What physical skills and technical skills does a dancer need to perform accurately and safely?
Physical skills (posture, alignment, balance, coordination, control, flexibility, mobility, strength, stamina, extension, isolation) and technical skills (action content, dynamic content, spatial content, relationship content, timing) used in performance.
A focused answer to AQA GCSE Dance Component 1, covering the physical skills (posture, alignment, balance, coordination, flexibility, strength, stamina and more) and technical skills (action, dynamics, space, relationships and timing) a dancer needs to perform accurately and safely.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA wants you to know the physical skills and technical skills that let a dancer perform with accuracy, control and safety. These are the building blocks examined in the solo and duet or group performances of Component 1, and you must be able to define and apply each one in the written paper as well as demonstrate them in performance.
Physical skills
These are the trainable bodily capacities that underpin all dancing.
The full set you must know includes balance (holding a still position steadily), coordination (moving body parts together smoothly), control (starting, stopping and changing movement precisely), flexibility (range of movement at a joint), mobility (moving the joints freely through their range), strength (muscular power for lifts and jumps), stamina (sustaining energy without tiring across the whole dance), extension (lengthening a limb or the body fully) and isolation (moving one body part independently of the rest). These are developed through training and conditioning over time, not invented on the day.
Technical skills
Accuracy of action, dynamics, space, relationships and timing is what marks the difference between a movement that is merely done and one that is performed well. Reproducing choreography exactly, in time and in the right place, is central to the marks awarded in Component 1. Timing in particular is a technical skill that candidates sometimes overlook, treating only the shapes they make as what is assessed.
Why physical and technical skills work together
Strong physical skills make the technical skills achievable: you cannot show full extension without flexibility, hold a clean balance without strength and control, or sustain accurate timing to the end of a demanding piece without stamina. Examiners reward a performance that combines trained physical skills with accurate technical execution, because the two are inseparable in practice.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20182 marksDefine alignment and explain why it matters in performance.Show worked answer →
One mark for the definition, one for why it matters.
Alignment is the correct placement of body parts in relation to each other, for example knees tracking over toes and a lengthened spine. It matters because good alignment protects the joints from injury and makes movement efficient and accurate, so balances and turns are more secure.
Markers reward a precise definition of alignment plus a clear reason (safety or efficiency or accuracy).
AQA 20214 marksExplain the difference between physical skills and technical skills, using examples of each.Show worked answer →
Two marks for the distinction with a physical-skill example, two for a technical-skill example.
Physical skills are the trainable bodily capacities a dancer needs, such as strength, flexibility, stamina and control. Technical skills are how accurately movement is reproduced, such as the action content, dynamic content, spatial content and timing. For example, flexibility (physical) lets a dancer achieve a high extension, while accurate timing (technical) ensures that extension lands exactly on the musical accent.
Markers reward a clear distinction plus a correct example of each, ideally showing how a physical skill enables a technical one.
Related dot points
- Expressive skills (projection, focus, spatial awareness, facial expression, phrasing, musicality, sensitivity to other dancers) used to communicate choreographic intent to an audience.
A focused answer to AQA GCSE Dance Component 1, covering the expressive skills (projection, focus, spatial awareness, facial expression, phrasing, musicality and sensitivity to other dancers) used to communicate meaning and choreographic intent to an audience.
- Mental skills used during performance and in rehearsal (movement memory, commitment, concentration, confidence, systematic repetition, mental rehearsal, rehearsal discipline) and safe working practices including warm up, cool down and safe execution.
A focused answer to AQA GCSE Dance Component 1, covering the mental skills used in performance and rehearsal (movement memory, commitment, concentration, confidence, mental rehearsal) and safe working practices such as warming up, cooling down and safe execution.
- Performing in a duet or group: relationship content (lead and follow, mirroring, action and reaction, accumulation, complement and contrast, counterpoint, contact, formations) and the awareness, sensitivity and timing needed to dance with others.
A focused answer to AQA GCSE Dance Component 1, covering the relationship content (lead and follow, mirroring, action and reaction, contact, formations) and the sensitivity, spatial awareness and timing a dancer needs to perform with others in a duet or group.
- Movement and physical features of the anthology works: the action, dynamic, spatial and relationship content and the dance style and physical skills used by the dancers in each set work.
A focused answer to AQA GCSE Dance Component 2, covering the movement features (action, dynamic, spatial and relationship content) and the dance styles and physical skills used by the dancers in the six anthology set works.
- Analysing and interpreting dance: identifying and describing movement components (action, dynamic, spatial, relationship) and production features, and interpreting how they communicate meaning and choreographic intent.
A focused answer to AQA GCSE Dance Component 2 appreciation, covering how to analyse the movement components (action, dynamic, spatial, relationship) and production features of a dance, and how to interpret what they communicate.
Sources & how we know this
- AQA GCSE Dance (8236) specification — AQA (2016)