What is A Level Dance?

If you love dance and are choosing your A Levels, you might be considering A Level Dance (opens in a new tab).

Currently only offered by AQA, A Level Dance is a creative qualification that fosters several transferable skills in teamwork, communication and problem solving.

This guide walks you through what the course covers, how it's assessed, what you need to take it, and where it can lead.

Key Takeaways

• AQA is currently the only UK exam board offering A Level Dance

• A Level Dance has three components: performance, choreography and critical engagement

• While GCSE Dance is not a requirement, many schools ask for it

• Assessment is two equally-weighted components (50% each)

• A Level Dance can lead to Dance degrees and conservatoires, as well as careers in , performing, therapy and education

What is A Level Dance?

A Level Dance is a creative qualification that blends the theory (critical engagement) and practice (performance and choreography) of dance.

It comes under Creative and Performing Arts subjects in the list of A Levels, and goes well with subjects like Music and Drama.

Which exam board offers A Level Dance?

AQA is currently the only UK exam board offering A Level Dance.

If your current school doesn't teach A Level Dance, it’s worth checking if other sixth-form colleges in your area offer it.

What do you study in A Level Dance?

AQA A Level Dance has three core areas:

1. Performance

• Apply elements of safe practice, e.g. appropriate dancewear and correct alignment

• Perform in a solo in the style of a specified practitioner

• Perform in a quartet (with three other students)

2. Choreography

   • Create an original piece of group choreography

3. Critical engagement

   • Show knowledge and understanding of constituent features, e.g. movement components

   • Compulsory set work (Rooster, Christopher Bruce, 1991) and area of study (Rambert Dance Company, 1966–2002)

   • Optional set works (e.g. Giselle, Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot, 1841) and area of study (e.g. the romantic ballet period)

How is A Level Dance assessed?

The table below includes an overview of each of the two components:

How is A Level Dance different from BTEC Performing Arts?

Many students find it hard to decide between A Level Dance and BTEC Performing Arts. Here are the key features of both:

A Level Dance, like all A Levels, is typically taken by learners aged 16 to 18. It is offered by AQA, teaches performance, choreography and critical engagement, and has an even split between a practical component and a written exam.

BTEC Performing Arts offers Level 2 or Level 3 qualifications for learners aged 16+. It is offered by Pearson (opens in a new tab) and includes a range of programmes, but the key difference is its broader focus: in addition to dance, it covers other types of performing, like theatre, screen acting and comedy.

If you're choosing between them, consider your interests and aims for further study/careers. A Level Dance is better for an academic, practical, dance-specific qualification, whereas BTEC Performing Arts is better if you want a vocational qualification with wider coverage of the world of performing.

Do you need GCSE Dance to take A Level Dance?

The course has no prior learning requirements. However, AQA recommends that students have the skills and knowledge from GCSE Dance (or an equivalent qualification). It’s therefore helpful to know what GCSE Dance is. You can also refer to AQA’s GCSE Dance Glossary (opens in a new tab) to help you understand terms used in the A Level specification.

Many schools ask for students that have taken GCSE Dance, and/or have had plenty of training at a private dance school. Talk to your Dance teacher to find out exactly what your school requires.

How hard is A Level Dance?

Though it’s generally not listed among the hardest A Levels, some students find A Level Dance both physically and intellectually difficult.

Component 1 requires a lot of practice, as many students rehearse in the evenings and at weekends. The time commitment, coupled with chances of tiredness and injuries, can make this tricky.

Component 2 can be more difficult for some because of its academic demands: the exam lasts for 2 hours 30 minutes and requires analytical essay writing.

If you enjoy both dancing and discussing its critical components, you’ll likely find the A Level challenging but rewarding. If you are only interested in the practical or theoretical component, you’re at risk of only enjoying half of the course.

If you’re stepping up from GCSE Dance, read our guide to preparing for A Levels after GCSE to help you navigate the jump.

What can you do with A Level Dance?

Here are just some of the pathways A Level Dance can open up for you:

Further Study

• Degrees in Dance and joint honours, e.g. Dance & Musical Theatre or Dance & Choreography

• Conservatoires, which specialise in performance-based higher education (e.g. Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance)

Careers

• Performing, e.g. professional dancer or choreography

• Health, e.g. dance and movement therapy

• Education, e.g. dance teacher

Is A Level Dance right for you?

If you studied (and enjoyed) GCSE Dance, have a passion for performing and choreography and want an academic dance qualification, A Level Dance is seriously worth considering.

If you’re not a fan of performing, choreography or essay writing, it’s likely not for you. BTEC Performing Arts is better if you want a broader, more vocational qualification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do universities accept A Level Dance?

Yes. Universities, conservatoires and performing arts schools all accept A Level Dance as a recognised A Level worth standard UCAS points.

It's particularly valued for dance, performing arts, drama and musical theatre degrees.

What do you need to take A Level Dance?

While AQA has no prior learning requirements, many schools require you to have taken GCSE Dance and/or private training in dance. 

Most schools also expect at least 5 GCSEs at Grade 4 or above as the broader A Level entry requirement.

Is there a written exam in A Level Dance?

Yes. 50% of your final grade comes from a written exam on critical engagement (Component 2).  The other 50% is a practical exam, which includes solo performance, quartet performance and choreography.

Which set works are studied in A Level Dance?

The compulsory set work is currently Rooster by Christopher Bruce (1991), and the compulsory area of study is the Rambert Dance Company (1966–2002).

Optional set works include Giselle by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot (1841), and one optional area of study is the romantic ballet period.

AQA doesn’t expect to change any set works or areas of study within the lifetime of the specification. However, it does conduct an annual review, so check the exam board website or ask your teacher to make sure you have the correct information.

As a creative qualification with transferable skills in teamwork, communication and problem solving, A Level Dance is a great choice for those who want a practical, academic dance qualification.

Check if your school offers it, and consider your interests in performing, choreography and critical engagement to decide if it’s right for you.