Original source · Published January 2026 · Updated January 2026

Course overview

Rationale

The arts are woven into the fabric of community. They have the capacity to engage and inspire students, enriching their lives, stimulating curiosity and imagination, and encouraging them to reach their creative and expressive potential. Arts subjects provide opportunities for students to learn problem-solving processes, design and create art, and use multiple literacies to communicate intention with diverse audiences.

Dance is a unique art form and a powerful medium for communication that uses movement as a means of personal expression. It affects a wide range of human activities, including personal, social, cultural, health, artistic and entertainment pursuits. Dance is a growing art form that reflects Australia’s cultural diversity while also allowing students to engage with established and progressive worldwide dance genres and styles. In Dance in Practice, students actively engage in dance in school and community contexts. Students are provided with opportunities to experience and build their understanding of the role of dance in and across communities.

Where possible, students interact with practising performers, choreographers and dance-related artists. Learning is connected to relevant industry practice and opportunities, promoting future employment and preparing students as agile, competent, innovative and safe workers who can collaborate to solve problems and complete project-based work in various contexts.

In Dance in Practice, students are involved in making (choreographing and performing) and responding to dance works in class, school and the community. Students also respond to their own and others’ dance works by examining aesthetic codes and symbol systems and using their senses as a means of understanding. This fosters creativity, helps students develop problem-solving skills, and heightens their imaginative, emotional, aesthetic, analytical and reflective experiences.

Students explore and apply dance practices safely to communicate dance ideas for particular purposes and contexts, including audiences. They gain an understanding of terminology specific to dance; interpret and express ideas and intention in their own dance and the dance of others; identify problems and investigate ways to solve them; and evaluate choices made to communicate through dance and about dance. Through the physicality of dance and the use of their bodies as a medium for artistic expression, students experience a sense of enjoyment and personal achievement.

Syllabus objectives

The syllabus objectives outline what students have the opportunity to learn.

1. Use dance practices.

When making, students use dance concepts and dance skills to choreograph and perform dance works.

2. Plan dance works.

When responding, students analyse key features of purpose and context to plan dance works. They make decisions, explore solutions and select strategies to achieve goals.

3. Communicate ideas.

When making, students choreograph and perform dance works that suit purpose and context. Ideas that dance works may communicate include representations, thoughts, feelings, experiences or observations.

When choreographing, students manipulate dance concepts to synthesise movement ideas into sequences to make a dance work that conveys ideas.

When performing, they use dance skills to interpret and express ideas and intention.

4. Evaluate dance works.

When responding, students appraise strengths, implications and limitations of their own work and the work of others. They make judgments and justify how ideas are communicated for audiences, purpose and contexts. Students select and use dance terminology and language conventions when producing written, spoken or signed evaluations.

Designing a course of study in Dance in Practice

Syllabuses are designed for teachers to make professional decisions to tailor curriculum and assessment design and delivery to suit their school context and the goals, aspirations and abilities of their students within the parameters of Queensland’s senior phase of learning.

The syllabus is used by teachers to develop curriculum for their school context. The term course of study describes the unique curriculum and assessment that students engage with in each school context. A course of study is the product of a series of decisions made by a school to select, organise and contextualise subject matter, integrate complementary and important learning, and create assessment tasks in accordance with syllabus specifications.

It is encouraged that, where possible, a course of study is designed such that teaching, learning and assessment activities are integrated and enlivened in an authentic setting.

Course structure

Dance in Practice is an Applied senior syllabus. It contains at least four QCAA-developed units from which schools develop their course of study.

Each unit has been developed with a notional time of 55 hours of teaching and learning, including assessment.

Schools select four units from the unit options provided. They decide the order in which the units will be delivered. Once these decisions have been made, the four units selected and their order of implementation determine which units are considered Units 1–4.

Students should complete Unit 1 and Unit 2 before beginning Units 3 and 4. Units 3 and 4 are studied as a pair.

More information about the requirements for administering senior syllabuses is available in the ‘Queensland curriculum’ section of the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook.

Curriculum

Senior syllabuses set out only what is essential while being flexible so teachers can make curriculum decisions to suit their students, school context, resources and expertise.

Within the requirements set out in this syllabus and the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook, schools have autonomy to decide:

• how and when subject matter is delivered
• how, when and why learning experiences are developed, and the context in which learning occurs
• how opportunities are provided in the course of study for explicit and integrated teaching and learning of complementary skills.

These decisions allow teachers to develop a course of study that is rich, engaging and relevant for their students.

Assessment

Senior syllabuses set out only what is essential while being flexible so teachers can make assessment decisions to suit their students, school context, resources and expertise.

Applied senior syllabuses contain assessment specifications and conditions for the assessment instruments that must be implemented with Units 3 and 4. These specifications and conditions ensure comparability, equity and validity in assessment.

Within the requirements set out in this syllabus and the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook, schools have autonomy to decide:

• specific assessment task details
• assessment contexts to suit available resources
• how the assessment task will be integrated with teaching and learning activities
• how authentic the task will be.

