DanceQ&A by dot point

The choreographic devices (unison, canon, mirroring, retrograde, juxtaposition, contrast, accumulation, question and answer, highlights, climax), the choreographic structures or form (binary, ternary, rondo, narrative, theme and variation, motif and development, episodic) and the spatial elements (formations, levels, pathways, direction, dimension or size, relationships) used in Higher Dance choreography, and the effect of each.

Choreographing from a stimulus in Higher Dance: types of stimulus, creating an initial motif from a theme, and the methods of developing a motif (repetition, change of dynamics, level, direction, size, speed, adding or removing body parts, fragmentation, reordering and instrumentation) to build movement material.

The Higher Dance practical activity: choreographing a dance for two or more dancers from a chosen stimulus, applying motif development, devices, structure and spatial elements to a clear choreographic intention, together with the written choreography review that explains and evaluates the choreographic choices.

Appreciating and evaluating professional dance in Higher Dance: analysing and evaluating professional choreography (intention, motif, devices, structure, use of space), the aspects of production or theatre arts (lighting, set and staging, props, costume, make-up, music and aural setting) and their impact, and knowledge of a chosen dance style and a practitioner.

Analysing and evaluating your own work in Higher Dance: judging your application of technical and performance skills in performance and your choreographic choices, identifying strengths and areas for development, and explaining how you would develop them, written as evaluation (a judgement plus a reason and effect) rather than description.

The technical skills (alignment and posture, balance, control, coordination, mobility and flexibility, strength, stamina, extension, transfer of weight, gesture, technical accuracy) and performance skills (timing and musicality, dynamics, spatial awareness, projection and focus, communication of choreographic intention, sense of style) assessed in Higher Dance, and how each supports an accurate and expressive performance in contrasting styles.

The Higher Dance performance component: two tutor-choreographed technical solos in contrasting dance styles, each lasting between one and a half and two minutes, assessed on the candidate's application and combination of technical and performance skills appropriate to each style.

The dancer's body and health in Higher Dance: relevant anatomy, the components of physical fitness (strength, stamina, flexibility, mobility), physical preparation (warm-up, cool-down, conditioning, technique class), safe working practice and injury prevention and management, nutrition and hydration, and the mental skills (focus, motivation, managing performance anxiety) that support performance.