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Dance

Year 10 - Elective

Length of Course: Full Year
Department: Performing Arts and Media
Head of Department: Ms Karen Sunderland
Year Available: 2024

Dance in Year 10 is designed to develop further, students’ understanding and appreciation of dance as an art form as well as extending their technical and physical skills through practical dance sessions. There is also much emphasis throughout the course on preparation for VCE Dance and development of performance skills.

The year-long curriculum is broken down into three main areas:

  • Technique (teacher led practical tasks which develop the physical skills)
  • Composition (students create their own dance works)
  • Theory (written assignments, research analysis and terminology)

Curriculum focus

Unit 1 – Choreographic Principles

Students continue to develop proficiency in their physical skills with a focus on correct and efficient technique.

In this unit, the Elements of Movement (Space, Time and Energy) and Movement Categories are explored in further detail as students collaborate to create and perform a group work, incorporating these principles. Students will also develop practical skills in Structured Improvisation and Partner work.

They also begin to develop skills in documenting and analysing movement and develop an understanding of how professional choreographers use these principles to convey an intention.

Unit 2 - Influential Dance Practitioners and Dance Design

Students study influential dance practitioners and consider their contribution to the world of dance, closely examining their choreographic processes and performance pieces. This allows the students to further refine their technical and analytical skills. Students continue to develop skills in utilising choreographic devices and applying them to their work. Students will create, rehearse and perform a group dance for an audience. The core principles of dance design (Form and Movement Vocabulary) are studied in greater depth.

Unit 3 – Solo/Duo Composition and Dance in Australia

In this unit there is a strong focus on technique and composition. Students will learn more complex phrase material in a range of dance styles. Students will further enhance their dance composition skills, learning about Movement Creation Processes and the development of an Intention. They will create, rehearse and perform a solo/duo dance work. The study of Dance History shifts focus and concentrates on Australian Dance History through to present day.

Unit 4 – Performance and Technology

In this unit students will continue to refine their dance technique through practical classes. Students will create, rehearse and perform a group dance incorporating the use of multimedia. The theory component of the unit will focus on Health, Nutrition and Safe Dance Practice. They will also study Performance Psychology and begin to understand and develop strategies to mentally and physically prepare for optimum performance mode, completing an assignment based on this theory unit.

Assessment

Each unit of work has a practical and analytical aspect to it and are assessed using regular feedback from peers as well as staff. An end- of-first- semester examination will test the content of both practical and theory projects. An end of year performance will be the culmination of the year’s learning and assess both the process and their performance.

Links

For more detailed information, please click on the link/s below:

Key Resource

Students are required to change into appropriate clothing for practical classes.