Dance

The Dance Arts Education (DArE) @ Zhenghua Primary School is a customised programme, where students are given exposure to dance education during formal curriculum. It is specially conceptualized and designed to develop students into ‘culturally vibrant’ citizens.

DArE has a strong National Education element, where students are exposed to dances of the three main ethnic groups in Singapore and other international dances. Such exposure encourages students to develop an awareness and appreciation of different cultures as well as to embrace diversity.

Students are taught fundamentals of dance movements and the ways to create movements in accordance with music. They are also required to choreograph their dance routines.

DArE Curriculum

Every student will go through a total of 40 hours of dance education in his or her six years in school. It is a broad-based programme that provides students with the basic exposure to dance.

Level	Dance
P1 (Foundation year)	Creative Movement
P2 Theme: Chinese Culture	Chinese Dance (Chinese and Mongolian Dance)
P3 Theme: Malay Culture	Malay Dance (Zapin and Joget)
P4 Theme: Indian Culture	Indian Dance (Ethnic Fusion)
P5 Theme: Polynesian Culture	Hakka Dance
P6 Theme: International Culture	International Dance

Students are exposed to different forms of dance throughout their six years of education in school.

Having equipped with the skills by the end of the programme, students should display confidence and be able to demonstrate simple choreography.

Dance Talent Identification & Development Programme

Talent identification starts at Primary 1 where students who display an innate talent for dance are identified during Creative Movement. At Primary 2, selected students go through an enrichment programme where a core group of dance talents. Known as the DArE Ambassadors, students go through a one-year training programme to give them maximum exposure and experience in dance.

Primary 2 students undergoing the one-year programme as DArE Ambassadors

At the end of Primary 2, the DArE Ambassadors will nurture and groom their skills and talents further through one of the three ethnic dance Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) - Chinese, Malay or Indian Dance CCA.

Their portfolios are built during their development process and are enhanced through certification processes and participation at national competitions. These processes are put in place to assist students to apply to their desired secondary schools under Direct School Admission (Dance).

The table below summarises the talent development process.

Level	Process	Description
P1	Talent Identification	Selection of DArE Ambassadors from DArE broad-based programme through assessment
P2	Talent Development	DArE Ambassadors will be given extra practices to develop their skills. They will be given the opportunity to showcase their talents at various platforms. At the end of P2, the DArE Ambassadors will be channeled to the three ethnic dance groups.
P3 – P6	Talent Development	Students go through the fundamentals in the ethnic dances. Dancers will be presented with opportunities to perform at school or national, external organisation events.

Dance talent development process in Zhenghua Primary School.