Margot Fonteyn Affiliate Program
Fine Arts and Dance
GAPA Curriculum Overview
GAPA AND FONTEYN AFFILIATION SCHOOL PROGRAM
The Global Artsphere Institute of Performing Arts (GAPA) is a leading institution dedicated to nurturing young talent in dance and performing arts. At GAPA, we aim to provide a comprehensive education that embraces not just technical skill, but also artistic development, ensuring our students thrive in a diverse and dynamic artistic environment. Our approach is designed to prepare students for professional success by offering them a well-rounded education in the performing arts, including music, visual art, drama, and technical arts.
A key component of our curriculum is the Margot Fonteyn Affiliate Program, which follows the renowned Fonteyn Methodology. Dame Margot Fonteyn believed that young artists should engage in cross-disciplinary conversations to deepen their understanding of the core issues of art—expression, interpretation, and focus. This philosophy forms the backbone of the Fonteyn Methodology, which integrates all elements of theatrical concert performance, from dance to scholarly and technical arts, into a unified study.
The Fonteyn Methodology is grounded in the Margot Fonteyn Academy Method, a teaching approach that emphasizes the principles of classical theatrical dancing as a study of movement dynamics. Students learn to understand how the body moves efficiently and effectively, equipping them to perform choreography with authenticity and precision. This methodology ensures dancers are prepared to tackle a wide variety of choreographic styles, bringing artistic integrity and a profound impact to their performances. Through this program, GAPA students gain comprehensive, versatile training that empowers them to excel in their creative careers.
Visual Arts
The Fonteyn Fine Arts – Musical Arts Program at GAPA is designed to build students’ understanding of music from foundational skills to advanced theory, integrating this knowledge with their performing arts education. Each level focuses on expanding musical literacy, composition, and the ability to interpret music in performance.
Level 1 Students begin by learning to read music, focusing on the treble clef from middle-C to high-C, and studying basic musical notation, rhythm, and meter. They experiment with found objects as instruments and write rhythmic compositions for each other. The introduction to conducting and solfege helps them grasp essential musical elements.
Key elements:
- Reading music (treble clef)
- Rhythm & meter
- Melody construction
- Found objects as instruments
- Introduction to conducting and solfege
Level 2 introduces the bass clef, expanding students' ability to read and write music. They explore basic compositional forms like Sonata-Allegro and Passacaglia, focusing on creating melodies and bass lines to evoke mood. Students are encouraged to study single-voiced instruments and refine their reading and compositional skills.
Key elements:
- Bass clef reading and writing
- Basic compositional forms
- Melody and bass line construction
- Introduction to single-voiced instruments
- Rhythm composition
Level 3: At this level, students delve into intervals, triads, and the relationship between major and minor keys. They study the effect of music on mood and write music compositions for choreography. The focus is on expanding musical analysis and understanding harmonic structure.
Key elements:
- Triad formation and intervals
- Major and minor key relationships
- Composition for choreography
- Conducting and music analysis
Level 4: students study the history of music and theory in depth, analyzing conductors' scores to explore mood and expression. They chart the development of music styles and apply this knowledge to their performances. The final composition project and advanced musical notation round out their education, preparing them for complex musical environments in performance.
Key elements:
- Music history and theory
- Conductors' scores and music analysis
- Chord charts and sheet music
- Advanced musical notation
- Final composition project
Musical Arts
Technical Arts
The Fonteyn Fine Arts – Technical Arts Program at GAPA introduces students to the technical aspects of performing arts, progressing from basic awareness to advanced skills in videography, sound, lighting, and costume design.
Level 1: Students begin by exploring basic technological interactions, including music editing, simple keyboard skills, and using technology for choreography.
Key elements:
- Music editing for choreography
- Keyboard basics
- Introduction to technical awareness through creative projects
Level 2: Students are introduced to videography and editing. They explore visual and audio alignment, learn about creating grooves in music, and are introduced to the technical lab for hands-on learning.
Key elements:
- Intro to videography and visual display
- Music and video editing basics
- Click tracks and transitions
- Intro to technical lab and equipment handling
Level 3 expands into elementary photography, sound editing, and more in-depth stage management. Students learn how to care for equipment, call cues, and manage backstage tasks such as costume care, basic sewing, and makeup principles.
Key elements:
- Photography and sound editing
- Stage management and backstage etiquette
- Costume mass production and care
- Intro to video and equipment handling
Level 4: At the advanced level, students tackle intermediate photography, video scriptwriting, and multimedia projects. They work on lighting, set construction, and advanced costuming techniques, preparing them for real-world technical roles in theater and performance production.
