VCE Dance Units 3 & 4

Focus

The study of prescribed solo dance works of selected choreographers work from the 20th and/or 21st century. Students analyse the use of related phrases, movement sections, formal structures and dance design to convey the choreographer’s intention. Students continue to expand their capacity to execute a wide range of physical skills and body actions and choreograph and perform solo dance works to communicate an intention.

Areas of Study

Dance Perspective's

1. Solo Dance works of Twentieth and Twenty first Century choreographers
2. Elements of Dance Design (The interrelated use of the expressive intention, form and movement vocabulary in the dance)
3. Cultural influences on the expressive intention of the dance maker, and on production aspects (costume, lighting, performance space)

Dance Technique and Performance

1. Safe use of physical skills and actions
2. Practice of a broad range of movements of technical complexity and accuracy
3. Development of phrasing and sections, with variations in time, space and energy
4. Group movement sequences including aerial pathways, floor patterns and group formations

Dance Composition and Performance

1. Composition and performance of a solo work to communicate and intention, focusing on the expressive use of skills and body actions.
2. Learning and performance of group work

Outcomes

Outcome 1

Analysis of solo dance works from selected twentieth and pre-twentieth century choreographers. Focusing on:

1. Cultural influences
2. The expressive use of phrasing and sections.

Tasks involved:

1. The analysis of two solo works of two choreographers, to be viewed, discussed and analysed in class time
2. Final written report using class notes and research to be completed under exam conditions.

Outcome 2

Perform and interpret a learnt group dance work and analyse the processes used in learning, performing and interpreting the work.

Tasks involved:

1. Performance of a learnt dance work. The dance will be choreographed by the teacher, or another choreographer and will use a variety of dance processes and include safe dance practices
2. Analyse the processes of creating, rehearsing and performing a dance work

Outcome 3

Compose and perform a solo dance work to communicate and intention, demonstrating strong technique and performance skills, and analyse the processes used in composing, rehearsing and performing the dance work
Tasks involved:

1. Composing and performing a dance of 2.5 minutes minimum, demonstrating excellent use of body skills and actions (technique). This will become part of your external performance examination
2. Written report focusing on the processes involved in composition, rehearsing and performing the solo dance work

VCE DANCE UNIT 4

Focus

The study of prescribed group dance works of selected choreographers work from the 20th and/or 21st century. Students analyse the cultural influences, group structures and spatial design used in group dance works.
Students refine compositional skills by exploring ways in which the intention of the dance maker can be expressed through the use of spatial organisation. Students focus on the development of movement vocabulary and manipulation of spatial design to compose a unified solo dance work.

Areas of Study

Dance Perspective's

1. Expressive use of group structures in major twentieth-century group dance works, including the use of symmetrical and asymmetrical groupings of dancers and the interactions between dancers in unison, contrast and cannon
2. Expressive use of spatial organisation in own and others dance work , including; direction, level, focus and dimension
3. Cultural influences on the dance design and production aspects of group dances (costume, lighting, performance space)

Dance Technique and Performance

1. Safe and accurate use of a broad range of movements and movement sequences involving different spatial organisations and high level of technical complexity
2. Development of phrasing and sections, with variations in time, space and energy

Dance Composition and Performance

1. Developing an expressive intention and creating thematically related phrases  and sections to express the intention of the dance maker in a unified solo dance work
2. variations in the use of spatial organisation in a solo context including use of direction, level, focus and dimension
3. dance making processes used in composing, rehearsing and performing a solo dance work

OUTCOMES

Outcome 1

Analyse the group dance works, of selected 20th and 21st century choreographers. Focusing on:

1. Cultural influences
2. The expressive use of spatial organisation and group structures
3. Production aspects

Tasks involved:

1. the analysis of two group works of two choreographers, to be viewed, discussed and analysed in class time
2. Final written report using class notes and research to be completed in 90 mins of class time

Outcome 2

Compose and perform a solo dance work demonstrating expressive use of movement vocabulary and spatial organisation and analyse the processes used in composing, rehearsing and performing the dance work. Task involves:

1. Composing and performing a dance of 3-5 minutes, demonstrating varied
2. Use of body skills and actions to express your intention. W.R. which will become part of your external performance examination
3. Written Report focusing on the processes involved in composition, rehearsing and performing the solo dance work.