SACE Stage 2 Dance flashcards
SACE Stage 2 Dance · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Choreographic intent
- The stated purpose or idea a choreographer wants to communicate. It guides movement choices and gives evaluators a criterion for judging whether the work succeeds.
- Elements of dance
- Space, time and dynamics. Choreographers manipulate these to generate, vary and structure movement, and analysts use them to describe what is seen.
- Motif
- A short, memorable movement phrase that carries a work's central idea. It is repeated and developed throughout the dance to create unity and coherence.
- Retrograde
- A choreographic manipulation in which a movement phrase is performed backwards, from its final action to its first, producing a recognisable but altered version.
- Inversion
- A manipulation where a movement is flipped, for example reversing high and low levels or left and right sides, while keeping the phrase's essential shape.
- Augmentation
- A manipulation that lengthens or enlarges a motif, for example by slowing the tempo or extending a gesture, making the phrase occupy more time or space.
- Diminution
- A manipulation that shortens or reduces a motif, such as speeding it up or removing actions, compressing the phrase while retaining its identity.
- Canon
- A device in which dancers perform the same movement phrase but start at different times, creating overlapping layers and contrapuntal visual interest.
- Unison
- A device where two or more dancers perform the same movement at the same time, producing clarity, impact and a sense of group identity.
- Binary form
- A two-part structure labelled AB, where a first section is followed by a contrasting second section, often without a return to the opening material.
- Ternary form
- A three-part structure labelled ABA, where contrasting material is followed by a return to the opening section, creating balance and resolution.
- Rondo form
- A structure in which a main theme returns between contrasting episodes, commonly labelled ABACA, giving repetition with variety across the work.
- Theme and variations
- A structure presenting a motif and then a series of developed versions, each altering elements such as space, time or dynamics while keeping the theme recognisable.
- Accumulation
- A device where a phrase grows by adding a new movement each repetition, so the sequence lengthens progressively and builds momentum or complexity.
- Abstraction
- A process of removing literal or narrative detail so movement expresses an idea, feeling or quality rather than depicting a specific event or character.
- Dynamics in dance
- The energy and quality of movement, described with terms such as sustained, percussive, swinging, suspended, collapsing or vibratory, affecting how action reads.
- Safe dance practice
- Warming up, cooling down, using suitable floors, hydrating and maintaining correct alignment and turnout to reduce injury risk during rehearsal and performance.
- Performance quality
- The observable expressive and technical standard of a dancer, including projection, focus, musicality, spatial accuracy, dynamic contrast and controlled execution.
- Projection
- The dancer's use of focus, eyeline and energy to communicate outward to an audience, extending the performance beyond the body into the performance space.
- Musicality
- The dancer's sensitivity to tempo, rhythm and phrasing, shown by moving precisely with, against or across the beat and shaping movement around musical accents.
- Dance review structure
- A sequence moving from description of what is seen, to analysis of elements and devices, to interpretation of meaning, to evaluation against stated criteria.
- Description versus analysis
- Description reports what happens on stage; analysis explains how elements or devices create an effect, supported by a specific cited movement example.
- Evaluation criteria
- Explicit standards used to judge a dance, such as clarity of intent, structural coherence, motif development, performance skill and effectiveness of production elements.
- Production elements
- Design components of a performance, including lighting, costume, set, sound and staging, discussed for their function such as focus, atmosphere or character.
- Intent versus interpretation
- A distinction between what the choreographer aimed to communicate and what audiences actually read, each supported by separate evidence from the work.
- Cultural context
- The social, historical and geographic circumstances from which a dance style or work emerges, shaping its meaning, function and movement vocabulary.
- Comparative analysis
- Judging two or more dances using the same stated criteria, so that differences in evaluation reflect the works rather than shifting standards.
- Dance terminology
- Precise vocabulary for elements, devices, structures and performance qualities, used in written responses so claims are clear and verifiable.
- Focus in performance
- Where a dancer directs gaze and attention, either inward to other performers or outward to the audience, shaping the viewer's reading of the work.
- Stylistic features
- Recurring movement characteristics that identify a style or choreographer, such as particular dynamics, spatial patterns, rhythms or body attitudes.
- Structural coherence
- The degree to which sections of a dance connect logically, with clear transitions, recurring motifs and a discernible beginning, development and resolution.
- Evidence in response
- Specific references to section, dancer, timing or movement detail that support an analytical claim and allow a reader to locate the moment described.