Skip to content ↓
Ivybridge Community College

Ivybridge Community College

Dance

Please note: if you are viewing this page on a mobile phone, you may need to view in Landscape in order to view all of the content.

Welcome to the Dance Department at Ivybridge Community College.

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

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 can 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.

--------

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:

University of Exeter

University of Plymouth

The Barbican Theatre, Plymouth

Theatre Royal, Plymouth

Partner Primary Schools

Ballare Dance School