In Unit 1 and Unit 2, schools:

• develop at least two but no more than four assessments
• complete at least one assessment for each unit
• ensure that each unit objective is assessed at least once.

In Units 3 and 4, schools develop four assessments using the assessment specifications and conditions provided in the syllabus.

More information about assessment in senior syllabuses is available in ‘The assessment system’ section of the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook.

Subject matter

Each unit contains a unit description, unit objectives and subject matter. Subject matter is the body of information, mental procedures and psychomotor procedures (see Marzano & Kendall 2007, 2008) that are necessary for students’ learning and engagement with the subject. Subject matter itself is not the specification of learning experiences but provides the basis for the design of student learning experiences.

Subject matter has a direct relationship with the unit objectives and provides statements of learning that have been constructed in a similar way to objectives.

Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

The QCAA is committed to reconciliation. As part of its commitment, the QCAA affirms that:

• Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first Australians, and have the oldest living cultures in human history
• Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples have strong cultural traditions and speak diverse languages and dialects, other than Standard Australian English
• teaching and learning in Queensland schools should provide opportunities for students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the perspectives of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• positive outcomes for Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students are supported by successfully embedding Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives across planning, teaching and assessing student achievement.

Guidelines about Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and resources for teaching are available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/k-12-policies/aboriginal-torres-strait-islander-perspectives.

Where appropriate, Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives have been embedded in the subject matter.

Complementary skills

Opportunities for the development of complementary skills have been embedded throughout subject matter. These skills, which overlap and interact with syllabus subject matter, are derived from current education, industry and community expectations and encompass the knowledge, skills, capabilities, behaviours and dispositions that will help students live and work successfully in the 21st century.

These complementary skills are:

• literacy — the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions about language and texts essential for understanding and conveying English language content
• numeracy — the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that students need to use mathematics in a wide range of situations, to recognise and understand the role of mathematics in the world, and to develop the dispositions and capacities to use mathematical knowledge and skills purposefully
• 21st century skills — the attributes and skills students need to prepare them for higher education, work, and engagement in a complex and rapidly changing world. These skills include critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, collaboration and teamwork, personal and social skills, and digital literacy. The explanations of associated skills are available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects/general-subjects/21st-century-skills.

It is expected that aspects of literacy, numeracy and 21st century skills will be developed by engaging in the learning outlined in this syllabus. Teachers may choose to create additional explicit and intentional opportunities for the development of these skills as they design the course of study.

Additional subject-specific information

Additional subject-specific information has been included to support and inform the development of a course of study.

First Nations cultural and intellectual property in The Arts

The Australia Council for the Arts provides protocols for using First Nations cultural and intellectual property in The Arts, which are available at https://australiacouncil.gov.au/investment-and-development/protocols-and-resources/protocols-for-using-first-nations-cultural-and-intellectual-property-in-the-arts.

Dance practices

Body

The body is the material or instrument for dance and uses movement vocabulary or actions developed by manipulating the elements of dance. The manipulation and organisation of movement into a structure, and the refinement of technical and expressive skills, allow students to communicate meaning in choreography and performance.

Actions or movements of the body are often referred to as fundamental movement skills. These movements can travel from one space to another, e.g. walking, running, hopping, skipping, leaping or crawling (locomotor movements), or move on the spot above a stationary base (non-locomotor movements), e.g. bending, stretching, twisting, shaking, bouncing, rising, sinking, pushing, pulling, or swinging and swaying.

Dance concepts

Dance concepts consist of:

• elements of dance
  • space — where the body moves, including level, dimension/size, direction, shape, active space, positive space, negative space, general space, personal space, planes, pathways and performance area
  • time — when dance occurs and how long it takes, including metre, tempo, momentum, accent, duration, phrasing, rhythmic patterns, stillness and beat
  • dynamics — how dance is created and performed, including weight, force, energy and movement qualities
  • relationships — when the body dances, associations or connections that occur between body parts (e.g. right arm to left arm, hand to face); the body and the floor (e.g. close to, away from); the body and objects (e.g. a chair, fan, stick, scarf); the body and space (e.g. an expansive or limited relationship); and the body and others (e.g. dance to one or more dancers)
• structure
  • choreographic devices — the tools a choreographer selects and uses to shape movement to communicate ideas, e.g. repetition, canon, call and response, contrast, unison, retrograde, instrumentation, accumulation, embellishment, fragmentation, motif, motif and development, improvisation
  • form — the overall structural organisation or shape of a dance, e.g. sequence, phrase, transition, binary (AB), ternary (ABA), rondo (ABACA), narrative, improvisation, literal, abstract, chance, episodic
• production elements — lighting, performance space, aural elements, costume, sets, props, technologies.

Dance skills

Dance skills consist of:

• technical skills — physical capabilities and execution, such as control, coordination, balance, strength, flexibility, alignment, timing, rhythm, extension, spatial awareness, and genre- and style-specific techniques
• expressive skills — interpretive qualities, such as musicality, focus (eyeline, concentration), projection of intent, facial expression, body expression/characterisation, confidence and energy.

Genre and style

Genre refers to the broad categories of dance based on shared characteristics identifiable in the contexts, e.g. contemporary, ballet, musical theatre, hip-hop, ballroom dance.

