New Dance syllabuses shaped by extensive community engagement
New Dance syllabuses for Years 11 and 12 have been released to schools today, following public and targeted consultation with teachers, industry experts and professional associations.
The revamp marks the first time in 15 years that the syllabus has been updated and reflects an emphasis on performance, in line with feedback during consultation.
Content has been consolidated into three focus areas – Performance, Choreography, and Appreciation – providing students with the opportunity to study each in more depth than previously, with greater balance to the central practices of Dance.
Other changes to the Dance syllabus include:
- Students now have the option to perform three times in their external exams, a change from a maximum of two performances in the current syllabus.
- The compulsory externally assessed performance now counts for 35 per cent of the HSC mark, up from 20 per cent in the current syllabus.
- Duplicated content that was previously covered in the Major study has now been incorporated in the three central practices of Dance - Performance, Choreography and Appreciation.
The new Dance syllabuses will be taught in all schools from 2027 and Dance 11–12 will first be examined in the 2028 HSC.
Alongside the new syllabuses, NESA is releasing teaching advice to support teachers getting to know and teach the new syllabuses.
Visit curriculum to access the new syllabus and support materials.
NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) CEO Paul Martin said:
“We are pleased to have landed syllabuses that reflect the needs of students and their teachers.
“The final products here in both Dance and Dance Life skills reflect the collaborative syllabus development process across the entire NSW Curriculum.
“We tested some different options in the initial drafts and the community told us what they thought worked and what didn’t.
“As has been the case throughout consultation – we made changes to the final versions in line with that – and in line with what the evidence tells us works best.
“Thank you to the teachers, industry professionals and the subject association who worked so closely and productively with us.
“We have landed strong new Dance syllabuses that will ensure students are well prepared to pursue careers in the arts or simply value the cultural and artistic understanding developed in their studies.