Dance & Performing Arts Revision — AQA Education Vocationally-Related Qualification
Complete AQA Education Vocationally-Related Qualification Dance & Performing Arts specification revision resources. Tailored syllabus coverage with topic breakdowns, quizzes, and practice questions.
Specification Topics
- Solo Performance
- Group Choreography
- Level 1/2 Technical Award in Performing Arts - Unit 3: The performing arts experience
- Set Works and Areas of Study
- Level 1/2 Technical Award in Performing Arts - Unit 1: Unlocking creativity
- Independent Research
- Choreography and Performance
- Level 1/2 Technical Award in Performing Arts - Unit 2: The production/performance
- Solo or Duet Performance
Top Exam Board Tips
- Record full run-throughs and review them to identify sections where technical or expressive quality dips, then rehearse those areas with targeted drills.
- Prioritise dynamic contrast and clear phrasing in your interpretation to keep the assessor engaged and demonstrate a mature performance quality.
- Warm up thoroughly before the assessment, focusing on both the body and the mind to ensure immediate clarity of intention from the very first movement.
- Start with a clear concept or stimulus and develop a movement signature or motif that can be manipulated throughout the piece to ensure coherence.
- Use choreographic devices purposefully—for example, employ canon to add textural complexity and highlight moments, and contrast to shift energy or mood.
- Plan spatial formations and pathways closely with your dancer count to avoid congestion and ensure every dancer is visible and has purpose.
- Refine transitions between sections to maintain flow and ensure the structure (e.g., binary, ternary, rondo) supports the choreographic journey.
- Record and review your rehearsals to observe the overall composition and make detailed adjustments to dynamics, timing, and relationships.
- When reviewing a performance, always structure your analysis around clear criteria: artistic intent, technical execution, and audience impact, and provide specific examples from the production.
- For questions on roles, prepare a table comparing responsibilities across different production stages (pre-production, rehearsal, performance, post-production) to demonstrate depth.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Candidates often lose performance energy and projection towards the end of the solo due to inadequate stamina and pacing.
- A common error is focusing solely on technical execution while neglecting facial expression and audience engagement, resulting in a flat performance.
- Inconsistent use of breath and musicality leads to mistiming, making the movement appear disconnected from the accompaniment.
- Poor spatial awareness often results in drifting out of the performance area or repetitive movement patterns that limit the use of the full space.
- Over-reliance on unison movement, resulting in a lack of dynamic group interaction and spatial development.
- Failing to develop a clear motif or movement signature, leading to a fragmented or incoherent piece with no unifying thread.
- Ignoring the specific number of performers by choreographing material that does not utilize the group effectively, or conversely, overcrowding the space.
- Neglecting to consider the aural setting, resulting in movement that coincides predictably with the music rather than showing a choreographic relationship with the sound.
Key Terminology & Definitions
- Technical proficiency
- Artistic interpretation
- Choreographic structure
- Use of space and dynamics
- Roles and responsibilities within the performing arts industry.The role of performing arts in society.Approaches to rehearsal.Working as a deviser/performer/director.Marketing and public relations.Health and safety.Design and technical elements.Reviewing performance.Theatre/Film in Education.
- Choreographic approach
- Performance environment
- Research.Idea development.Planning and budgeting.Presentation (skills and content).Transferable skill of communication.
- Research methodology
- Synthesis of sources
- Choreographic process
- Collaboration
- A key performance or production role in a performance based on one of five performance briefs.Transferable skill of teamwork.
- Stylistic interpretation
- Performance skills