Dance 2024 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• personalise choreography to suit individual anatomical structure and ability level using dance technique and safe dance practices to support these qualities
• work with their teacher to ensure performance pieces address syllabus outcomes and support the capabilities of students
• avoid relying on pre-prepared responses such as memorised syllabus definitions and references to the areas of study
• demonstrate application of knowledge to the question(s) asked in the interview, and consider ‘how’ and ‘why’ this information relates to the student’s performance focus work from the perspective of the dancer, not the choreographer, in the Major Study
• actively participate in the interview as a conversation led by markers, and ensure appropriate examples are being chosen to demonstrate and/or analyse concepts
• during the interview, support the physical demonstration of knowledge seen in the dance
• adhere to the time limits as set by NESA in the Assessment and Reporting document.

In better responses, students were able to:

• consistently apply safe dance practice, dance technique and performance quality during the interview/elaboration, and address both the ‘how’ and ‘why’
• acknowledge physically and in the interview, their application of different aspects of space and time dynamics, and how this enhances their performance quality
• execute a high level of body articulation, coordination and complex body skills in multiple ways
• choose appropriate skills to best showcase the dancer’s abilities, demonstrating control and consistency throughout the performance
• apply understanding of their anatomical structure to their dance, therefore demonstrating control of alignment, flexibility, strength and/or coordination
• display a good level of endurance to sustain a consistent level of performance.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding their own physical capabilities and limitations in relation to the complexity of the chosen movement
• demonstrating ability to sustain endurance throughout the performance
• applying safe dance, dance technique and performance quality to the performance as a whole, not just in one area in isolation of the others
• avoiding the use of acrobatic skills that do not enhance the interpretation or demonstrate the skill of dance
• personalising movement to ensure the link between the dance choreographed and the performer is strong, and demonstrates understanding of the syllabus outcomes
• embodying the elements of dance to communicate the interpretation of the work
• avoiding the use of pre-prepared movement examples in the interview
• ensuring examples used directly relate to the questions asked in the interview.

Students should:

• develop an appropriate and achievable concept or intent
• organise the work into an appropriate form relevant to the concept/intent
• ensure the rationale is within the 300-word limit
• show an understanding of how the exploration of the elements of dance supports their concept or intent
• understand why manipulation supports the concept or intent.

In better responses, students were able to:

• establish motif(s) in relation to the concept or intent
• construct well-formed phrases driven by the motif
• manipulate and develop motif(s) to create phrases of movement that clearly establish, reinforce and develop the concept/intent
• consider choices in how they manipulated and developed the motif in relevance to the concept or intent
• demonstrate logical phrase development throughout the dance
• purposefully apply transitions
• demonstrate physically and orally the reasons for the movement choices and the relevance to the concept or intent
• consider the choice of accompaniment relevant to the concept/intent.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating general understanding of the structure of a phrase
• incorporating a clear resolution to create unity
• demonstrating an understanding of variation and contrast to enhance the choreography
• showing a greater understanding of the choices or types of structure in both the elaboration and the physical demonstration
• demonstrating a greater understanding of the difference between repetition and restating or developing the movement to support the concept/intent
• demonstrating the choreographer’s point of view through movement
• ensuring the interview/elaboration matches the concept/intent through purposeful movement choices.

General feedback

Students should:

• read each question carefully to ensure they recognise the key words and refer to the relevant aspects of the dance work and choreographer
• develop a plan to assist with structuring information which is succinct, logical and easily read
• avoid repeating or simply rephrasing ideas or points
• support the ideas in the introduction with more in-depth explanation in each paragraph
• refer to relevant, significant and detailed examples to support the response
• use appropriate descriptive language and dance terminology
• conclude the response by summarising and affirming arguments and making clear interpretive or supporting statement.

Question 1 – Mats Ek, Juliet & Romeo

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain both parts of the question and address ‘movement’ and ‘Juliet’s perspective’, for example, her relationships with Paris/Romeo/Father/Nurse, her emotional state, behaviour and societal expectations
• explain the relevance of the movement examples to support Juliet’s perspective, for example, in terms of the elements of dance and/or motifs and/or phrasing and/or sections of movement
• use appropriate dance terminology and descriptive language when describing relevant movement examples. For example, vibratory dynamic and rigid shape, contrasting use of negative space between the couple, rebellion reinforced through shape, direction and pathway and mesmerised by each other, to represent Romantic love
• consistently address the terms of the question and select appropriate examples from the work to support the response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing more than just a recall or list of information about movement and/or Juliet’s perspective and/or the inclusion of other information about the work that is irrelevant to the question
• explaining the connections to Juliet’s movement and her perspective as a character within the narrative
• structuring the response with a beginning, development and conclusion
• avoiding the use of irrelevant information and/or the choreographer’s biography or context that does not assist in answering the question.

