Outline of Course
This course enables students to explore dance's fundamental elements (body, time, energy, space, and relationships) and delve into movement, choreography, and presenting their dance sequences. They also get to experience diverse styles while creating, filming, and editing a group dance film.
Students will explore dance in greater depth through tasks and activities with a focus on choreography and performance. Students will view, respond to and understand a range of dance styles from a variety of cultures and contexts covering social, ethnic and theatre dance. They will explore and learn styles that could include Contemporary, Hula, Jazz, Hip Hop, Disco and African dance. Through this exploration of performance, choreography and technology, they will develop an understanding of dance vocabulary and learn to describe dance movements and intentions. They will experience how dance can be adapted from a live performance to dance on film.
Unit 1 -Performance Unit
All genres of dance can be sorted into three main categories, Ethnic, Social and Theatre Dance. In this Unit, students will learn repertoire from each of these categories. They will partake in physical sessions including workshops from guest choreographers and are given opportunities for performance.
Unit 2 - Group Presentation
In groups, students will immerse themselves in a genre of their choice, followed by crafting a captivating presentation to showcase understanding of the selected genre. The presentation will encompass a physical demonstration, highlighting their chosen style of dance.
Unit 3 - Dance Film
The purpose of this Unit is to experience how dance can be adapted from live performance to dance on film. Students will have the opportunity to create, film and star in their own Music Video.
Outline of Course
Theatre provides opportunities to focus on creativity, share ideas, problem solve, analyse text and build confidence. During this course, students will develop knowledge about how to create, design, direct and perform theatre. Through working collaboratively students will reflect on their place in the world as well as the vital contribution that Theatre makes to their individual, social and cultural identity.
Unit 1 - Playing with Convention
Throughout this Unit, students will be exposed to different theatrical styles and devising companies, broadening their understanding of how different conventions can create the style of a performance. Students will be given multiple stimuli across the Unit for them to experiment with before the final assessment where they can select a stimulus of their choice to devise an original piece of theatre.
Unit 2 - Page to Stage
Students will explore the play Chaos by Laura Lomas, transforming the words into actions and meaning through the staging of a section of the play. As a group, students will direct, perform and create a concept/intention for their audience and each will take on an individual production role. In this role they will have to design and plan a presentation evaluating how their designs within their chosen production element (set, lighting, sound, costume, set or directing) meets the concept of their selected scenes.
Outline of Course
In this course, students write songs, perform in bands, compose using music technology, and research popular music. Connecting local and global contexts, they develop technical skills through digital tools and live performance opportunities, exploring music theory, analysis, and production while discovering how music shapes cultural identity.
Unit 1 – Contemporary Artist
Working from the music of contemporary artists, students unpack the different elements that make up a song, exploring chord progressions, song form, and arrangement techniques. They use digital tools like Noteflight and Ultimate Guitar to create chord charts and arrangements, then apply this understanding by rehearsing and performing a cover version as a band, refining their timing, communication, and stage presence. The unit culminates in an independent songwriting project, where each student composes and produces an original track using Soundtrap, a browser-based Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
Unit 2 – Don't Forget Your Roots
Students explore the rich world of reggae music, discovering its origins, distinctive sound, and powerful cultural impact in Aotearoa New Zealand. They examine influential artists like Bob Marley, including his legendary 1979 performance at Western Springs, and uncover the genre's signature performance techniques and its themes of social justice and community. Students then take inspiration from classic New Zealand reggae songs to craft their own piece in the style, working together as a band to create something that both fits the genre and expresses their own ideas. The unit closes with the opportunity to record a live performance of their piece in The Shrub, the school's professional recording studio.
Outline of Course
The MYP Visual Arts course aims to foster creative thinking, problem-solving and a passion for artistic expression. It encourages students to explore and develop technical skills and experiment with materials and techniques. The course aims to build confidence in self-expression while nurturing an appreciation for artworks and their power to communicate ideas.
The course centres on the theme of The Constructed Landscape, exploring how individuals and communities shape, interact with and are influenced by their environments. This theme encourages students to consider the relationship between their surroundings and their personal and cultural identity. Students will visually respond to their environment, expressing their unique perspectives and creative interpretations through their artworks.
Throughout the course students will explore a range of artists and established practices to inspire and inform their own ideas, while deepening their understanding of composition and its role in communicating meaning in art. They will also enhance their visual literacy and critical thinking skills through an inquiry-based learning approach, working across at least three fields of practice including drawing, photography, painting, printmaking, design and sculpture.
Students will compile a Process Journal to document their learning, creative intentions, and reflections. This journal will include research, planning and evidence of their artmaking journey.
Key Highlights:
Discover new art techniques and processes: Experiment with drawing, painting, printmaking and photography to build versatile creative skills.
Bring ideas to life: Plan and create artworks that reflect meaningful themes and concepts, showcasing your creative vision.
Create purposeful and impactful artworks using your understanding of elements and principles
Course costs: $80 for art materials supplied