Detailed example

Learnt dance work by another choreographer

Choreographer’s brief 

​​Create a group dance that challenges the dancers both physically and intellectually, and extends their understanding and previous experiences of being one person among a group of dancers. The dance should allow each member of the group to focus on:

• dance skills in performance
• processes for realising a group dance choreographed by another choreographer.

In addition to providing the movement vocabulary for the dance, the choreographer should provide a written intention and an outline of production aspects.

If the choreographer is not present for this process, the teacher leads the activities below.

Choreographer/teacher and dancers move through the following stages to complete the work:

Introduction

• Choreographer/teacher and students (dancers) discuss approaches to learning dance works
• Students trial each approach discussed, using short phrases or sections from a structured improvisation
• Students record these processes in a workbook, documenting advantages/disadvantages and preferences.

Learning the work

• Choreographer/teacher provides a written intention for the dance and students discuss this.
• Choreographer/teacher and students agree on a process to learn the work over approximately 8 weeks (one single class per week).

• Students use resources such as DVDs or online video clips to research the choreographer’s intentions for execution of the movement vocabulary and use of production aspects, such as costume or props.
• Teacher and students monitor the development of relevant physical skills while learning the work.
• Teacher/students video the work in progress each week and discuss issues such as:
• use of safe dance practices
• accuracy of movement categories and variations in the elements of movement
• relationship of movement to the timing, accents, phrases of the music or soundscape
• use of physical and expressive skills, such as the quality of projection.
• Students work collaboratively to prepare production aspects for the dance work.
  
• Students rehearse the work in the performance space, making adjustments as required to enhance the performance.
• Students prepare to perform the work to an audience.

Reflection

Students reflect on the realisation of their dance work by another choreographer by maintaining a journal that records:

• intention of the work
• processes used to learn the work
• approaches to developing physical skills required for the work
• ways in which each section reflected the intention of the work
• movement vocabulary and movement categories used
• body actions used to create specific shapes and floor patterns
• response from audience to the performed work (using the table below as a template).