Unity, appraisal & evaluation
Unity
Syllabus definition
'...the overall aim of the construction of a dance'
Dance 11-12 Syllabus copyright NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2009.
It is essential that a dance has unity. The separate movements in the choreography must fit or flow together, and must be important to and contribute to the whole; phrases that are not essential to the concept/intent of the work should be eliminated.
For example, if all of the parts fit into the jigsaw puzzle it finally produces a whole picture within its frame. The pieces of movement, motifs, phrasing, sequencing, transitions, repetition, variation and contrast and the formal structure should knit together to become unified within the frame. If one piece is missing or does not fit then you will not see the complete picture and unity is lost.
Contrast and variety are a part of the overall unity, and they too must be selected in a way appropriate to the concept/intent. Sometimes, even the most unlikely ideas can work if these fall between the main purpose of the dance. Then, by their very differences, they enhance the central idea and help the onlooker to grasp the main meaning of the dance.
Appraisal and evaluation
As a choreographer it is important to continually evaluate your dance to ensure you are communicating your concept clearly. The process by which we appraise and evaluate is something that happens continually throughout the process of creating a dance.
When the movement is created and you have organised your dance, the process of creating a whole dance is not complete. It is just like when you have finished writing an essay. You don’t hand it in without proofreading it and doing a spell check. Think of this appraisal and evaluation as the proofreading of your composition.
Activity
One
Answer the following questions. Please use movement examples from your Core Composition dance to support your answers.
a) Have you reached your objective/intent in your Core Composition dance?
b) Does the dance have continuity? Does it sustain interest throughout or are there some weak parts?
c) Is every movement or phrase essential to the concept? Why/why not?
d) Is there enough variety and contrast?
e) Is the choice of music suitable for the concept/theme? Does it support or distract from the concept?
f) Does the dance explore and manipulate all of the elements of space, time and dynamics?
Two
1. Define the following terms in your own words. Provide at least 2 examples of each term from your Core Composition dance. Make sure you include how and why your examples aid in the communication of your concept/intent.
- Sequencing
- Transitions
- Repetition
- Variation and contrast
- Unity
Please use technical and descriptive terminology as well as annotated illustrations/photographs.
2. What formal structure do you intend to use for your Core Composition dance? What will each section of the dance explore?
3. Show your completed Core Composition dance to three people. Do not tell them what your concept is. Ask them the questions below (appraisal and evaluation).
- What do you think the dance is about?
- Do you think that the music supports the dance?
- What do you like about it?
- Is there anything that could be changed to make the dance better?