Advice for teachers -Dance

Unit 3 - Area of Study 3: Dance technique, performance and analysis of a learnt dance work

Outcome 3

Learn, rehearse and prepare for performance, and perform a duo or group dance work by another choreographer and analyse the processes used.

Examples of lear​ning activities

  • Design and/or participate in a series of warm up and cool down activities that suit the movement vocabulary of a selected work by another choreographer, as well as the physical skills of the class.
  • Review information in the VCE Dance Study Design about the stages involved in realising a learnt work.
  • Participate in a weekly technique class to expand the range of physical skills and use of movement categories.
  • Discuss the intention of a selected dance work by another choreographer.
  • Learn a group dance created by another choreographer, exploring variations in aspects of time, space (including shape) and energy in the movement vocabulary of the dance.
  • Using practical exercises, explore contrasting qualities of movement that are sustained, suspended, swinging, percussive, vibratory and collapsing, exploring force and flow.
  • Discuss with the class the concept of artistry and strategies to develop and demonstrate it.
  • Reflect on the realisation of a dance work in a paper or digital journal.

Detailed example

Reflect on the realisation of a dance work

Students complete the following activities:

Establish and maintain a dancer’s journal (in digital or paper format) throughout the process of learning, rehearsing and performing a work. Each stage of the dance can be filmed, from conception to completion.

Include in the journal information about practices used to:

  • accurately learn, repeat, memorise and refine movement vocabulary
  • develop technical accuracy
  • refine the connection between the movement and the musical accents, phrases and sections
  • refine use of the elements of movement, including spatially accuracy
  • develop artistry and performance skills
  • prepare for performance
  • perform.

Document in the journal:

  • use of time space and energy in the different sections of the dance
  • comments or instructions given by the choreographer.

Also include in the journal information about:

  • the choreographer and the intention of the work
  • the performance venue and the production elements used (this could be done with photographs if the record is in a digital format)
  • safe dance practice and how this relates to group performance.

Use the notes and visual record to complete a reflection statement about the performance.