MATSEC SEC Dance cheat sheet

SEC Dance assessment typically combines a practical performance component, a choreography/composition component and a written/theory component; marks are awarded separately for each, so weaknesses in one do not cancel strengths in another.

Safe dance practice is examinable content: warm-up before and cool-down after activity, correct alignment, appropriate footwear and flooring, hydration, and recognising injury signs are all assessable facts, not optional habits.

The three core elements of dance as taught at SEC level are action (what the body does), space (where it moves) and dynamics/time (how it moves); some syllabi add relationships (with whom/what) as a fourth element.

Action categories: locomotor (travelling - walk, run, jump, hop, leap, skip, slide, gallop), non-locomotor/axial (in place - bend, stretch, twist, swing, rise, fall) and gestural (expressive or functional movement of body parts).

Space concepts: level (low, middle, high), direction (forward, backward, sideways, diagonal, upward, downward), pathway (straight, curved, zigzag), size (large/small), formation (line, circle, file, scatter) and personal versus general space.

Dynamics (effort) qualities include sustained, percussive, swinging, suspended, collapsing and vibratory; time can be fast, slow, even or uneven, and these choices create the expressive character of a phrase.

A motif is a short, memorable movement phrase that is developed; motif development devices include repetition, retrograde, inversion, augmentation (enlargement), diminution, fragmentation, addition, embellishment and changing the quality or spatial level.

Choreographic devices at SEC level also include canon, unison, contrast, accumulation, mirroring, shadowing and rondo or AB/ABA form; candidates should be able to name the device and identify it in a phrase.

Structure and form: a dance can be built from binary (AB), ternary (ABA), rondo (ABACA), narrative or theme-and-variation form; a clear beginning, development and ending (or resolution) is expected in composition tasks.

Performance criteria in SEC practical work usually include accuracy of movement memory, technical control (alignment, balance, coordination, extension), projection/focus and musicality - the ability to phrase movement with the accompaniment.

Choreographic process stages: improvisation/exploration of movement material, selection and refinement, structuring into phrases and sections, rehearsal, then performance; candidates may be asked to describe this process for their own work.

A dance appreciation answer should use the elements (action, space, dynamics, relationships) as an analytical framework rather than offering only personal opinion such as 'I liked it'.

Programme notes and intention statements are assessable: state the stimulus/starting point, the choreographic intent, the chosen devices and the form, and how movement choices communicate the intent.

Contextual knowledge expected at SEC level includes awareness of different dance styles and genres (e.g. ballet, contemporary, jazz, tap, street/hip-hop, folk and traditional dance) and their characteristic movement vocabulary and accompaniment.

When describing a professional work or live performance, evidence should be specific: name the movement, the body part, the spatial choice and the dynamic quality observed, and link it to the choreographic intent.

Health and safety knowledge: correct spinal alignment, turnout from the hip not the knee, landing through the ball of the foot with bent knees, and awareness of personal limits reduce injury risk.

Evaluation vocabulary for candidates' own work: strengths and weaknesses in composition, clarity of motif, use of space, musicality, transitions and performance focus, each supported by a concrete example from the piece.