Unit 4 Area of Study 2: Choreography, performance and dance-making analysis
Outcome 2
Choreograph, rehearse, perform and analyse their realisation of a solo dance work.
Examples of learning activities
Detailed example
Students investigate the possible options for the formal structure of a solo dance work and consider how to generate material for each section of the work.
Students complete the following steps towards creating a solo dance work:
- Draft an intention for a solo dance work:
- select a theme
- identify stimulus material such as an image or object etc.
- Discuss spatial organisation and how each of the aspects of spatial organisation (direction, dimension, level and focus) could connect to the intention in each section of the dance.
- Discuss choreographic devices that suit the intention.
- Identify two or three devices that could be used throughout the work.
- Identify an appropriate form for the work, for example:
- intention: gravity/weightlessness
- form: BINARY -– 2 sections
- Decide how different aspects of spatial orgnaisation could be used in the work.
- Consider what could happen in terms of spatial organisation.
- Consider whether there are any choreographic devices that might suit this intention (inversion or retrograde).
Example of a narrative or unified composition with beginning, development and resolution
Intention
Ice/water/vapour
Choreographic devices that suit the intention
Fragmentation of ice; Addition of water
Development process
- Students individually choose either Fragmentation of ice or Addition of water, and improvise them through dance.
- They then select one motif (action or phrase) from the improvisation and pair up with someone who chose the same intention in order to share motifs. They choose one of these motifs to develop into a longer phrase that clearly shows consideration of all elements: spatial organisation, direction, level, focus and dimension (DDLF).
- Each pair of students shows their development to the class.
- Individually, students consider the other intention (Fragmentation of ice or Addition of water) and develop this in terms of a choreographic device that could be altered to reflect the intention for a different section of the dance from the first phrase.
- Students experiment with spatial organisation of the phrase/motif for this section.
- Each student shows this second motif/phrase to the class.
- Students discuss the concept of artistry: clear eye and body focus, smooth transitions, clear endings to phrases, secure landings, effortlessness or efficient energy expenditure, secure alignment and placement, confident projection outwards to the audience, continuity of presence, clarity in changes of time/space/energy, clarity of intention.
- Students incorporate these aspects of artistry as they refine, and then link, their two phrases in the order in which they would occur to convey the intention. In doing this they consider transitions, technical skills, energy efficiency, projection and clarity of intention, etc.
- Students show their refined phrases to the class and receive feedback.