Question 2 – Frances Rings, Terrain, Bangarra Dance Theatre

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a balanced response, citing and integrating a range of examples that support how Frances Rings expresses meaning
• consistently use descriptive language and dance terminology in the depiction of Kati Thanda through movement and theatrical components. For example, ‘Red Brick’ helps portray the land as a great duality, in which both threat and beauty can coexist; ‘fragmented, jagged movement’ and ‘aesthetically pleasing and beautiful shapes’ are reinforced through the melodic aural accompaniment’
• use relevant and appropriate examples from the work which refer to how Frances Rings expresses meaning. For example, the natural cyclic phenomena of the lake, connections between the land and peoples, kinship, the sharing of cultural stories, spirituality and customs; social commentary on displacement, recognition, reconciliation.

Areas for students to improve include:

• selecting and referring to examples with appropriate dance terminology and descriptive language
• avoiding irrelevant or unnecessary information, commentary or story telling
• further developing ideas and concepts stated in the introduction through the remainder of the response
• consistently explaining how meaning is expressed throughout the response.

General feedback

Students should:

• read each question carefully to ensure the key words and intent are recognised
• develop a plan to assist with structuring information which is succinct, logical, easily read and understood
• support the ideas in the introduction with more in-depth discussion in each paragraph
• demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge in answering the question and depth in the detail of the examples
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the appropriate aspects of the dance work and the choreographer(s) where applicable
• choose relevant, significant examples, when citing movement from the dance work
• ensure their writing is coherent by using succinct language, and referring to relevant concepts using appropriate descriptive language and dance terminology
• conclude the response by summarising and affirming arguments and making clear statements.

Question 1 – Crystal Pite, Betroffenheit

In better responses, students were able to:

• make an informed judgement about the extent to which Crystal Pite was able to communicate real and meaningful ideas
• articulate connections between the multi–disciplinary choices made by Crystal Pite, including the use of various dance styles (tap, vaudeville, musical theatre, cabaret, contemporary), production elements (costume, lighting, staging and soundscape) and the expression of real and meaningful themes contained within the work
• use clear, relevant and descriptive language and dance terminology to explain the extent to which surreal narrative and non-narrative devices, characterisation, movement and theatrical elements and choreography contribute to the communication of real human experiences such as grief, shock, addiction, relapse, trauma, guilt and recovery.

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing the requirements of the question, that is, ‘communication’ of things which are ‘real and meaningful’
• avoiding a simple re-telling of the work and/or sections from the work with no supporting example or explanation
• providing more detailed and relevant examples
• avoiding repetition of statements.

Question 2 – Era: 1955–1975 Post Martha Graham

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the aspects of creativity and experimentation in the era that could be attributed to socio-cultural phenomena, such as event(s), individual(s) or group, school(s) of thought or widely held attitudes, and relate how these are seen in the era through specific artists and their work
• refer to one or more of the following within the era: the influence of popular culture, challenge to political and social convention, protest movements, artistic movements, civil rights, technology, television, mass media, women’s liberation, feminism
• use a range of artists, for example, Lucinda Childs, Merce Cunningham and Alvin Ailey, to support statements about the trends and challenges to existing conventions of dance
• provide specific example(s) from artists and their work(s) from the era.

Areas for students to improve include:

• addressing more than one artist, to capture the scope of creativity and experimentation in the era
• understanding the aspects of creativity and experimentation as applied to the era
• identifying specific examples in relation to the era and ideas of creativity and experimentation.

Question 3 – Merce Cunningham or Lucinda Childs

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand the concept of artistic individuality, that is, that which sets an artist apart from other artists
• articulate at least one feature of their chosen artist’s practice with a level of understanding of how it portrays artistic individuality. For example, Cunningham’s distinctive movement vocabulary, non-narrative structures, pedestrian movement, movement for its own sake, without meaning, choreography by chance; Childs’ blending of classicism and minimalism, mathematical patterning, site specific works; Cunningham and Childs’ embracing of technology, taking dance out of the theatre into other innovative spaces, collaborative approaches to visual and sound design
• provide appropriate examples from the work(s) from their chosen artist. For example, Cunningham’s Summerspace, Beachbirds, Points In Space and Child’s Pastime, Street Dance, Three-piece.

Areas for students to improve include:

• selecting and identifying aspects of the artist’s practice that set them apart as an individual
• having specific knowledge of the key works in the artist’s repertoire.