Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts

Curriculum Term Plan

Subject: Contemporary Dance Sophie Nüzel Level: 1 TERM:WINTER 2013-SUMMER 2014 HEAD OF DEPARTMENT:- NOREEN BANKS

Teaching and Learning Specific Skills Success Criterion / Learning Outcomes

Introduction to Release Technique

Skeletal Alignment

Muscle Relaxation Relaxation of pelvis Relaxation of individual muscle groups Awareness of tension and release

Use of weight to shift body Use of plie Use of momentum Use of suspension and gravity Use of fall and recovery

Effort and Energy Control of energy Intensity of weight, effort and force Awareness of weight and weight

transfer Use of breath

Musicality and Rhythm

Precision of movement Use of various rhythms including ‘non-

conventional rhythms’, ie 5, 7 9 and 12 Quality of movement Dynamics, use of phrasing

Floor Work Introduction to safe floor practice

Basic introduction to human anatomy, particularly focussing on spinal anatomy

Creating awareness of range of movements different joint and body parts are able to execute through basic twisting, turning in and out, flexing, bending and stretching movements Learn how to tense and release individual muscle group to enable dancer to isolate different muscle groupsCreate awareness of where movement startsUnderstanding of effort needed to move individual muscle groups

Understanding difference between muscular power and weight transfer to move around space

Learn to use deep plie to create momentum within movement phrases

Understand gravity and efficient use of it to create flow of movementUnderstand gravitiy and efficient use of it to use weight to shift body

Understanding of release technique

Understanding of own body and ability to self correct own posture

Ability to relax, tense and release

Ability to use weight to move body across space

Full control of weight, awareness of how much force is needed to execute movement

Use of breath to enhance movement and movement quality

Ability to move quickly and efficiently

Ability to create flow within movement

Musical dancer that is able to work with a variety of musical phrasings

Mental flexibility to adapt to a variety of musical structures

Ability to execute movement with dynamic quality

Going in and out of the floor using correct methods

Hand and core placement to enable dancer to move smoothly across the floor

Strength Strengthening, particularly core, biceps and

tripces to support release technique and floor work

Use of space Awareness of Kinesphere as well as

general space Spatial Awareness Use of different levels Focus

Structure of Class

Warm UpBreathing exercises including circular breathing, breathing to engage core muscles, breathing to relax and breathing to initiate movementAlignment exercises - sitting, lying and standing, focussing on gravity and weight, pulling into the floor, correct alignment in parallel, 1st and 2nd, turn out in parallel, 1st and 2nd

Strengthening Exercises including Sit – Ups and Push Ups

Centre Exercises

Plie in parallel, 1st and 2nd, incorporating going in and out of the floor to introduce safe floor work

Upper Body exercises including use of contract and release, twist, spiral, arch

Foot Exercises including brushes, pick ups,

Safe floor practiceAbility to go in and out of the floor safelyCorrect placement of handsUse of core muscles to enable smooth and clean movement executionStrength particularly of biceps and triceps to hold and shift weight across floor

Strong core that allows fluid movement of extremitiesStrong arm muscles to allow safe floor practiceStrengthened posture and body that will minimise injury and allow better control of any movement

Ability to quickly pick up and retain complex movement material including change of directions and use of different levels

Use of eyeline and therefore use of head in movement sequences that use 360 degrees in space

Focussed and concentrated dancer that is able to take on corrections, put them into practice and is willing to input into his overall learning

tendues, grand battements, developpes, envelopes, rise and overall articulation of feet

Floor Exercises leg swings, star exercises and spinal rolls Slides, glides and rollsJumps such as flying starfish and flying squirrelPush Up Rolls and Variations ofGathering and Collecting, using flying low methods

Travelling and further centre exercises

Swings – forward, sideways, with and without use of legs, travelling and without travelling

Quick changes of directions and different musical phrasing to challenge dancers

Turns and Spins on different levels and in different shapes using gravbity and momentum as well as muscular force

Simple travel exercises using weight to shift across the space

Complex travel exercises using a variety of different movement material ie swings, jumps, turns, spins etcJumps

Jumps in parallel, 1st and 2nd

Jumps shifting across the space

Different jump combinations on spot as well as travelling across space using1-11-22-22-11-2

Quick changes of directions and use of upper body (ie tilt, curve/ spiral)