reproduce dance repertoire as well as creating own dances
• Focus on the improvement of specific techniques such as Contemporary Dance, Jazz Dance and Classical Ballet
• Understand compositional structure and devices in the creation of dance works

Is it for me?
The course suits those who have an interest in dance, enjoy, choreography, creating movement & dance and enjoy performing. This course is taken over 2 years, is equivalent to 1 A level and assessment is practically based.
What's involved?
Performing to an Audience
This is a core unit and gives you the opportunity to undertake, prepare and perform a role as part of a Performing Arts Company presenting work to an audience. Therefore in the 2nd Year of the course you will form a Dance Company called 'Brink On Tour' which tours local and partner schools providing shows and accompanying workshops. You will need to interpret performance material, demonstrate competent performance skills and communicate meaning to an audience by applying performance skills, in order to achieve this unit.
Dance Appreciation
This is a core unit in which you will view examples of choreography from a wide range of genres and styles and will also reconstruct short extracts from those professional works. Both activities may be used to inform creativity and choreography by extending movement vocabulary which can then be developed in new and original ways. You will also be guided through a system of analysis which will provide a framework to help understand what is actually seen when dance is viewed. This allows for an informed interpretation and evaluation of dance from past and present repertoire.
Jazz Dance
This unit allows you to develop a good understanding of the style by focusing on correct technique and performance skills. They will focus on the key features and stylistic qualities needed to make this style of dance look precise and effortless.
Choreographic Principles
You will be guided through the theoretical aspects of the principles of choreography and taught how to apply them practically. You will be encouraged to explore their creativity and experiment with a range of dance styles, techniques and movement vocabulary, and will be required to evaluate their work during and after the process.
Developing Contemporary Dance
Foucus on the contemporary dance technique devloped by Martha Graham, one of the key figures of modern dance. Her technique, or style of dancing, developed from her choreography over a period of time.
Dance Performance
In this unit you will have the opportunity of learning and performing other styles of dance with an emphasis on the application of interpretative and stylistic qualities which are unique to each dance style.
Developing Classical Ballet Techniques
This unit introduces the essentials of ballet technique, development of strength and suppleness, and the way in which dancers move.
Progression
You could continue your studies to degree level, join a specialist Drama or Dance College or seek employment within the industry.