Hair and Make-up for Performance — Open College Network West Midlands QCF Dance & Performing Arts Revision

    This element equips learners with the practical skills and underpinning knowledge to safely design, apply, and remove performance hair and make-up. It emph

    Topic Synopsis

    This element equips learners with the practical skills and underpinning knowledge to safely design, apply, and remove performance hair and make-up. It emphasises health and safety, the creative use of techniques to enhance characterisation, and the critical evaluation of outcomes to improve practice. This prepares learners for real-world backstage roles.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Hair and Make-up for Performance

    OPEN COLLEGE NETWORK WEST MIDLANDS
    vocational

    This element equips learners with the practical skills and underpinning knowledge to safely design, apply, and remove performance hair and make-up. It emphasises health and safety, the creative use of techniques to enhance characterisation, and the critical evaluation of outcomes to improve practice. This prepares learners for real-world backstage roles.

    1
    Learning Outcomes
    4
    Assessment Guidance
    5
    Key Skills
    1
    Key Terms
    5
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    Open College Network West Midlands Level 2 Award in the Performing Arts

    Topic Overview

    The Open College Network West Midlands Level 2 Award in the Performing Arts is a foundational qualification designed to introduce students to the core disciplines of dance, drama, and musical theatre. This award focuses on developing practical performance skills, creative expression, and an understanding of the performing arts industry. Students will explore techniques in movement, voice, and characterisation, while also learning about rehearsal processes, performance etiquette, and self-evaluation. The qualification is ideal for those looking to build confidence, teamwork, and communication skills, and it serves as a stepping stone to further study at Level 3 or entry-level employment in the arts.

    This topic covers three main units: Performing Dance, Performing Drama, and Performing Musical Theatre. In dance, students learn styles such as contemporary, jazz, or street dance, focusing on technique, choreography, and performance quality. In drama, they explore improvisation, script work, and character development, culminating in a devised or scripted performance. Musical theatre combines singing, acting, and dancing, requiring students to integrate these skills in a polished presentation. Throughout, students maintain a reflective log to track progress and evaluate their own and others' work, which is crucial for assessment.

    Understanding this qualification matters because it provides a structured pathway into the performing arts sector, which is competitive and demands versatility. By mastering these fundamentals, students gain transferable skills like discipline, creativity, and resilience. The award also emphasises health and safety in performance spaces, including warm-ups, injury prevention, and stagecraft. This holistic approach ensures students are not only performers but also informed practitioners who can contribute to productions professionally.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Performance Skills: The ability to project voice, move with intention, and maintain character consistently during a live performance. This includes spatial awareness, timing, and audience engagement.
    • →Choreographic and Devising Processes: Creating original movement sequences or dramatic pieces using stimuli like music, text, or themes. Students must understand structure, contrast, and how to develop ideas from initial concept to final piece.
    • →Rehearsal and Reflection: The iterative process of practising, receiving feedback, and refining performance. Keeping a rehearsal log to document progress, challenges, and solutions is essential for assessment and personal growth.
    • →Health and Safety in Performance: Knowledge of safe practice, including proper warm-up and cool-down routines, lifting techniques, and awareness of stage hazards. This ensures longevity in the performing arts and prevents injury.
    • →Performance Evaluation: The ability to critically analyse one's own work and that of others using subject-specific terminology. This includes identifying strengths, areas for improvement, and setting targets for future development.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • Be able to follow health and safety procedures for performance hair/make-up., Be able to use hair/make-up to enhance performance., Understand the application of performance hair/makeup., Be able to apply performance hair/make-up to create different effects., Be able to review own work with performance hair/make-up., Be able to apply products safely to remove performance hair/make-up.

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for demonstrating thorough health and safety practices, including patch testing, sanitising tools, and using products according to manufacturer’s instructions.
    • Evidence that hair and make-up choices clearly support the performance genre, character, and venue conditions (e.g., lighting, distance from audience).
    • Successful application of at least two distinct effects (e.g., ageing, injury, fantasy) with appropriate products and techniques, showing attention to detail and durability.
    • A structured written or verbal review that evaluates the effectiveness of the design against the brief, identifies areas for improvement, and justifies product and technique choices.
    • Safe and complete removal of all applied products using correct cleansers, avoiding skin damage, and leaving the model in a hygienic state.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡Compile a portfolio of step-by-step photographs for each look, annotated with product details and health and safety checks to provide clear evidence.
    • 💡During practical assessment, manage your time strictly—allocate separate slots for preparation, application, and removal to demonstrate full control.
    • 💡Practice your removal routine as diligently as the application; assessors will observe your care and method.
    • 💡In your review, reference industry standards (e.g., HABIA guidelines) and use specific examples from your work to show depth of understanding.
    • 💡Use your rehearsal log actively, not as a diary. Record specific challenges (e.g., 'I struggled with the turn in bar 16') and how you overcame them (e.g., 'I practised with a spot and slowed the music'). This shows problem-solving and progress.
    • 💡In performance, always consider your audience. Make eye contact, project your voice, and use the performance space fully. Even a small gesture can convey character. Examiners reward clarity of intention and engagement.
    • 💡When evaluating, use the 'What? So What? Now What?' model. Describe what happened (e.g., 'I missed a cue'), explain its impact (e.g., 'It disrupted the flow'), and set a target (e.g., 'I will practise the transition with a partner'). This structure ensures depth.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Failing to carry out or document patch tests, leading to potential allergic reactions and assessment failure.
    • Using everyday cosmetic products instead of stage-appropriate formulations, resulting in poor visibility or skin irritation under performance lighting.
    • Over-complicating designs without considering time constraints, leading to rushed or incomplete application.
    • Neglecting to set make-up properly, causing it to smudge or fade during performance.
    • Inadequate removal techniques such as vigorous scrubbing or using harsh products, which can harm the skin and contradict safety procedures.
    • Misconception: 'Performing arts is just about being talented – you don't need to study theory.' Correction: While natural talent helps, success in this qualification requires understanding technique, history, and reflective practice. Theory underpins practical work and is assessed through logs and evaluations.
    • Misconception: 'You only need to focus on your own role; teamwork doesn't matter.' Correction: Performing arts is collaborative. Assessors look for how you support others, adapt to direction, and contribute to group dynamics. Solo work is only one part of the assessment.
    • Misconception: 'Memorising lines or steps is enough for a good grade.' Correction: Assessment criteria reward interpretation, expression, and communication of meaning. Simply reciting or repeating movements without emotional engagement or intention will limit marks.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Basic understanding of movement and rhythm, such as from school PE or dance clubs.
    • •Some experience in drama or performance, like school plays or youth theatre, is helpful but not essential.
    • •Literacy skills to write reflective logs and evaluations, as written work is part of the assessment.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • Be able to follow health and safety procedures for performance hair/make-up., Be able to use hair/make-up to enhance performance., Understand the application of performance hair/makeup., Be able to apply performance hair/make-up to create different effects., Be able to review own work with performance hair/make-up., Be able to apply products safely to remove performance hair/make-up.

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