Style is a specific category within a genre that can be based on a:

• smaller range of shared characteristics
• particular choreographer’s technique or distinguishing characteristic
• performer’s or company’s individual characteristics.

Style develops through a characteristic selection, manipulation and ordering of the dance concepts and skills.

Safe dance practices

Safe dance practices involve the selection and execution of safe movement to allow students to engage in dance practices and processes with a greatly reduced risk of injury. They develop an understanding of their own bodies’ capabilities and maintenance, and develop kinaesthetic intelligence, critical thinking and awareness of how the body moves in dance.

When choreographing or and performing, safe dance practices might include considering the requirements of different performance environments, working with protective clothing and equipment, and considering mechanically safe movement.

Dance literacies

An understanding of dance terminology and language is needed to communicate with others about dance. These include:

• dance terminology
• stage directions and terminology
• stagecraft and production terminology.

Purpose and context

Purpose and context are the circumstances in which dance works are explored and made by choreographers and performers and experienced by audiences.

Contexts inform the purpose of dance and influence choreographic intention, genre interpretation and style. Choreographers and dancers are informed by contexts and purposes when they communicate ideas and select and interpret movement.

How a choreographer or dancer aims to address purpose and context in their dance-making is referred to as artistic intention.

Audience

Dance works are created with a particular audience in mind. Dancers and choreographers consider the potential engagement and reactions of the audience when developing and communicating ideas. Audience is a key factor when considering purposes and contexts for dance works.

Community engagement

Engaging with community in developing and making dance works provides real-world authentic engagement and may involve:

• appropriate businesses, organisations or professionals
• local community groups, e.g. aged-care facilities, shopping centres, sporting teams
• online or digital communities, including through social media
• schools or other educational institutions.

Industry engagement

Industry engagement highlights that careers in dance are diverse with many skills transferable to other vocations.

Students consider:

• careers that are available, e.g. through industry expos and career ‘taster’ days
• how industries and professions recognise and value dance and dance skills, e.g. through mentoring programs, work-shadowing and work experience in industry
• skills that are transferable.

Transferable knowledge, understanding and skills developed in dance include:

• aesthetic understanding
• communication
• creative thinking
• critical literacies (visual, kinaesthetic, aural, oral and digital)
• project management
• teamwork.

Assessment in Dance Practice

Assessment in Dance in Practice requires students to:

• plan dance works — planning may be presented as choreographic statements, programs, annotations of stimulus, research notes, proposals, briefs or pitches
• communicate ideas
  • performances may be a video clip, live performance for a community event, school assembly or function or an in-class performance
  • for example, students may develop the choreography and staging for a dance piece in the school musical or for a tour of local primary schools
• evaluate dance works
  • written evaluations may include articles (e.g. magazine articles), essays (e.g. analytical, persuasive/argumentative, informative), reviews, reports or programs
  • spoken or signed evaluations may include presentations, interviews, podcasts or seminars
  • multimodal evaluations may include delivery of a slideshow, video clip, webinar or webpage that includes written, spoken/signed and nonverbal (e.g. physical, visual) aspects.

Evaluation is part of a cyclical dance-making process and may be assessed at various stages of a project.

Workplace health and safety

When working in dance spaces, students consider workplace health and safety, including following risk assessments and safely using equipment, props, staging and special effects.

When working in digital and online spaces, students follow practices that comply with ethical standards and security and safety protocols, e.g. copyright and permissions, data management, privacy policies, risk assessments, safe use of social media.

Awareness of self and others

Effective group dynamics and communication skills are required to create and perform dance works. Students can show awareness of themselves and others by:

• understanding and developing personal attributes and dispositions, e.g. resilience, enthusiasm, persistence, work ethic
• accepting and offering feedback
• reflecting on practice
• demonstrating audience etiquette
• demonstrating and encouraging ethical behaviour, e.g. cultural and community sensitivity, equity, inclusivity
• participating in trust activities
• engaging in collaboration and cooperation.

Reporting

General information about determining and reporting results for senior syllabuses is provided in the ‘Determining and reporting results’ section of the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook.

Reporting standards

Reporting standards are summary statements that describe typical performance at each of the five levels (A–E).

A

The student uses dance concepts revealing complexity of choices when choreographing, and uses technical skills displaying accuracy and consistency when performing. When planning dance works, the student shows strategic consideration of the impact of purpose and context on choreography. They communicate ideas displaying impact and sensitivity in cohesive dance works when choreographing, and displaying sustained use of focus, projection, and facial and body expression to present cohesive performances. They evaluate dance works and choreographic choices using well-reasoned justifications with examples that reveal the interrelationship between purpose and context.

B

The student uses dance concepts showing intentional selection and organisation when choreographing, and uses technical skills showing clear links and transitions between sections of a dance when performing. When planning dance works, the student’s work reveals clear and consistent choreographic choices. They communicate ideas enhanced by choices of movement material in choreographed works, and display variations in movement qualities and musicality in performances. They evaluate dance works showing purposeful choices in terms of the key elements of dance, structure and production elements.

