Early Stages

 

Singing

Learn how to

  • Pitch match to another singing voice

  • Sing with a confident sound

  • Use posture to support a good sound

  • Sing with expression

Dancing

Learn how to

  • Use basic dance steps and moves (e.g. heel/toe, skipping) in corner work and group dance

  • Link a series of steps together to produce a dance sequence

  • Maintain a steady pulse when dancing to a sound track

  • Explore own movement to given stimuli

Acting

Learn how to

  • Participate in the storytelling process and follow direction
  • Explore story, theme and character through imaginative role-play

  • Improvise and experiment with voice and language, playing with words, sounds and intonation

  • Begin to use body language to communicate character and emotion

Performance and Stagecraft Skills

Learn how to

  • Understand the basic areas of the stage (upstage, downstage etc)
  • Manage the use of wings, as entrance and exit points

  • Perform a short musical theatre piece combining basic singing, dancing and acting skills

Life Skills

Students will develop

  • Turn taking

  • Teamwork

  • Listening skills

  • Speaking confidently

  • Empathy

 

 

Main Stages 1

 

Singing

Learn how to

  • Accurately pitch match to another singing voice

  • Develop good breath control and posture to support the singing voice and to produce a good tone

  • Sing in an appropriate style for different repertoire

  • Sing simple harmonies

  • Experiment with creating own melody lines

Dancing

Learn how to

  • Show greater accuracy in dance steps and use of basic dance terminology

  • Control coordination when moving to a regular pulse and when linking steps together in a dance sequence

  • Show awareness of other dancers in ensemble work

  • Create own choreographed movements to a given stimuli

Acting

Learn how to

  • Engage creatively in storytelling with others

  • Develop a theme, character or story through solo improvisation or in a group

  • Explore the use of voice to demonstrate awareness of characterisation with projection and diction
  • Use movement and body language in the creation of a role/character

  • Begin to work with scripts (with support), understanding the style and content

Performance and Stagecraft Skills

Learn how to

  • Find their ‘light’ on stage

  • Keep in time both vocally and with movement to live or recorded music

  • Manage costume/props appropriately and let it inform how it makes their character feel

  • Perform musical theatre work combining relevant singing, dancing and acting skills with some competency

  • Show some awareness of audience and begin to be able to communicate with other performers

Life Skills

Students will develop

  • Building relationships

  • Making group decisions

  • Confidence in contributing ideas and opinions

  • Readiness to work (bringing kit bag)

 

 

Main Stages 2

 

Singing

Learn how to

  • Accurately pitch match to a range of musical stimuli

  • Apply breath control to support extended pitch range

  • Sing group and solo songs with a confident sound and accuracy in pitch and rhythm

  • Sing more complex harmonies

  • Experiment with composing melody and lyrics

Dancing

Learn how to

  • Apply learned technique to a wider range of dance styles and performance

  • Control body alignment to support balance

  • Respond to, and show awareness of changes in dance style and tempo

  • Show a wider understanding of dance terminology

  • Work collaboratively in a group to create choreography for performance

Acting

Learn how to

  • Maintain a character / role showing commitment and imagination

  • Improvise and show an understanding of the dramatic potential of plot/character/theme

  • Develop vocal skills and use of movement (pace, pause, pitch, tone, articulation and projection)

  • Explore a range of different performance styles and techniques

  • Work with scripts, showing an understanding of plot and character with some knowledge of form and structure

Performance and Stagecraft Skills

Learn how to

  • Find ‘light’ and begin to understand stage lighting

  • Understand microphone technique and that it is there to enhance their voice and not replace it

  • Use costume/props in rehearsals and take responsibility for them

  • Annotate script with direction notes across all three disciplines (using a pencil)

  • Demonstrate an understanding of blocking, where they need to be and how it impacts the overall production

  • Perform musical theatre work combining relevant singing, dancing and acting skills competently

  • Show an awareness of audience and communicate effectively in performance

Life Skills

Students will develop

  • Knowing when it is best to speak and best to listen

  • Develop reflective thinking skills

  • Peer support and seeking peer support

  • How to receive and value the opinions of others

  • Time management

 

 

Main Stages 3

 

