Sample work Dance Stage 5: Stimulus response
Work samples aligned to grades assist teachers to develop their understanding of the achievement standards at each grade level.
Description of activity
In groups of 2 or 3, students are given a stimulus (visual, auditory, tactile, kinaesthetic or ideational). Students brainstorm ideas about the stimulus and convert these into movement ideas. They explore and apply aspects of the elements of dance as they select and refine their movements to best communicate their ideas that relate to the original stimulus. Students link their movements to create a short dance.
They present their short dance to the class. Students discuss the development of their movement ideas in response to their stimulus and their use of the elements of dance to communicate their ideas as either an oral or journal self-reflection.
Context
This unit focuses on the stimulus, the starting point for movement discovery in dance composition. Students are provided with opportunities to explore a variety of stimuli for making dance, including visual, auditory, tactile, kinaesthetic or ideational.
Students have brainstormed, identified and discussed different stimuli for dance, and have developed concepts and ideas from a specific stimulus. Classroom activities centre on the processes of exploring, reflecting, evaluating and selecting appropriate movement material based on these ideas.
Students also engage in dance technique and safe dance practice activities that follow through from the previous unit on the elements of movement and that reinforce the focus of this unit. Students observe and discuss dance works of art and identify possible stimuli used by the choreographer. All lessons include reflective practice, including the journalising of processes and activities.
Outcomes
A student:
- 5.2.1 explores the elements of dance as the basis of the communication of ideas
- 5.2.2 composes and structures dance movement that communicates an idea
- 5.3.1 describes and analyses dance as the communication of ideas within a context.
Criteria for assessing learning
(These criteria would normally be communicated to students with the activity.)
Students will be assessed on their ability to:
- explore and apply aspects of the elements of dance to create, select and refine appropriate movement ideas in response to their stimulus
- link their movements together to create a short dance that best communicates their ideas
- discuss the development of their dance in response to their stimulus and their use of the elements of dance to communicate their ideas, using appropriate dance terminology.
Graded student work samples
Grade C sample: Stimulus response – Jerry
Dance Stage 5
Grade C sample: Stimulus response – Casey
Dance Stage 5
Work sample feedback
Jerry
Jerry and partner have demonstrated an adequate level of competence in structuring movement to a chosen stimulus. They demonstrate a concept or intent but the meaning is unclear. There is consistent manipulation of a circular motif which is manipulated spatially in size, level, direction and pathway throughout the dance. Dynamic and temporal manipulation, and contrasting movements, unify the work.
There is a sense of structure in that the dance begins on a low level and establishes the circular movement motif, then builds the motif in level and size. Abstraction and personalisation have been explored but not fully realised. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by students performing at grade C standard.
Casey
Casey and partner have demonstrated an adequate level of competence in structuring movement to a chosen stimulus. They establish a relationship with one another through the use of mirroring and unison which sets up the concept or intent. There is some variation in use of space from the floor level to the transversal plane as well as the small circular pathway.
The performance explores shape, level and direction but the movement used is more gestural than abstracted. There is some exploration of time and dynamics but the purpose of these is unclear. There is an understanding of creating a dance using manipulation of the elements of dance but there is a reliance on predictable movements to achieve a structure. This work sample demonstrates characteristics of work typically produced by students performing at grade C standard.