Dance

BTEC Technical Award in Performing Arts

How does the course work?

The course is made up of three components: two that are internally assessed and one that’s externally assessed. The three-block structure, explore, develop and apply, has been developed to allow students to build on and embed their knowledge. This allows them to grow in confidence and then put into practice what they have learned.

Component 1 Exploring the Performing Arts

Aim: get a taste of what it’s like to be a professional actor, dancer or musical theatre performer. Assessment: internally assessed assignments

Weighting: 30% of total course

During Component 1, students will:

• explore performance styles, creative intentions and purpose
• investigate how practitioners create and influence what’s performed
• discover performance roles, skills, techniques and processes.

Component 2 Developing Skills and Techniques in the Performing Arts

Aim: develop skills and techniques in the chosen discipline(s) of acting, dance and musical theatre. Assessment: internally assessed assignments

Weighting: 30% of total course

During Component 2, students will:

• take part in workshops, classes and rehearsals
• gain physical, interpretative, vocal and rehearsal skills
• apply these skills in performance
• reflect on their progress, their performance and how they could improve

Component 3 Performing to a Brief

Aim: consider how practitioners adapt their skills for different contexts, and put this into practice in a performance. Assessment: externally assessed task, where students work in groups of between 3 and 7 members to create a performance based on a set brief.

Weighting: 40% of total course

To achieve this aim, students will:

• use the brief and previous learnings to come up with ideas
• build on their skills in classes, workshops and rehearsals
• review the process using an ideas and skills log
• perform a piece to their chosen audience
• reflect on their performance in an evaluation report.