Dance
“We don’t just teach dance, we educate through dance. We like to set trends, not follow them.”
Whilst we offer formal training, examinations and official qualifications, dance at the school focuses on health and wellbeing from Years 3 to 13. The life skills girls acquire through being part of the dance team, such as confidence, communication and collaboration, are intrinsic to our work.
We are a dynamic, innovative department which believes dance is for everyone. Consequently, Monmouth School for Girls has a large, exciting and vibrant dance community. Hundreds of girls share a love of movement and the friendships made through dance often last a lifetime. Dance fills you with confidence, keeps you fit and allows you to express yourself in many different ways. The school’s network of dancers contains countless ex-pupils who still dance for pleasure and wellbeing; while a number have gone on to make dance their profession. This is because we offer superb tuition, for all ages and abilities, in a full range of dance styles.
Our projects and performances always involve cross-curricular elements so girls learn more about the world and broaden their horizons through the medium of dance. Dancers learn to choreograph their own routines – they are constantly part of the creative process. Our pupils don’t just memorise steps, they learn how to produce a dance from beginning to end. We also encourage diversity of dance styles and an open approach. Our subject matters are wide and varied, from the Easter story to German history and language.
Dance Qualifications and Certificates
THE LABAN GUILD
Laban Guild Certificate; Foundation Course in Community Dance
INTERNATIONAL DANCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (IDTA)
The International Dance Teachers’ Association is one of the world’s largest dance examination boards, covering the full spectrum of dance examinations on a global scale. The Association celebrated its centenary in 2003 and is one of only 20 awarding organisations of graded standards that meets all the requirements of the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual).
Performance Awards:
Girls of all ages and abilities have the opportunities to take performance awards in our breadth of modern genres and creative styles in addition to the traditional graded examinations in ballet, tap and modern jazz.
Graded qualifications:
Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz, Theatre Craft, Ballroom, Latin, Classical Sequence and Freestyle
The following IDTA graded and vocational graded qualifications are recognised by Ofqual and also appear on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). IDTA vocational graded examinations at Level 3 in the QCF framework also attract the same UCAS Tariff points as other organisations.
Grade | QCF | QCF Award/ | QCF credits |
Level | Certificate/Diploma | ||
1 | 1 | Award | 7 |
2 | 1 | Award | 7 |
3 | 1 | Award | 7 |
4 | 2 | Award | 10 |
5 | 2 | Award | 10 |
6 (ballet only) | 3 | Certificate | 13 |
Vocational graded qualifications:
Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz, Theatre Craft
Grade |
QCF |
QCF Award/ |
QCF credits |
Intermediate |
3 |
Certificate |
28 |
Advanced 1 |
4 |
Certificate |
33 |
Advanced 2 |
4 |
Diploma |
38 |