Dance

The Wildern Dance Department is staffed by a team of passionate, committed and enthusiastic Teachers who endeavour to make Dance accessible and exciting for all students. Students not only develop their physical, expressive and choreographic skills but benefit from a focus on independence, discipline and pride.

In Year 7 and 8 students study high quality performance, choreographic and analytical skills through the exciting themes of:

• Poetry in Motion
• Still Life at the Penguin Café 
• World Dance
• Superheroes
• Capoeira
• Why do you laugh at me
• The Car Man
• Emancipation of Expressionism

Through studying a range of different Dance styles students are able to develop their knowledge of a range of actions, space, dynamic and relationships as well as cross curricular links with English, Geography, History and Science. 

Students are assessed through the Wildern Steps on their practical and theory work throughout each term.

Students opting for GCSE Dance experience an exhilarating course exploring physical, choreographic, expressive and analytical skills. Students look at a range of Professional Dance Works that showcase Contemporary Dance right through to Samba style. GCSE Dance students have the opportunity to choreograph a 3 minute group composition, perform in a duet/trio including contact work and perform 2 set solo phrases. At the end of Year 11 students complete a written paper that allows them to showcase their knowledge of the 6 diverse Dance works they have studied, along with the knowledge of performance and choreographic skills.  

Links with local colleges, theatres, universities and dance companies allow students the opportunity to experience careers, performance and education opportunities in the wider world of Dance. We have strong links with the University of Winchester and The University of Chichester and attend taster days and practical workshops with D@win Dance Company.

The Department offers an extensive range of weekly extracurricular activities including Year 7 Dance Club, Year 8 Dance Club, Junior Bare Roots Dance Company, Senior Bare Roots Dance Company, Dynamism Dance Company and DanceLive! . Each year 3 Dance Showcases are held in the Autumn, Spring and Summer term. The Dance Showcases are held in The spectacular Berry Theatre with tiered seating, a full lighting rig and sound box.

The Dance Department delights in having two purpose built dance studios with sprung floors, full length mirrors and excellent sound systems. The professional studio environment helps to enhance and promote a strong performance atmosphere.

Throughout the year the Dance Department organise many visits to local theatres such as The Point and The Mayflower as well as additional performance opportunities at a variety of venues.