Singing

Learn how to

  • Accurately pitch match to another music al sound and to changes in key

  • Control breath to support an even tone when moving from  head  to chest voice

  • Experiment with more challenging solo and ensemble repertoire

  • Apply a range of vocal technique to support singing in different styles and genres and in own composition

  • Balance vocal sound when singing solo and in an ensemble to give a polished performance

Dancing

Learn how to

  • Apply technique and gesture to perform more complex dance styles and movements

  • Control balance and body alignment to support solo, pair and group performance

  • Use dance space effectively in solo and ensemble performance

  • Devise own choreographed repertoire and deliver a polished and convincing performance using different genres of dance and music

Acting

Learn how to

  • Demonstrate the creation of a role/character with complete commitment and imagination

  • Improvise with confidence, showing appreciation the dramatic potential of the plot/character/theme

  • Demonstrate vocal skills and use of movement with flair (pace, pause, pitch, tone, articulation and projection)

  • Demonstrate a depth of understanding in performance across a range of styles and techniques

  • Work with scripts, understanding plot, context, character, form and structure

Performance and Stagecraft Skills

Learn how to

  • Understand how to work with lighting (finding light and beginning to hit marks for lighting)

  • Deploy competent microphone technique

  • Work costume/props into rehearsals

  • Be able to work with sets/levels as part of rehearsal process

  • Be able to annotate script with detailed direction notes, vocal notes and update any cuts that may have been made in rehearsal

  • Perform musical theatre work combining relevant singing, dancing and acting skills with competency and
    confidence, communicating the creative intentions of the musical theatre piece

  • Communicate effectively with other performers and audience members

Life Skills

Students will develop

  • Develop independent learning skills such as making informed choices and knowing where to seek more information

  • Knowing and respecting team inclusion

  • Actively volunteering for extra responsibility in group work

 

 

Further Stages

 

Singing

Learn how to

  • Sing with confidence and accuracy in a range of styles and performance environments

  • Balance vocal projection and tone in different performance spaces

  • Develop good microphone technique

  • Employ facial and body gesture to support a high quality performance

  • Deliver and effective performance through balance and control when using vibrato

  • Compose own melodic and harmony parts for solo and group performance

  • Support other singers on stage and in rehearsal

  • Take the lead when required

  • Reflect upon own and group performance to make improvements

Dancing

Learn how to

  • Dance with accuracy and attention to detail to deliver a polished performance; e.g. refined movement/gesture of arms, hands, fingers

  • Develop core strength to support challenging and complex repertoire

  • Devise own dance choreography for solo and ensemble performance

  • Use improvisation effectively  and respond creatively when working with other dance practitioners

  • Reflect upon own and group performance to make improvements

Acting

Learn how to

  • Adapt character, performance and vocal delivery for different media/text; e.g. film, theatre, TV, radio

  • Deliver lines with awareness of accuracy in timing, and expression in voice, body and gesture

  • Take constructive direction from others and offer feedback/direction to others

  • Take on other roles in theatre arts; e.g. directing, staging, costume, technical support, sound & lighting

  • Use performance space creatively and effectively in solo and ensemble roles

  • Experiment and develop ideas through rehearsal and the devising process

  • Reflect upon own and group performance to make improvements

Performance and Stagecraft Skills

Learn how to

  • Demonstrate full awareness of lighting (not only finding light, but hitting marks for lighting)

  • Use microphones with skill and understanding in all productions

  • Develop the use of props in rehearsals

  • Use the dress rehearsal to ensure that costumes are suitable and that they feel comfortable in them

  • Adapt and work with sets and staging

  • Annotate a work book to encompass all direction notes, including any cuts made (in rehearsal it should be seen as a ‘guide’ and updated each time a change is made)

  • Perform musical theatre work combining relevant singing, dancing and acting skills with creative energy and imagination to fully communicate the intentions of the musical theatre work

  • Demonstrate a rapport with other performers on stage and communicate with flair to audience members

Life Skills

Students will develop

  • Skills needed to prepare for auditions and/or interviews

  • Awareness of own talent, strengths and potential for development

  • Knowledge of how to identify opportunities to gain greater exposure to the performing arts industry and professional standards

  • An ability to work under pressure

  • Adaptibility

  • Leadership Skills