C

The student uses dance concepts when choreographing and uses technical skills when performing, in selected genres and/or styles. They develop planning for dance works for specific purposes and contexts. The student communicates ideas in choreographed works and applies expressive skills when performing dance for selected purposes and contexts. The student evaluates choreographic choices, using appropriate language conventions and terminology to communicate their evaluations.

D

The student uses elements of dance, choreographic devices or production elements when choreographing, and demonstrates recall of sections of performances showing inconsistencies. They document plans for dance works, making links to purpose or context. When communicating ideas, the student uses elements of dance, choreographic devices or production elements, and focus, projection, facial and/or body expression in isolated phrases of movement when performing. They provide statements of opinion about dance works using examples of elements of dance, structure or production elements.

E

The student shows evidence of isolated movements when choreographing and performing. When planning, they describe an idea/s, select isolated movements for choreographed work and communicate an idea/s in performance. The student describes an example of an element of dance, choreographic devices or production element.

Determining and reporting results

Unit 1 and Unit 2

Schools make A–E judgments on individual assessment instruments implemented in Unit 1 and Unit 2 using reporting standards.

Schools report results to the QCAA for students who complete Unit 1 and/or Unit 2. Results are reported as satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U). Where appropriate, schools may also report a not rated (NR).

Units 3 and 4

Schools make A–E judgments on each of the four assessment instruments implemented in Units 3 and 4 using instrument-specific standards (ISS).

Schools report instrument results to the QCAA for students enrolled in Units 3 and 4 for each of the four assessments implemented. Where appropriate, schools may also report a not rated (NR).

Schools are also responsible for determining and reporting an A–E final subject result to the QCAA. The subject result is an on-balance judgment about how the pattern of evidence across the four assessments in Units 3 and 4 best matches the characteristics of the reporting standards at one of five levels (A–E).

Unit options

Unit option A: Celebration

In this unit, students explore dance used for celebration through choreographing, performing and responding experiences. Celebrations can be an opportunity to acknowledge, honour, remember, show respect, entertain or express something special and enjoyable. Humans celebrate significant acts and achievements, memorable experiences and the uniqueness of individuals or groups, and use celebrations to remember events and people, to mark significant beginnings or endings, to commemorate aspects of what we value and believe as a community, among many more reasons for celebrations.

Students consider a range of purposes and contexts and engage in diverse dance genres and styles as they shape and share dance ideas, emotions and experiences. By exploring dance works for celebration events, they have opportunities to work individually and collaboratively to make and perform their own dance works and those of others. Students demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills as they work with others, including industry professionals, where possible, to innovate and problem-solve to make and perform dances for celebration.

Contexts and purposes for celebrations may include:

• school events, e.g. school dance night, Harmony Week, musicals, competitive performances, integrated performing arts productions, lunchtime concerts, end-of-year productions, whole-school assemblies, awards presentations
• local or community events, e.g. eisteddfods, community productions, festivals, dance battles, promotions
• international events (accessed virtually), e.g. global arts or dance festivals.

Unit objectives

1. Use dance concepts and dance skills.
2. Plan dances for celebration events.
3. Communicate ideas through choreographing and performing dances for celebration events.
4. Evaluate dances for celebration events.

Subject matter

Use dance practices

• Demonstrate the use of
  • dance concepts when choreographing dances for celebration events, including elements of dance, structure, and production elements to suit identified purpose and context
  • dance skills when performing dances for celebration events.
• Explore genre- and/or style-specific techniques suitable for dances for celebration events.
• Consider safe dance practices when choreographing and performing.

Plan dance works

• Demonstrate and apply planning skills for celebration events, e.g. scheduling, resource management, time management.
• Document planning and develop solutions for dances for celebration events.
• Research, analyse and collate ideas about the types of movements, genres and styles that are most appropriate to celebrate dance for specific purposes and contexts.
• Investigate events in the school to celebrate dance, considering purpose and context.
• Establish relationships with local, wider and online community stakeholders to explore purposes and contexts of dances for celebration events.
• Identify and select a variety of dance genres, styles and events for use in dances for celebration events.
• Examine the ethics around choreographing and performing dances, including copyright, intellectual property and use of copyrighted materials, e.g. music, images, choreography.
• Develop choreographic statements that explain the ideas of dances for celebration events, outlining purpose and context, audience, genre, style, dancers, and dance concepts.

Communicate ideas

• Choreograph dances using dance concepts that realise plans to express ideas around dances for celebration events, considering
  • an identified purpose and context
  • specific genres and styles.
• Perform own and others’ dances using dance skills that realise plans to express ideas around dances for celebration events, considering
  • a choreographer’s ideas and intention
  • use of technical skills and expressive skills.
• Develop
  • rehearsal and ensemble etiquette
  • collaborative and cooperative skills.

