For Enrichment Day on Thursday 8^th November in the dance department, an external choreographer came in to teach the Year 9 dance students. Kate Flatt, who is currently writing a choreography and performance book, trained at the Royal Ballet School where she began her career as assistant choreographer and undertook further study at London School of Contemporary Dance. Her career spans a wide field, nationally and internationally, and includes dance theatre works, film, opera and musicals. Kate was awarded a Rayne Fellowship in 2007; she is also a Churchill Fellow and a recipient of an RSA travel bursary to study traditional dances in Eastern Europe and Greece.

The first task the students completed was called ‘Analytical systems and action words’. This task saw students develop their understanding of the movement range of human anatomy. They explored movements such as extension, flexion, rotation, abduction, adduction and torsion. This task was then developed to an improvisation exercise that focused on impulsive movements. After break time the students completed a movement task based on everyday actions, such as typing, texting, reading, opening and closing a door, brushing teeth/hair. The students worked in groups and choreographed a short phrase based on these pedestrian movements. The phrases that were created were outstanding.

Overall, the students had a busy day and learnt many new techniques to help them when choreographing dances, which can be used in their year 9 studies and further. Not only were new techniques learnt, but new friendships were formed as students experienced working with many different students who are not necessarily in their performing arts classes.