The internationally celebrated dance company BalletBoyz have launched MoovBank, a brand new site housing filmed lessons, interviews and rehearsal footage to support specialist and non-specialist teachers deliver dance at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 to students aged 7 – 18. The free and premium content has been specifically created to aid the teaching of dance as part of the national curriculum, from lesson inspiration to full lesson plans for PE teachers required to deliver dance with little experience or background in the genre. The bespoke content is also available for teachers delivering BTEC, GCSE and A Level Dance. MoovBank will launch in July, ready for use in schools from September 2016.
Filmed in class with dancers from the Company the digital lessons will enable teachers to deliver a selection of creative and choreographic tasks to their groups with a focus on Creativity at KS2, Contact Work at KS3 and Choreography at KS4. Lessons offer clear, detailed breakdowns of each movement task plus demos, teaching tips and inspiration clips. Each filmed lesson is also accompanied by a detailed lesson plan with learning outcomes, cross curricula links and suggestions for differentiation; all designed to make planning and delivery simple and straight forward.
The lessons are designed to increase physical activity and creativity, as well as help pupils build trust, work together as a team and problem solve through movement. Teachers and pupils will be able to watch demonstrations performed by the Company, alongside inspirational clips of their stage performances whilst gaining access to behind the scenes rehearsal footage and interviews with choreographers. Lessons will be accompanied by a selection of contextual videos that introduce the Company dancers and BalletBoyz Artistic Directors, Michael Nunn OBE and William Trevitt OBE. MoovBank will also feature a regular schedule of live streamed events from the Company’s studio in Kingston including masterclasses with the dancers, studio rehearsals and teacher Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities.
‘The provision for dance at Allerton High school was quite poor as we are lacking specialist dance teachers. Moovbank has enabled non-specialists to deliver a high quality scheme of work with confidence’ Janet Sammon, Allerton High School Leeds
“My year 9 drama students absolutely loved the lesson and produced some really brilliant stuff… It knocked my socks off how good they were and how enthusiastic and confident they were with the moves” Karen Lambert, Isca College Exeter
The Key Stage 2 resource features 5 filmed lessons that guide teachers and students through a selection of creative tasks to generate new and unique movement that can then be assembled to form a short piece. These lessons are themed, based on the City, technology, the sea, jungle and desert with cross-curricula links to geography and technology. The fun, engaging lessons have been tested with a class of year 8 and 9 year olds with successful results.
The Key Stage 3 resource focuses on Contact work and guides teachers and students through a series of tasks to develop contact work with the floor and a partner. Tasks include lifting, counterbalance and travelling floor based movement with clear links to and examples of the Company’s repertoire. Students also have the opportunity to assemble tasks learned to create their own short piece of choreography. This resource develops team work, trust, problem solving, the ability to work independently and in pairs and promotes healthy and safe physical contact between both male and female pupils.
The Key Stage 4 resource focuses on the development of dancers and artists at BTEC, GCSE, A level and even first year undergraduate students. Lessons guide students through a wide range of choreographic and improvisation based tasks and techniques to help generate, develop and structure movement. BalletBoyz repertoire and insightful interviews with leading choreographers are referenced for context and advice.
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