Evaluate dance works

• Make judgments about own and others’ dances for celebration events and performances, reflecting on and justifying strengths and limitations in relation to purpose and context.
• Analyse and interpret how choreographers use dance concepts to communicate ideas in dances for celebration events.
• Discuss how and why production elements are chosen and incorporated into dance to communicate ideas about celebration, e.g. staging, props, costumes, technology.
• Examine technical and expressive skills used to communicate a choreographer’s ideas.
• Apply literacy skills using different modes of communication, e.g. checklists, annotated diagrams, process steps, choreographic intentions and statements, video journals.
• Engage with and respond to feedback from others, e.g. peers, teachers, guest artists and/or community mentors.

Unit option B: Industry

In this unit, students explore different sectors of the dance industry (including professional and amateur) through choreographing, performing and responding experiences. The professional dance industry is primarily made up of dancers, choreographers, dance therapists, dance critics, costume and set designers, make-up artists, publicists, and other behind-the-scenes workers. The amateur dance industry relies on the popularity of dance in the culture and consists of dance for fitness, dance schools, cheerleading academies, and other recreational or educational dance.

Students develop industry skills by exploring a variety of dance styles and genres relevant to different sectors of the dance industry. They explore and develop an understanding of the key requirements of working in the dance industry and explore these through choreography, performance and responding to dance.

Contexts and purposes for industry dance may include:

• professional dance companies
• dance studios and schools
• entertainment, e.g. cruise ships, stage, screen, circus, musical theatre
• job pathways, e.g. educator, performer, dance therapist, exercise physiologist, choreographer, costume designer, critic
• community companies, classes and programs
• audition requirements, e.g. showreel — length, style, genre, purpose, context, music choice, virtual vs. live audition.

Unit objectives

1. Use dance concepts and dance skills.
2. Plan dance works for different sectors of the dance industry.
3. Communicate ideas through choreographing and performing dances for different sectors of the dance industry.
4. Evaluate dance works for different sectors of the dance industry.

Subject matter

Use dance practices

• Demonstrate the use of
  • dance concepts when choreographing dance works for different sectors of the dance industry, including elements of dance, structure, and production elements to suit identified purpose and context
  • dance skills when performing dance works for different sectors of the dance industry.
• Explore genre- and/or style-specific techniques suitable for different sectors of the dance industry.
• Consider safe dance practices when choreographing and performing.

Plan dance works

• Demonstrate and apply planning skills for dance works for different sectors of the dance industry, including scheduling, resource management, time management and consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• Document planning and develop solutions for dance works for different sectors of the dance industry.
• Research, analyse and collate ideas about the types of movements, genres and styles that are most appropriate for dance industry purposes and contexts.
• Review a variety of showreels, examining purpose and context, e.g. to promote a dancer as an applicant for a job; to promote a choreographer by showing their versatility across different genres and styles.
• Investigate events and opportunities to engage with dance industry contexts and experiences.
• Establish relationships (face-to-face or virtual) with industry professionals from different sectors of the dance industry to explore choreographic processes and problem-solving techniques in a specific purpose or context.
• Identify and select a variety of dance genres and styles suitable for dance works for different sectors of the dance industry.
• Examine the ethics around choreographing and performing dances, including copyright, intellectual property and use of copyrighted materials, e.g. music, images, choreography.
• Develop choreographic statements that explain the ideas for dance works for different sectors of the dance industry, outlining purpose and context, audience, genre, style, dancers and dance concepts.

Communicate ideas

• Choreograph dance works or showreels using dance concepts that realise plans to express ideas around dance works for different sectors of the dance industry, considering
  • an identified purpose and context
  • specific genres and styles.
• Perform own and others’ dance works using dance skills that realise plans to express ideas around dance works for different sectors of the dance industry, considering
  • a choreographer’s ideas and intention
  • use of technical skills and expressive skills.
• Develop
  • rehearsal and ensemble etiquette
  • collaborative and cooperative skills.
• Use digital literacies to select and arrange movement material in chosen genres or styles in response to an identified dance industry purpose and context.

Evaluate dance works

• Make judgments about own and others’ dance works for different sectors of the dance industry and performances, reflecting on and justifying strengths and limitations in relation to purpose and context.
• Analyse and interpret how choreographers use dance concepts to communicate ideas in dance works for different sectors of the dance industry.
• Discuss
  • how and why production elements are chosen and incorporated into dance industry styles to communicate ideas, e.g. staging, props, costumes, technology
  • the role dance plays in the community in the professional and amateur sectors of the dance industry.
• Examine
  • technical skills and expressive skills used to communicate a choreographer’s ideas
  • job applications for different purposes and contexts, reflecting on possible career paths based on individual strengths and limitations.
• Apply literacy skills using different modes of communication, e.g. checklists, annotated diagrams, process steps, choreographic intentions and statements, video journals.
• Engage with and respond to feedback from others, e.g. peers, teachers, guest artists and/or community mentors.

Unit option C: Health

In this unit, students explore choreographing, performing and responding in dance through the concept of health-related dance. Students develop their knowledge and understanding about the health benefits of dance through physical, mental, emotional, social and/or creative experiences. They investigate and develop an understanding of using dance with diverse groups.

Dance for health may focus on various contexts, including the use of dance for fitness, physical health, mental health and socialising. Movement can have long-term health benefits for all, regardless of age, gender, disease or disability.

