SENIOR FUSION SCHOOL
Divided into three age-specific groups, the seniors have the opportunity to develop their performance skills though a sequential curriculum that creates a strong foundation for many pathways.
Drama and Spoken Word
Students will learn the basics of acting and voice development through games, exercises, improvisation and script work. The games will encourage students to relax and participate, to enjoy word play, improve their concentration and help them develop relationships and characters. Acting exercises will improve their reading, and will help their focus and confidence, improving their listening and expressive abilities.
They will learn to create characters and how to bring a story to life.
They will learn and perform poems, monologues and scenes from different styles of stage, television, radio and film. They will be introduced to work as varied as Shakespeare, Pinter, Arthur Miller, Michael Frayn, Alan Ayckbourn and many others. They will look at comedy and straight drama.
Students will learn on-camera technique and acting for radio and will have the opportunity to develop their own short pieces for these media.
They will be introduced to musical theatre using improvisation, movement and song.
Music and voice
Students will have the opportunity to study songs and music not only from musical theatre but from the worlds of pop, jazz, swing, blues, gospel, country and rock to choral and operatic. They will learn musical theatre songs from different eras, from the early 20th century to the present day.
They will leave Fusion with a sophisticated understanding of how today's singers, from Anastacia to Craig David to Robbie Williams, are influenced by the great singers of bygone eras, including Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye. They will explore the music of a range of songwriters, from Rodgers and Hammerstein to Andrew Lloyd Webber, from George Gershwin to The Beatles.
They will learn correct breathing techniques, vocal control, diction, how to pitch and tune the voice, the correct placement of the voice, how to increase and enhance their range, to improve their musicality and confidence.
They will learn stage and microphone techniques as solo artistes and how to blend their voices in choral or ensemble singing.
Dance
In order to foster enjoyment and appreciation of dance, the students will have the opportunity to try a wide variety of styles whilst always concentrating on the core skills. They will develop a strong and versatile technique, working on core stability, flexibility, stamina and musicality. Each class will contain basic ballet and jazz technique, with barre work, centre and across the floor exercises, followed by choreography and stretching and cool-down. The choreography - a short piece every week - may include a variety of styles from different musical theatre shows, jazz, classical and Latin, to character dancing and hip hop or 'street' dance. At the end of the year they will use longer combinations in performance.
They will learn about the many dance styles of musicals, including Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Peter Darling, Twyla Tharp, Arlene Phillips, Wayne Cilento, Joey McKneely and Jerry Mitchell. Students will also learn about the great exponents of dance, from Nureyev and Barishnikov to Fred Astaire, from Martha Graham to Matthew Bourne.
- 2011 Facilitators
- 2010 Facilitators
- Glamorique Arshad
- Judimar Hernandez
- Sabera Shaik
- Jamie Matthewman
- Gunasegeran Selvadurai
- Nish Tham
- Chris Jacobs
- Llew Marsh
