Do I need to be good at dancing or acting to take this course?

No, you don't need performance skills. This course focuses on technical production, so you'll be working with equipment, design, and planning. However, understanding performance helps you make better technical choices.

What jobs can this qualification lead to?

It can lead to careers like lighting technician, sound engineer, stage manager, set designer, or costume supervisor. You could also progress to A-levels, BTECs, or apprenticeships in theatre production or events management.

How is the course assessed?

Assessment includes practical projects (e.g., designing lighting for a dance piece) and written exams. You'll be marked on your planning, execution, and evaluation of technical elements. There's also a portfolio of evidence.

What equipment will I use?

You'll use lighting rigs, dimmers, sound desks, microphones, speakers, set construction tools, and costume materials. You'll also learn software for lighting design (e.g., MagicQ) and sound editing (e.g., QLab).

Is this course harder than GCSEs?

It's different. It's more practical and project-based, so if you enjoy hands-on learning, it might suit you better. The written work still requires knowledge and analysis, but it's less about memorising facts and more about applying skills.

Performing Arts in Practice

Q: What is the WJEC Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Performing Arts (Technical Award)?

It's a qualification that teaches you the technical side of performing arts, like lighting, sound, set design, and stage management. You'll learn through practical projects and written work, preparing you for roles behind the scenes in theatre, dance, or live events.

WJEC-CBAC

vocational

This element focuses on the practical application of performance skills, requiring learners to plan, promote, and evaluate their own performance work. It develops essential vocational competencies by integrating creative planning with business-oriented promotional strategies, underpinned by reflective practice to enhance future performance and professional growth. Learners gain hands-on experience in taking a performance concept from initial idea through to public presentation and critical review.

Learning Outcomes

Assessment Guidance

Key Skills

Key Terms

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Assessment criteria

WJEC Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Performing Arts (Technical Award)

Topic Overview

The WJEC Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Performing Arts (Technical Award) is a hands-on qualification designed to develop your skills in the technical aspects of dance and performing arts. This course covers key areas such as lighting, sound, set design, costume, and stage management, preparing you for roles behind the scenes. You'll learn how to interpret a performance brief, plan technical elements, and execute them safely and effectively. This award is ideal if you're creative, practical, and interested in how performances come to life from a technical perspective.

Studying this technical award matters because the performing arts industry relies heavily on skilled technicians to create immersive experiences. Whether it's a school production or a West End show, every performance depends on seamless technical support. By mastering these skills, you'll gain a competitive edge for further study or apprenticeships in theatre production, events management, or live entertainment. The course also develops transferable skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and project management, which are valuable in any career.

This qualification fits into the wider subject of Dance & Performing Arts by complementing performance-based studies. While performers focus on movement and expression, you'll focus on the environment that enhances their work. You'll collaborate with performers, directors, and designers, understanding how technical choices affect the audience's experience. The course is structured around practical projects and written assessments, mirroring real-world production processes.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Health and safety in a performance space: understanding risk assessments, fire safety, and manual handling for equipment like lighting rigs and sound systems.
→Roles and responsibilities of technical staff: stage manager, lighting designer, sound engineer, set designer, and costume supervisor, and how they collaborate.
→Technical elements of production: lighting (colour, intensity, direction), sound (amplification, effects, cues), set (construction, materials, props), and costume (design, function, maintenance).
→Interpretation of a performance brief: analysing the director's vision, genre, and mood to inform technical choices.
→Evaluation and reflection: assessing the success of technical elements in a live performance and suggesting improvements.

Learning Objectives

What you need to know and understand

Develop a comprehensive performance work plan, including timelines, resource allocation, and rehearsal schedules.
Create innovative promotional materials and pitch a performance concept to a target audience.
Evaluate the effectiveness of a performance through structured critical analysis.
Reflect on personal strengths and areas for improvement, setting SMART targets for future development.
Apply industry-standard marketing techniques to generate audience interest and engagement.
Justify creative and logistical decisions made during the planning and performance process.

Assessment Criteria

Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

Award credit for detailed planning documents that demonstrate realistic timelines, resource management, and contingency planning.
Credit given for promotional materials that clearly identify and appeal to a specific target audience, using persuasive language and visual design.
High marks require evaluation that goes beyond description, incorporating critical analysis of performance elements and evidence of reflective models.
Look for evidence of iterative reflection, where feedback is actively used to improve both the performance and future planning.
Recognition for effective communication skills during the pitch, including clarity, confidence, and appropriate use of performance terminology.

Assessment Guidance

Guidance for achieving higher grades

💡Use a recognised reflective framework (e.g., Gibbs or Kolb) to structure your evaluation, demonstrating higher-order thinking.
💡In the promotional pitch, incorporate market research insights and evidence of audience profiling to strengthen your proposal.
💡Maintain a detailed portfolio of planning documents, annotated to show the reasoning behind each decision, to evidence full command of the process.
💡Practise your pitch delivery to ensure it is engaging, professional, and timed appropriately, as presentation skills are often assessed.
💡In your practical assessments, always justify your technical choices by linking them directly to the performance brief. For example, explain why a blue wash creates a sombre mood for a contemporary dance piece.
💡For written exams, use correct terminology (e.g., 'gobo' for lighting patterns, 'fade' for sound transitions) to show your understanding. Avoid vague terms like 'thing' or 'stuff'.
💡When evaluating, be specific about what worked and what didn't. Instead of 'the lighting was good', say 'the spotlight on the soloist effectively drew attention, but the sudden blackout at the end was jarring and could be softened with a slow fade'.

Common Mistakes

Common errors to avoid in your coursework

Providing superficial reflection that merely describes what happened without analysing why or how to improve.
Underestimating resources needed in planning, leading to vague or unachievable objectives.
Confusing promotion with simple advertising; failing to tailor the pitch to the interests and needs of the intended audience.
Overlooking the importance of health and safety considerations within performance planning.
Misconception: Technical roles are less important than performers. Correction: Without lighting, sound, or set, the audience cannot see, hear, or understand the performance. Technical staff are essential to the overall impact.
Misconception: You don't need to understand the performance itself. Correction: Effective technical design requires understanding the narrative, mood, and choreography to support the performers' intentions.
Misconception: All technical work is done alone. Correction: Collaboration is key; you'll work closely with directors, performers, and other technicians to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•Basic understanding of performance genres (e.g., contemporary, ballet, musical theatre) to appreciate how technical elements enhance different styles.
•Familiarity with health and safety basics, such as hazard identification and safe use of equipment.
•Some experience with teamwork or group projects, as collaboration is central to the course.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Performance planning and logistics
Creative concept development
Audience engagement and marketing
Self-evaluation and critical reflection
Professional pitching and communication

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Performing Arts in Practice

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