1. A-level Dance
Course structure

2. Component 1: Performance & Choreography
Solo performance linked to a specific practitioner within an area of study
Performance in a quartet
Group Choreography
80 marks
50% of the A-level

3. Component 2: Critical Engagement
One compulsory set work within the compulsory area of study
One optional set work within the corresponding area of study from a choice of four
100 marks
50% of the A-level

4. Compulsory set work and area of study
Rooster by Christopher Bruce (1991)
Rambert Dance Company
You will study:
Constituent features of Rooster, as well as the themes/form/ approach and origins.
You will also study similarities & differences between Rooster and other Bruce pieces.

5. Compulsory set work and area of study
Rambert
The development of Rambert through the decades under different artistic directors.
Two practitioners from Rambert and two works by each one (Richard Alston & Robert North)
The importance of these practitioners in relation to Rambert

6. Optional set works and areas of study

7. Optional set works and areas of study
Independent contemporary dance scene in Britain now
Two practitioners from the scene and two works by each one (Khan/Bourne/Shechter)
The importance of these practitioners in relation to the scene

8. Solo & Quartet
These can be in any style of genre from the set area and optional areas of study
In the style of Bruce, Alston, Larbi, Bourne OR a jazz piece based on Fosse.

9. Let’s watch…
Rooster
Sutra
Fosse
Bourne

10. Summer Research
DANCE
Ballet and Modern Dance by Susan Au (specifically Chapter 9 onwards)
Fifty Contemporary Choreographers Edited by Martha Bremser
(specifically chapters on: Richard Alston, Matthew Bourne, Trisha Brown, Christopher Bruce, Robert Cohan, Merce Cunningham, Robert North, Glen Tetley)
Watch as many videos online/BBC4/Sky Arts as you can on the choreographers mentioned in Fifty Contemporary Choreographers, as well as Martha Graham, Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Christopher Bruce and Rambert have a large weighting on the written paper so absorb as much of their work and biography as you can.
Useful websites:
- Four Bruce videos to watch
Watch as many live dance performances as you can amateur or professional, in order to understand the requirements of performance and what makes a good performance.