The Dance VCE Study Design (Units 1–4) has been reviewed and reaccredited for the period 2007–2012.
The revised and reaccredited study continues to focus on three modes of dance
making – structured improvisation, dance works choreographed by the students and learnt works made by other choreographers. As in the current study, all works selected for study and works created by students must be based on an expressive intention. Areas of study focusing on Dance Perspectives, Choreography and performance and Dance technique and performance are included in all units and Unit 1 also includes a fourth area of study focusing on the safe use, maintenance and physiology of the dancer's body.
Descriptions of terminology relating to dance-making, rehearsal and performance across Units 1–4 and descriptions of personal movement vocabulary, body actions, technical and physical skills, rehearsal skills and performance skills are included in a glossary of terms. The glossary is included in the 'Advice for teachers' section. A summary of requirements regarding selection of works for study in both practical and analytical contexts is also provided.
Detailed guidelines for safe dance including information about teaching spaces for practical dance classes are included in the introduction to the study.
The order of areas of study and outcomes in Units 1–4 has changed from the current study. Details of the order are provided below. In some outcomes across Units 2–4 subheadings are used within key knowledge and skills to distinguish points relating to stages of the dance-making process.
Teachers should note that learnt dance works selected for Units 1–3 should be choreographed by a person who is not a student. A student is defined as a person who is enrolled in a school.
In Unit 1, students explore the body as an instrument of expression and learn about and develop technical and physical skills as they begin to develop a personal movement vocabulary. Unit 1 now includes four areas of study and four outcomes. Teachers may teach the outcomes in any order they choose including in an integrated manner.
Area of study 1 – Dance perspectives, focuses on definition and documentation of choreographers' expressive intentions and cultural influences on students' own dancemaking.
In area of study 2 – Choreography and performance, students choreograph a unified composition (either solo or group) and complete structured improvisations. Students may choreograph this work individually or in a group.
Area of study 3 – Dance technique and performance, focuses on a learnt group dance work. Students learn, rehearse and perform this work, safely and expressively executing technical and physical skills and body actions to communicate the choreographer's expressive intention.
Area of study 4 – The body: physiology and maintenance, develops students' understanding of the safe use, maintenance and physiology of the dancer's body. This area of study also focuses on methods of safely developing and maintaining technical and physical skills.
Unit 2 focuses on expanding students' personal movement vocabulary through regular and systematic training and development of choreographic skills through exploration of the elements of movement – time, space (including shape) and energy. Note that throughout the study, the element of space is described as 'space (including shape)'. 'Space' can be defined as the area in which dance occurs and 'shape' can be defined as the sculptural design of one or more bodies in space. Students also study dance form.
Area of study 1 – Dance perspectives focuses on use of the elements of movement and cultural influences on dance traditions, styles and/or works created by choreographers before 1930. Examples of traditions and/or choreographers that may be appropriate for study are provided in the unit introduction.
Area of study 2 – Choreography, performance and dance-making analysis focuses on choreographic exploration of elements of movement. Students explore different types of form and ways of safely executing variations of the elements of movement in structured improvisations and the performance of dance works. Sub-headings are used to outline stages of the dance-making process.
Area of study 3 – Dance technique, performance and dance analysis focuses on learning, rehearsing and performing a solo or group learnt dance work. By using these dance-making processes students further develop their personal movement vocabulary and understanding of ways elements of movement can be used. Sub-headings are used to outline the sections of this outcome.
As in the current study, this unit focuses on the choreography and performance of a solo dance work that communicates an expressive intention. The intention selected by students for this work should facilitate the expressive execution of a diverse range of body actions and manipulations of the elements of movement through the safe use of a wide range of technical and physical skills.
Area of study 1 – Dance perspectives, involves study of solo dance works selected from the Prescribed list of Dance Works published annually in the VCAA Bulletin. Teachers should note that a revised list of works for study in 2007 was published during Term 4 2006. Key knowledge for Outcome 1 includes more detailed information about terms including choreographic devices and dance design than is provided in the current study. Teachers should note that in this study, points relating to 'cultural influences' focus on influences on choreographers' choice of expressive intention, movement vocabulary and form and influences on choices made by choreographers in relation to the technical and production aspects of twentieth and/or twenty-first century solo dance works.
Area of study 2 – Choreography, performance and dance-making analysis. The solo dance work choreographed, rehearsed and performed by students in area of study 2 is the first of the two solo dance works performed by students in the end-of-year performance examination. Students also analyse the dance design of this work and the movement creation processes, choreographic devices, technical and physical skills, dance-making and performance processes they use to choreograph, rehearse and perform it. Sub-headings are used to outline the stages of the dance-making process.
Area of Study 3 – Dance technique, performance and dance analysis focuses on the learning, rehearsing and performance of a group dance work created by another choreographer. The group dance work selected for study might be an existing work or it may be a new dance work created specifically for this purpose. Where a new work is being choreographed for this area of study, teachers should refer to the area of study introduction for information about appropriate processes for creating movement vocabulary and/or using improvisation. Sub-headings are used to outline the stages of the dance-making process.
In Unit 4 students choreograph and perform a solo dance work that is a unified composition which explores ways of manipulating elements of spatial organisation to communicate a chosen expressive intention.
Area of study 1 – Dance perspectives, focuses on study of group dance works selected from the Prescribed list of Dance Works published annually in the VCAA Bulletin. Teachers should note that a revised list of works for study in 2007 was published during Term 4 2006. Analysis of the selected works focuses on spatial organisation, group structures, cultural influences on the choreographer's choice of expressive intention, movement vocabulary and form and cultural influences on technical and production aspects used by the choreographer.
Area of study 2 – Choreography and performance. The solo dance work choreographed, rehearsed and performed by students in area of study 2 is the second of the two solo dance works performed by students in the end-of-year performance examination. Dance-making analysis in this area of study focuses on ways elements of spatial organisation are manipulated, and the creation of movement phrases and sections. Sub-headings are used to outline stages of the dancemaking process.
School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3 (15%) and Unit 4 (10%) contributes a total of 25 per cent to the study score. The performance examination contributes 50 per cent and the written examination 25 per cent.
Enquiries about the content of the Study Design can be directed to:
Helen Champion, Acting Curriculum Manager, The Arts
Tel: (03) 9651 4668
Email: champion.helen.h@edumail.vic.gov.au