Modern Dance Syllabus of New Zealand (MDSNZ) Examination Classes

The Modern Dance Syllabus of New Zealand (MDSNZ) is created in house by Momentum Dance Company. This syllabus is designed in line with current New Zealand modern dance frameworks. These examinations aim provide the skills needed for future dance endeavours, including auditions for dance companies, entering full time tertiary dance training and becoming a dance teacher. The classes teach children discipline, commitment and aim to provide a wide skill base to enhance technical capabilities. These classes are a great option for those looking for something more challenging than our performance group programmes.

Examination Syllabus Content – What will my child learn?

The dance industry is one of the fastest growing arts industries in the world. MDSNZ examination classes are designed to prepare students as versatile dancers. The syllabus focuses on all facets of modern dance, including jazz, contemporary, hiphop and lyrical dance styles.

Students will work on set exercises and routines throughout the year. These will be examined by an external examiner at the end of Term Three. This examiner will be a dance professional, with tertiary dance qualifications and currently working in the dance industry.

The syllabus will be made up of several components

Barre Work
To develop and build on technical skills. Each level will focus on refining specific skill sets and movements combinations.

Floor Work
Exercises designed around moving in and out of the floor freely. These will engage students to experiment with ideas of balance, suspension and weight transfer.

Center Work
This is the mid-point between an exercise and a dance routine. Center work includes movement sequences aiding students in mastering the art of turns and turning techniques, along with building the strength and procession required to complete jumping sequences successfully.

Combinations
Four dance routines per level – jazz, contemporary, hiphop and lyrical. This will combine and further develop the skills established through barre work, floor work, turns and jumps components.

Characterisation
A stylised dance routine, often using props. For 2018 styles will be as follows;

Level One: Cheer.
Level Two: Umbrella.
Level Three: Western.
Level Four: Hoop.
Level Five: Disco.
Level Six: Flag.
Level Seven: Broadway.
Level Eight: Can Can.
Foundation: Tribal Contemporary.
Secondary Foundation: Salsa.
Intermediate: Burlesque.

The senior grades will also undergo a ‘mock audition’. This will involve participants learning a short movement phrase from the examiner on the day to mimic a real life audition scenario, along with personally preparing an audition solo to be examined.

Students in Levels Seven and above must also attend a conditioning class.

Students in secondary foundation, intermediate and advanced grades will also have the prospect to undergo dance teaching training alongside their examination work – this is by application only.

Our examination students also have the opportunity to audition for our Elite Performance Groups and our annual examination results determine selection as a soloist.

Our examination classes are accompanied by the use of an online learning tool called Movitae. This is an interactive online space where teachers can upload everything we have been learning in class to keep parents in the loop and assist students with practice at home. Students are required to complete a compulsory small homework task (approximately 5 to 10 minutes) each week, which often involves uploading a video of their practice to the Movitae app – full training on how to do this is given. Parents must be committed to assisting and encouraging their children to complete weekly homework.

Examination classes cost $12.50 per session for junior grades (Levels 1 through 5) and $15 per session for intermediate and senior grades (Levels 7 through Advanced). This is to be paid upfront in full before the start of each term.