Students engage in relevant dance genres and styles to shape and share dance ideas through a range of learning experiences that explore the concept of health-related dance.

Contexts and purposes for health-related dance may include:

• dance as a form of expression to support emotional health for diverse groups, e.g. people in aged-care facilities, people who require seated or standing movements
• dance for fitness and strength training and associated mediums, such as Pilates, yoga, ballet barre, and somatic therapy
• dance as a lifestyle practice to encourage movement, mindfulness and connection, such as dance in community classes and programs and social dance classes
• dance related to different developmental stages, such as early years, primary, youth, e.g. a children’s dance production for a primary school, kindergarten movement program or a junior secondary class.

Unit objectives

1. Use dance concepts and dance skills.
2. Plan health-related dances for diverse groups.
3. Communicate ideas through choreographing and performing health-related dances for diverse groups.
4. Evaluate health-related dances for diverse groups.

Subject matter

Use dance practices

• Demonstrate the use of
  • dance concepts when choreographing dances that reflect the capabilities, skills and interests of diverse groups, including elements of dance, structure, and production elements to suit identified purpose and context
  • dance skills when performing dances for health-related dances for diverse groups.
• Explore genre- and/or style-specific techniques and adaptations of techniques suitable for the capabilities, skills and interests of diverse groups.
• Consider safe dance practices when choreographing or performing.

Plan dance works

• Demonstrate and apply planning skills for health-related dances for diverse groups, including scheduling, resource management, time management and consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• Document planning and develop solutions for health-related dances for diverse groups.
• Research, analyse and collate ideas and data around dance-related experiences and programs that contribute to a person's health, including by considering choreographers, health-related practitioners and dances that focus on diverse groups.
• Collate ideas about the types of movements, genres and styles that are most appropriate for health, considering outcomes, purpose and context.
• Investigate programs in the school, local or wider community for health-related dances for diverse groups.
• Establish relationships with local, wider and online community stakeholders to explore purposes and contexts of health-related dances for diverse groups.
• Identify and plan how to adapt movement to suit diverse groups using a variety of dance genres and styles for use in health-related dances.
• Examine the ethics around choreographing and performing dances, including copyright, intellectual property and use of copyrighted materials, e.g. music, images, choreography.
• Develop choreographic statements that explain the ideas of health-related dances for diverse groups, outlining purpose and context, audience, genre, style, dancers, and dance concepts.

Communicate ideas

• Choreograph dance works using dance concepts that realise plans to express ideas around health-related dances for diverse groups, considering
  • an identified purpose and context
  • specific genres and styles.
• Perform own and/or others’ dance works using dance skills that realise plans to express ideas around health-related dances for diverse groups, considering
  • a choreographer’s ideas and intention
  • use of technical skills and expressive skills.
• Develop
  • rehearsal and ensemble etiquette
  • collaborative and cooperative skills.

Evaluate dance works

• Make judgments about own and others’ health-related dances for diverse groups, reflecting on and justifying strengths and limitations in relation to purpose and context.
• Analyse and interpret how choreographers use dance concepts to communicate ideas in health-related dances for diverse groups.
• Discuss how and why production elements are chosen and incorporated into a dance work to communicate ideas and provide support, e.g. staging, props, costumes, technology.
• Examine technical and expressive skills used to communicate a choreographer’s ideas.
• Apply literacy skills using different modes of communication, e.g. checklists, annotated diagrams, process steps, choreographic intentions and statements, video journals.
• Engage with and respond to feedback from others, e.g. peers, teachers, guest artists and/or community mentors.

Unit option D: Technology

In this unit, students explore the use of technology in dance. Students develop critical and creative thinking skills through problem-solving and decision-making as they explore how technology influences decisions when making and responding in dance. They identify and analyse problems, focusing on how technology can shape, influence or enhance how ideas are communicated. Students become responsible digital citizens through the exploration and application of technology. They investigate how technology can affect a choreographer’s creative process and how a performer’s use of dance skills differs in these contexts.

Students have the opportunity to explore, individually and in groups, relevant dance genres and styles using technology. They learn to shape and share their dance ideas, emotions and experiences through choreography, performance and responding to a range of dance works in a variety of virtual environments. Students build personal and social skills as they engage with peers in group work, where possible.

Through exploring a variety of dance contexts, students are introduced to diverse perspectives, encouraging them to relate to others and develop community connections.

Contexts and purposes for dance works that use technology may include exploring:

• virtual environments, such as video clips, dance film or digital platforms
• specific genres and styles (live or recorded), such as
  • hip-hop, commercial jazz, e.g. video clips of music artists
  • contemporary dance, e.g. dance films such as Break (Shona McCullagh) and Water (Mariel Madrid), works by Pilobolus
  • musical theatre, e.g. West Side Story, Hairspray
• community dance festivals
• cinema viewings of dance films and videos during an arts festival
• school dance night or arts showcase
• industry or real contexts, such as creating pieces or promotional material for dance companies; advertising campaigns; reality TV dance shows.

