Unit 4 Area of Study 1: Dance perspectives

Outcome 1

Analyse a selected group dance work.

Examples of lear​ning activities

• Use the internet and other sources to research cultural, social, historical, technological, economic, environmental and/or religious influences that could have had an impact on the formation of the intention and movement vocabulary in the selected group dance work from the prescribed list of works.
• Discuss ways in which each choreographer of the selected group dance work uses variations in the use of direction and level to communicate the intention.
• Discuss ways in which each choreographer of the selected group dance work uses variations in the use of dimension and focus to communicate the intention.
• 
  Discuss ways in which the use of group structures of symmetry and asymmetry communicate the intention of each of the choreographers in the selected group dance work.
• Analyse and discuss ways in which the interactions of unison, contrast and/or canon communicate the intention of each of the choreographers in the selected group dance work.
• Discuss ways in which the use of group structures of symmetry and asymmetry communicate the intention of a selected group dance work.
• 
  Research the choreographer of the work and the impact they (or the work itself) have had on other choreographers, the arts and/or on society.

 

Detailed example 1

Discuss ways in which the use of group structures of symmetry and asymmetry communicate the intention of the selected group dance work

Students complete the following activities:

• Collect images of symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangements/patterns in the local environment and discuss their relationship to dance.
• Explore structured improvisations, using the symmetry and asymmetry in the selected group dance work.
• Identify examples of symmetrical and asymmetrical group structures within the dance work.
• Create a chart mapping the position changes that create the symmetry/asymmetry in the selected group dance work.
• Record examples of the movement vocabulary happening as each formation happens (example below).

​Position diagram	​Movement vocabulary	​Use of group structures
​                                 **     **** ***   **                                *	​Jump and kick combination followed by twist turn and pile in second before balancing on their right leg.	​Asymmetry
​                  **********	​Canon with one count difference all raising their right leg to waist height in front of them.	​Symmetrical Canon

Note: The table could also include another column describing the use of spatial organisation.

Detailed example 2

Investigate the impact of the work or choreographer of the work in relation to dance, the arts and/or society

Students research the timeframe in which the work was created and investigate trends in the arts, dance and society at that time. They investigate the impact of the work, or choreographer of the work, on the arts and/or dance. For example, they consider a series of questions such as:

• Does the work introduce innovations in technical or expressive qualities? Are these related to the movement vocabulary, the production elements and/or both?
• Did the choreographer introduce a different way of working: With dancers? With designers? With producers?
• Did this happen in the past, present or future?
• Was the work made for a specific purpose that has had an impact on society?
• Has the work been adopted by a group as an ‘iconic’ work?
• Has it become repertoire for certain companies?
•  Has the work influenced other artforms/disciplines/genres?
• Has the work stimulated a new movement style or creative approach?

Using a class blog, students discuss and debate these questions, including evidence from the work to support responses.