Enhancing Dance Assessment Understanding

2. Aims of the Day • To support teachers, lecturers and assessors in their understanding of national standards for external assessment in Dance at both National 5 and Higher by: • sharing experiences • reviewing candidate evidence • discussing this evidence and associated Marking Instructions with colleagues • asking questions and seeking clarification about national standards

3. Principal Assessor Report (National 5) • Key Messages – Performance: • Centres are gaining confidence in external assessment. • The majority of centres were well prepared for the visiting assessor visit. • Centres were able to select candidates across a range of performance abilities. • The majority of centres were able to meet the correct standard for performance at National 5. • More candidates were able to access a greater range of marks from the performance quality criteria.

4. Principal Assessor Report (National 5) • Key Messages – Performance: • For some candidates, their lack of centre and alignment impacted on almost every aspect of performance. Struggling to meet or sustain the technical demands of National 5 could be best supported by a further year of study before being presented for the external exam. • Jazz, Hip Hop and Contemporary styles continue to be the most common genres presented for external assessment. • In order to control nerves, some candidates would benefit from more opportunities to perform solo before the exam day.

5. Principal Assessor Report (National 5) • Key Messages – Practical Activity – Choreography: • There was strong evidence in a few centres that candidates had really built on their learning from the Dance: Choreography unit and produced work that was very creative and high in quality. • Some candidates were unable to develop creative, original movement from a stimulus, choosing set steps that limited rather than embraced creativity. This had an impact on the range of marks accessible. • Centres should ensure that the foundations for developing creative movement are in place before allowing candidates to embark on choreography. • Centres should focus on the use of a structure and devices as appropriate to a theme for two people.

6. Principal Assessor Report (National 5) • Key Messages – Practical Activity – Choreography: • Pupil Introduction to Choreography - short, sharp and to the point addressing the key messages of theme/stimulus, structure and chosen devices. (Video Insert to demonstrate). • Candidates should not read their Choreographic Review. • Focus on telling a long narrative story in almost every case compromised choreography and the creative development of movement. • Some candidates were able to demonstrate effective use of structure, space and choreographic devices beyond the standards set for National 5. • The majority of centres are to be commended for the support offered to candidates throughout the choreographic process.

7. Principal Assessor Report (National 5) • Key Messages – Practical Activity • Choreographic Review: • The majority of candidates at National 5 produced a written report and a mood/stimulus board. • Generally the level of candidate work for the written report was excellent and it was clear that they were able to reflect on a positive learning process. • The majority of candidates were able to write about their creative ideas and movement better than they could put it into practice. Greater attention to the transfer from idea to movement would benefit the majority of all choreographies at National 5 level. • The experiences gathered by the visiting assessor team were very positive.

8. Principal Assessor Report (Higher) • Key Messages – Performance: • The majority of candidates were well prepared for assessment and demonstrated sufficient evidence for the level of award. • Centres were able to select candidates across a range of performance abilities. • Most centres were able to provide solos and styles to enable the candidate to access the full range of marks.

9. Principal Assessor Report (Higher) • Key Messages – Performance: • Although the technical presentation of candidates was of an appropriate level for Higher it was felt that candidates lacked sufficient expertise in the display of performative presentation. • Jazz, Hip Hop and Contemporary styles continue to be the most common genres presented for external assessment. • At many centres the use of musicality and dynamics was limited within the dance solo presentations and this needs more focus throughout the learning and teaching process.

10. Principal Assessor Report (Higher) • Key Messages – Practical Activity – Choreography: • Overall it was felt by the VA team that the candidates performed adequately in the presentation of their own choreographic work. • Candidate’s practical choreographies demonstrated a good considered use of space throughout alongside some interesting, engaging and unique choices of costume, make up and props. • The initial choice of theme is often quite dark/harrowing across the spectrum of presentations and this tends to lead candidates to creating narrative structures within their work. • It would be beneficial for delivery staff to encourage the use of more abstract themes and structural choice for the work.

11. Principal Assessor Report (Higher) • Key Messages – Practical Activity – Choreography: • More time and focus needs to be spent on the understanding of the concept of original movement vocabulary, ensuring that candidates fully understanding the difference between dance composition and dance choreography. • Task based choreographic learning and further exposure to high level choreography would help the candidates fully understand the concept and would inform their overall practice in this part of the examination. • Pupil Introduction to Choreography - short, sharp and to the point addressing the key messages of theme/stimulus, structure and chosen devices. • Candidates should not read their Choreographic Review.

12. Principal Assessor Report (Higher) • Key Messages – Practical Activity • Choreographic Review: • The level of Choreographic Reviews was very good across the board with a particularly exceptional level of analytical and critical review being displayed from S6 level learners. • The majority of candidates were adequately able to explain their choices and give good considered rationales for these. • A number of candidates chose to present the review in a variety of formats this year, which enabled the learner to access the most suitable presentation for their learning style. • Areas of evaluation were mostly strong, however there are some candidates across the board who are missing the required level of information to access the full spectrum of marks.

13. Practical Activity National 5 Choreography

14. Practical Activity – Example 1

15. Practical Activity – Example 2

16. Practical Activity – Example 3

17. Practical Activity National 5 Choreographic Review

18. Practical Activity – Example 1

19. Practical Activity – Example 2

20. Practical Activity – Example 3

21. Practical Activity Higher Choreography

22. Practical Activity – Example 1

23. Practical Activity – Example 2

24. Practical Activity – Example 3

25. Practical Activity Higher Choreographic Review

26. Practical Activity – Example 1

27. Practical Activity – Example 2

28. Practical Activity – Example 3

29. Performance National 5

30. Contemporary – Example 1

31. Contemporary – Example 2

32. Jazz – Example 1

33. Jazz – Example 2

34. Hip Hop – Example 1

35. Hip Hop – Example 2

36. Performance Higher

37. Contemporary – Example 1

38. Contemporary – Example 2

39. Jazz – Example 1

40. Jazz – Example 2

41. Hip Hop – Example 1

42. Hip Hop – Example 2

43. Hip Hop – Example 3

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