Dance & Performing Arts Open College Network West Midlands QCF Revision
Complete topic breakdowns, revision notes, exam practice questions, and adaptive quizzes for the Open College Network West Midlands QCF Dance & Performing Arts specification.
Specification Topics
- Improvisation and Performance
- Dance Leadership Skills
- Teamwork and Communication Skills for Performing Arts
- Performing Physical Theatre
- Design for Performance
- Making Dance
- Technical Skills for Performance
- Choreographing Dance
- Composing Music Collaboratively
- Improvisation Techniques
- Song Writing Skills
- Oral Storytelling for Performance
- Sound Production and Recording
- Devising Drama
- Health and Safety for Performing Arts
- Musical Ensemble Skills
- Planning and Building a Set
- Promoting a Performing Arts Event
- The Internet as a Tool for Music Promotion
- Lyric Composition
- Hair and Make-up for Performance
- Acting Skills
- Performing in a Production
- Group Devised Drama Project
- Music for Performance
- Using a Digital Audio Workstation
- Composing Music
- Live Sound Recording
- Stage Lighting
- Rehearsal Skills
- Working in the Performing Arts
- Costume for Performance
- Music Skills for Solo Performance
- Backstage Skills
- Set and Meet Goals in the Performing Arts
Top Exam Tips
- Always practise 'yes, and...' to accept and build upon your partners' ideas, creating more dynamic and coherent improvisations.
- Keep the brief visible during rehearsals and check regularly that all devised elements directly respond to its instructions.
- When writing your review, support each evaluation point with specific moments from the performance to demonstrate reflective depth.
- When completing written tasks, explicitly link your explanations of leadership skills and values to relevant theories or models (e.g., Maslow's hierarchy, the ‘need for autonomy’) to demonstrate depth of understanding.
- For the practical assessment, video record your motivational and behaviour management interventions, then annotate the footage with timestamps and reflective commentaries to evidence your decision-making in action.
- In your portfolio, always cross-reference your practical evidence with the assessment criteria. For instance, show that you planned specific motivational techniques and later evaluated their success, rather than leaving it as an incidental outcome.
- In practical assessments, document your contributions to role negotiation, perhaps through a brief written reflection or video diary, to provide clear evidence.
- During group activities, consciously demonstrate active listening: nod, maintain eye contact, and summarize what others said before responding.
- When giving feedback, use the 'sandwich' method: positive-constructive-positive to show you understand both praise and criticism.
- Keep a record of times when you accepted feedback and how you applied it, as this is key evidence for responding to praise and criticism.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Blocking or refusing offers from fellow performers during improvisation, which halts creative flow.
- Failing to consistently align devised material with the given brief, leading to irrelevant performance content.
- Producing a superficial review that lacks concrete examples from the performance and does not address personal contribution.
- Confusing dance leadership with pure choreographic or technical dance ability, overlooking the interpersonal and organisational skills that are central to the role.
- Misunderstanding motivation as simply offering praise without connecting it to clear, achievable goals tailored to individual participant needs.
- Treating behaviour management as a reactive process only, neglecting the importance of proactive strategies like establishing session rules and creating a positive climate from the outset.
- Confusing role agreement with simply taking orders; not actively negotiating or expressing preferences.
- Assuming that verbal communication means only speaking, neglecting non-verbal cues like body language or tone.
Key Terminology & Definitions
- Understand the nature of improvisation., Be able to devise performance through the process of improvisation., Understand the functions of a given brief., Be able to contribute to a group devised performance., Be able to review own group devised performance piece.
- Understand the skills, qualities and values needed by a dance leader., Know how to motivate dance participants., Be able to motivate dance participants., Know about management of behaviour in dance sessions., Be able to manage behaviour in dance sessions.
- Be able to agree roles for individuals in a performing arts group., Understand how to communicate verbally when working with a performing arts group., Be able to interact with group members during performing arts activities., Be able to demonstrate listening and conversational skills for social interaction during performing arts activities., Be able to accept the right of other people to communicate within a group situation during performance arts activities., Understand the importance of co-operation in group situations during performing arts activities., Be able to accept and respond to praise and criticism during performing arts activities., Know how and when to provide praise or constructive criticism during performing arts activities., Understand formal and informal relationships within own performing arts team.
- Health and safety in physical performance
- Safe engagement and warm-up
- Movement vocabulary development
- Choreographing physical sequences
- Constructive feedback processes
- Reflective practice and self-evaluation
- Be able to prepare a budget and work to an agreed amount., Understand design as a tool for communication with audiences., Be able to follow health and safety guidelines., Be able to bring 2D design ideas to realisation., Be able to reflect on finished work.
- Be able to warm up and cool down., Be able to participate in trust building exercises., Be able to create movement phrases., Be able to combine movement phrases., Be able to dance with a partner or small group.
- Understand health and safety regulations relevant to technical support in the performing arts., Understand the technical requirements of a production., Be able to use technical skills safely, in a performing arts context., Know how technical skills can be used to enhance the creativity of a performance., Be able to use technical skills to support and enhance performance., Be able to review own technical skills for performance.
- Movement creation and manipulation
- Choreographic structures and form
- Directing and communication skills