Key elements:
- Intermediate photography and video editing
- Stage crew management and lighting design
- Advanced costume construction and set building
- Multimedia and virtual animation for performances
At GAPA, the Fonteyn Fine Arts program integrates visual arts into the broader dance and performing arts curriculum. Students progress through four levels, gaining practical skills and creative insight that complement their development as well-rounded artists. Each level builds on the last, advancing students' abilities in areas such as sketching, sculpture, design, and multimedia arts.
Level 1 focuses on foundational skills like sketching, basic sculpture, and understanding perspective. Students explore concepts such as point of view and experiment with mono-prints, coil sculpture, and baked clay projects, encouraging creativity through happy accidents and curiosity.
Level 2 expands into more complex topics, including studying positive and negative space and introducing armature-based sculpture. Students explore the relationship between form, colour, and mood and begin translating sketches into three-dimensional works, enhancing their understanding of identity through sculpture, drawing, and collage.
Level 3 takes visual arts further with advanced sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media techniques. Students create triptychs, explore light and shadow in art, and tackle projects like costume design, dioramas, and capturing motion through art. Emphasis is placed on personal expression and developing a visual narrative.
Level 4 offers advanced studies, focusing on colour theory, digital art, and multimedia projects. Students engage in more conceptual work like body casting, portraiture, and chiaroscuro, blending their technical skills with creative vision. Final projects challenge them to apply their learning to complex designs, pushing the boundaries of their artistic expression.
Dramatic Arts
Fonteyn Fine Arts – Dramatic Arts Program at GAPA nurtures students’ understanding of acting, character development, and storytelling through progressive levels, combining physical, emotional, and intellectual exploration to build well-rounded performers.
Level 1: Students begin with the basics of character development, focusing on physicality and improvisation. They engage in storytelling, learn about stage orientation, and experiment with character creation through guided improvisation and observation.
Key elements:
- Introduction to theatre
- Character development
- Story structure
- Basic body language
- Acting and stage orientation
- Improvisation exercises
Level 2: Students advance to analyzing scenes and answering key questions about their characters. They begin writing, rehearsing, and performing short plays, developing skills in scriptwriting, stage makeup, and creating dioramas for stage interiors.
Key elements:
- Script and scene writing
- Character and movement
- Ensemble work
- Basic stage makeup
- Improvisation and acting
- Theater orientation and backstage exploration
Level 3: Acting becomes central in Level 3, where students prepare monologues and hold mock auditions. They learn about Shakespearean acting, scene analysis, and develop deeper character bios. Students critique each other's work and write original monologues performed by classmates.
Key elements:
- Monologues and mock auditions
- Scene analysis
- Shakespearean acting
- Character creation and backstory
- Comedy and projection
- Script writing and pantomime
Level 4: At the final level, students focus on advanced acting techniques, including character analysis, backstory creation, and the integration of dramatic passages into multimedia work. They explore character arcs, blocking, dialects, and the use of symbolism in performance, preparing them for professional-level productions.
Key elements:
- Character analysis and growth
- Shakespearean acting and accents
- Blocking and public speaking
- Script analysis and writing
- Symbolism and multimedia integration
- Character arc and innovation in performance
Scholarly Arts Program
The Fonteyn Fine Arts – Scholarly Arts Program at GAPA offers students a broad and interdisciplinary education in history, literature, anatomy, and the arts. Each level builds on the previous, integrating scholarly knowledge into the students' artistic development.
Level 1: Students explore mythology, archetypes, and basic art history while also learning about health and hygiene. This foundational level introduces students to the broader context of the arts through personal storytelling and body awareness.
Key elements:
- Introduction to art history
- Archetypes and myths
- Health and hygiene
- Ballet basics
Level 2: At this stage, students begin studying classical fencing to understand ballet's origins and practice Ballet Basics. They learn the principles of stage makeup and costume history and are introduced to cyclical art history, applying these lessons to their personal experiences.
Key elements:
- Fencing and ballet basics
- Stage makeup and costume history
- Cycles in art history
- Shakespeare and poetry
Level 3: Students engage in a detailed study of dance anatomy, art history, and dance history. They create a ballet timeline and attend weekly "Salons" where they participate in group discussions on the history of art, contributing papers and presentations.
Key elements:
- Anatomy for dance
- Dance history and costume critique
- Ballet timeline project
- Weekly art history discussions (Salon)
Level 4: In their final year, students develop a full-year project integrating multiple disciplines, such as video editing, multimedia production, or a gallery exhibition. They must plan, fundraise, and execute their project, culminating in a public presentation. Advanced studies in anatomy, dance history, and curatorial practices are included.
Key elements:
- Final project planning and execution
- Advanced anatomy and art history
- Multimedia production
- Curatorial studies and public presentation skills
