ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Assessment – Performance Portfolio (100%)
An annotated portfolio of work comprising:
• Evidence of research, planning and rehearsal for a full-scale stage production
• Participation in a live full-scale stage production to an audience
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Formative Assessment
Observation of engagement in practical activity
Participation in discussions and progress reviews

Contemporary stage performance is often derived from the traditional, though it is also true to say that much new material is being created, leading contemporary works to become more diverse and dramatic. Developing writing styles, influences of modern music, cultural and socio-economic change can all be experienced through stage performance work today. Modern stage performances increasingly address challenging political and social issues presenting new dimensions to the contemporary audience, and there is an ever increasing importance placed on choreography and expression.

In this module, you will continue to develop and integrate your ability in the key discipline of dance, whilst also recognising its relationship to other performance disciplines, such as drama and music. You will be aiming to a professional standard, building confidence and proficiency, making more independent decisions with regards to your employment preferences and have an increasing understanding of the requirements of mounting a full-scale stage production. This may be for example, a concert, cabaret, or a variety or musical theatre performance. You will explore a variety of contemporary shows, considering content and format, and their relevance to specific audiences and consider what makes a contemporary stage production successful or otherwise.

This exploration will underpin your creative practical work. Negotiating within a team you will collaboratively plan for an original creative response to the task of producing a full-scale stage production, typically to a given theme. You will audition and be cast in a dance related role in the performance and will develop an individual response in accordance with the nature of that role. You will participate in rehearsal and group critique, experimenting with ideas and concepts to ultimately produce a creative and original outcome that contributes effectively to the production as a whole. This will be performed in front of an audience in a professional setting.

It will be necessary to carry out a substantial amount of work in your own time, and you may draw upon a wide range of sources in order to bring the dance material to life during workshops, rehearsals and eventual performance. Your ability to work in a conscientious, supportive, committed manner - embracing etiquette, dedication, focus, research and ability to take direction and advice - will all be considered at assessment, together with an ability to faithfully reproduce for the stage the performance role that has been created, explored and delivered in the rehearsal process.

Strategies in this module are active and practically focussed and will require a mix of individual and collaborative learning, both in and out of timetabled sessions. Activities will allow you to apply your existing theoretical knowledge, and creative and technical skills through a full-scale stage production, thus allowing you to make sense of your prior learning in a professional work related context. You will continue to learn from others by exploring existing work and by making connections with the tasks you have been set. These tasks will challenge you to combine and refine your abilities through practise, discovery and problem solving. The assignment will require you to engage in independent learning through research, whether this is from primary and/or secondary sources and there will be an expectation throughout this module that you approach this requirement proactively in order that your progress is not hindered.

Learning will be facilitated through the following:
• In class research activities including an exploration of existing work via streaming services, DVD, internet, cable and satellite
• Independent research (primary and/or secondary as applicable) and including visits to stage performances
• Technical workshops
• Rehearsals
• Auditions and castings
• Performance to audience
• Reflective practice
• Group critique
• 1:1 tutorials and progress review

Berkson, R. (1990) Musical Theater Choreography: A Practical Method for Preparing and Staging Dance in a Musical Show: Back Stage Books
Brehm, M (2015) Creative Dance and Learning- Making the Kinesthetic Link: McGraw Hill
Bremser, M. (2011) Fifty Contemporary Choreographers: Routledge*
Duerden, R. & Fisher, N. (2008) Dancing Off the Page: Integrating Performance, Choreography Analysis and Notation/Documentation
Franklin, E. (2004) Conditioning for Dance: Human Kinetics*
Gilbert, A (2015) Creative Dance for All Ages 2nd Edition: Human Kinetics

*Core Text on Foundation Degree Dance Performance and Industry – Newcastle-under-Lyme College

WEBSITES AND ONLINE JOURNAL
Dance Education in Practice: available at www.tandfonline.com
DANCE – Arts Journal: available at www.artsjournal.com
Dance Research Journal: available at www.cambridge.org

PERIODICALS
Dance Magazine
Dancing Times

Performance studio
Public performance venue
Internet and IT Access
Licensed performance material
Assorted Costumes / Props
VLE

1. UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF STAGE PERFORMANCE AND KNOW HOW TO INTEGRATE YOUR OWN DANCE PERFORMANCE SKILLS IN ORDER TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO THE ROLE YOU HAVE BEEN CAST, APPLYING PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE AND WORKING TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS. (Knowledge & Understanding)

2. EXAMINE STAGE PERFORMANCES WITHIN THE FIELD OF DANCE USING CONCEPTS AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS AND EXPLORE HOW THEY GENERATE MEANING FOR AN AUDIENCE. (Analysis)

3. MAKE CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL DECISIONS IN ORDER TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO THE ROLE YOU HAVE BEEN CAST, SO THAT THE FINISHED PRODUCTION IS PRESENTED WITH RELEVANCE TO A CONTEMPORARY AUDIENCE. (Communicate)

4. APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF DANCE DISCIPLINES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PLANNING, REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE OF A STAGE PRODUCTION. (Application)

5. WORK SUCCESSFULLY WITHIN A TEAM, EFFECTIVELY EXPRESSING AND LISTENING TO IDEAS AND INTENTIONS, AND ENCOURAGING CONTRIBUTION FROM OTHERS. (Working with Others)