Unit objectives

1. Use dance concepts and dance skills.
2. Plan dance works that use technology.
3. Communicate ideas through choreographing and performing dance works that use technology.
4. Evaluate dance works that use technology.

Subject matter

Use dance practices

• Demonstrate the use of
  • dance concepts when choreographing dance works that use technology, including elements of dance, structure, and production elements to suit identified purpose and context
  • dance skills when performing dances using technologies.
• Explore genre- and/or style-specific techniques suitable for dance works that use technology.
• Consider safe dance practices when choreographing or performing.

Plan dance works

• Demonstrate and apply planning skills for dance works that use technology, e.g. scheduling, resource management, time management and consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• Document planning and develop solutions for dance works that use technology.
• Research, analyse and collate ideas about the types of movements, genres and styles that are most appropriate for dance works that use technology for specific purposes and contexts.
• Investigate events in the school, local and wider community for dance works that use technology, considering purpose and context.
• Establish relationships with local, wider, and online community stakeholders to explore purposes and contexts of dance works that use technology.
• Identify and select a variety of dance genres, styles and events for use in dance works that use technology.
• Examine the ethics around choreographing and performing dances, including copyright, intellectual property and use of copyrighted materials, e.g. music, images, choreography.
• Develop choreographic statements that explain the ideas of dance works that use technology, outlining purpose and context, audience, genre, style, dancers, and dance concepts.

Communicate ideas

• Choreograph dance works using dance concepts that realise plans to express ideas around dance works that use technology, considering
  • an identified context and purpose
  • specific genres and styles.
• Perform own and others’ dance works using dance skills that realise plans to express ideas around dance works that use technology, considering
  • a choreographer’s ideas and intention
  • use of technical skills and expressive skills.
• Develop
  • rehearsal and ensemble etiquette
  • collaborative and cooperative skills.

Evaluate dance works

• Make judgments about own and others’ dance works that use technology and performances, reflecting on and justifying strengths and limitations in relation to purpose and context.
• Analyse and interpret how choreographers use dance concepts to communicate ideas in dance works that use technology.
• Discuss how and why technology is chosen and incorporated into dance works to communicate ideas, including camera angles, shot types, effects, editing effects, the use of projections, lighting effects, data projections and computer software.
• Examine technical and expressive skills used to communicate a choreographer’s ideas.
• Apply literacy skills using different modes of communication, e.g. checklists, annotated diagrams, process steps, choreographic intentions and statements, video journals.
• Engage with and respond to feedback from others, e.g. peers, teachers, guest artists and/or community mentors.

Assessment

Assessment A1: Choreographic project — Celebration

Students plan, choreograph and evaluate a dance for a celebration event connected to their community.

Assessment objectives

1. Use dance concepts in the selected genre and/or style.
2. Plan a dance for a celebration event for a specific purpose and context.
3. Communicate ideas in a dance for a celebration event.
4. Evaluate choreographic choices in a dance for a celebration event, using appropriate language conventions and terminology.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• plan the choreography for a dance for a celebration event by
  • analysing the dance’s purpose and context
  • explaining ideas for the choreography, outlining dancers, dance concepts, context and purpose
• choreograph a dance work that
  • communicates the theme of celebration, considering purpose and context
  • manipulates movement, using dance concepts to communicate ideas
• evaluate choreographic choices, including making judgments and justifying how ideas are communicated for purpose and context.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The choreography can be for an individual or group dance (maximum 4 dancers). Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Choreography of dance

Choreography (live or recorded): up to 4 minutes

Planning and evaluation of choreography

One of the following:

• Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media
• Written: up to 600 words
• Spoken: up to 4 minutes, or signed equivalent

Instrument-specific standards

The student response has the following characteristics:

Assessment A2: Performance — Celebration

Students perform a teacher- or student-devised celebration dance.

Assessment objectives

1. Use technical skills in the selected genre and/or style.
2. Communicate ideas by applying expressive skills in a dance for a celebration event.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• perform a dance for a celebration event, including
  • demonstrating technical and expressive skills
  • communicating ideas linked to celebration
  • applying safe dance practices.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The dance may be performed individually or in groups. Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Performance of dance

Performance (live or recorded): up to 4 minutes

Instrument-specific standards

The student response has the following characteristics:

Assessment B1: Choreographic project — Industry

Students plan, choreograph and evaluate a dance work for a selected sector of the dance industry in a genre or style of their choice.

Assessment objectives

1. Use dance concepts in the selected genre and/or style.
2. Plan a dance work for a selected sector of the dance industry for a specific purpose and context.
3. Communicate ideas in a dance work for a selected sector of the dance industry.
4. Evaluate choreographic choices in a dance work for a selected sector of the dance industry, using appropriate language conventions and terminology.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• plan the choreography for a dance work for a selected sector of the dance industry by
  • analysing the dance work’s purpose and context
  • explaining ideas for the choreography, outlining dancers, dance concepts, context and purpose
• choreograph a dance work that
  • communicates in a style suitable for a selected sector of the dance industry, considering purpose and context
  • manipulates movement, using dance concepts to communicate ideas
• evaluate choreographic choices, including making judgments and justifying how ideas are communicated for purpose and context.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The choreography can be for an individual or group dance (maximum 4 dancers). Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Choreography of dance work

Choreography (live or recorded): up to 4 minutes

Planning and evaluation of choreography

One of the following:

• Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media
• Written: up to 600 words
• Spoken: up to 4 minutes, or signed equivalent

Instrument-specific standards

The student response has the following characteristics:

Assessment B2: Performance — Industry

Students perform dance work/s to showcase skills connected to a selected sector of the dance industry.

Assessment objectives

1. Use technical skills in a selected genre and/or style.
2. Communicate ideas by applying expressive skills in the selected genre and/or style connected to a selected sector of the dance industry.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• perform student- or teacher-devised dance work/s, including
  • demonstrating technical and expressive skills
  • communicating ideas linked to a selected sector of the dance industry
  • applying safe dance practices.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The dance work/s may be performed individually or in groups. Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Performance of dance work/s

Performance (live or recorded): up to 4 minutes

Instrument-specific standards

The student response has the following characteristics:

Assessment C1: Performance project — Health

Students perform a teacher- or guest-devised dance. They plan and evaluate an adaptation of the teacher or guest choreography.

Assessment objectives

1. Use technical skills in an identified genre and/or style.
2. Plan an adaptation of a teacher- or guest-devised dance to consider health for an identified group.
3. Communicate ideas by applying expressive skills in a dance for an identified group.
4. Evaluate choreographic choices for an identified group, using appropriate language conventions and terminology.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• perform a teacher- or guest-devised dance, including
  • considering technical skills and expressive skills
  • communicating ideas for an identified group
• plan an adaptation of the choreography for an identified group that is different from the group used in the teacher- or guest-devised choreography, including
  • exploring physical, mental, emotional and/or social considerations for the identified group
  • explaining the adaptation of movement, using dance concepts to communicate ideas
• evaluate choreographic choices, including justifying potential strengths and limitations in relation to the identified group’s needs and context for the choreography.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The dance may be performed individually or in groups. Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Performance of dance

Performance (live or recorded): up to 4 minutes

Planning and evaluation of choreography

One of the following:

• Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media
• Written: up to 600 words
• Spoken: up to 4 minutes, or signed equivalent

Instrument-specific standards

The student response has the following characteristics:

Assessment C2: Choreography — Health

Students choreograph a dance based on the planning for a new identified group from Assessment C1.

Assessment objectives

1. Use dance concepts in a selected genre and/or style.
2. Communicate ideas for an identified group.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• choreograph a dance, including
  • consideration of planning and evaluation from Assessment C1
  • demonstrate the use of dance concepts
  • communicate ideas for an identified group.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The choreography can be for an individual or group dance (maximum 4 dancers). Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Choreography of dance

Choreography (live or recorded): up to 4 minutes

Instrument-specific standards

The student response has the following characteristics:

Assessment D1: Choreographic project — Technology

Students plan, choreograph and evaluate a dance video for a selected artist or audience.

Assessment objectives

1. Use dance concepts in a selected genre and/or style.
2. Plan a dance video for a selected artist or audience.
3. Communicate ideas in a dance video for a selected artist or audience.
4. Evaluate choreographic choices for a dance video for a selected artist or audience, using appropriate language conventions and terminology.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• plan the choreography for a dance video for a selected artist or audience by
  • analysing the dance work’s purpose and context
  • explaining ideas for the choreography, outlining dancers, dance concepts, context and purpose
• choreograph a dance work that
  • communicates in a selected genre and/or style for a selected artist or audience, considering purpose and context
  • manipulates movement, using dance concepts to communicate ideas
• evaluate choreographic choices, including making judgments and justifying how ideas are communicated for purpose and context.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The choreography can be for an individual or group dance (maximum 4 dancers). Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Choreography of dance work

Choreography (recorded): up to 4 minutes

Planning and evaluation of choreography

One of the following:

• Multimodal (at least two modes delivered at the same time): up to 5 minutes, 8 A4 pages, or equivalent digital media
• Written: up to 600 words
• Spoken: up to 4 minutes, or signed equivalent

Instrument-specific standards

The student response has the following characteristics:

Assessment D2: Performance — Technology

Students perform a dance video connected to choreography in Assessment D1.

Assessment objectives

1. Use technical skills in a selected genre and/or style.
2. Communicate ideas by applying expressive skills in a dance video.

Specifications

This task requires students to:

• perform a dance work, including
  • demonstrating technical and expressive skills
  • communicating ideas in a dance video
  • applying safe dance practices.

Conditions

• Students can develop their responses in class time and their own time.
• The dance work may be performed individually or in groups. Students must be assessed individually.

Response requirements

Performance of dance work

Performance (recorded): up to 4 minutes

Instrument-specific standards

The student response has the following characteristics:

Glossary

The syllabus glossary is available at www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior-qce/common/snr_glossary_cognitive_verbs.pdf.

References

Marzano, RJ & Kendall, JS 2007, The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, 2nd edition, Corwin Press, USA. ——2008, Designing and Assessing Educational Objectives: Applying the new taxonomy, Corwin Press, USA.

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