Unit 1 – Critical Appreciation of Dance
Physical Setting
 Be
Organised!
 Be
Prepared!
 Be
Willing!
 Read
the question carefully and always look
at the number of marks for each question.
 Provide
a short introduction linking to
question
 Ensure for each work you correctly name
the title of the work and the
choreographer
 Give a short insight into the dance you
are discussing to show understanding of
the piece
 Clearly state the point you want to raise
but make sure you explain/justify your
point giving relevant detail about the
costume
 Where possible provide evaluative points
 Take care on the structure of your essay
Physical Setting
Costume, Set Design,
Lighting & Props
DESCRIBE COSTUMES using these words … allowing
and restricting movement, cost, formal, flow, line,
size, weight, colour, texture, decoration.
CONTIBUTIONS OF COSTUME
 Mood and Atmosphere
 Era
 Social setting
 Historical setting
 Sense of Place
 Sense of Time
 Event
 Location
 Character/Role
 Season
 Gender
 Groups of Dancers
 Status
 Theme of Dance
Remember the
Magic List!
Describe Set, Lighting &
Props
 Colour
 Shape
 Size & Location
 Style
 Texture
 Mood
Other Considerations
Cost
 Durability
 Ease of dancing
 Health and Safety
 Size of Space
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It’s really important to DESCRIBE the set, lighting
and props in each example that you discuss
Physical Setting Contributions
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Support the dance style
Provide a context
Provide a sense of reality
Create interest
Can replace dancer - support
Time of day / Season
Establishes mood
Props help identify character
Can provide a climax
Setting the dance in an era
Can provide exits and entrances
Geographical location
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Creates social context
Light/set can structure dance
Props can inspire movement
Lighting can highlight
Set creates shape and levels
Add texture
Compliments other components
Can clarify narrative
Can show changes in time
Add to the theme of the dance
Add humor
Add variety through set and
lighting changes
Always Remember to Include Examples
 Set/lighting
 Lighting
helps create contrast
establishes mood
 Set
creates varied levels/platforms
 The
set creates exits and entrances
Set/lighting helps
create contrast
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The contrast between the dark colours
in set and lighting of the workhouse
and colour of Sweetieland
Lighting establishes
mood
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The brightness and soft colours used
create a magical and fun feel to Act 2
Set creates varied
levels/platforms
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The wedding cake creates different
levels for the dancers
The set creates
exits and
entrances
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Dancers enter through doors in side
flats, upstage window and mouth into
Sweetieland
Defines Space
Provides a sense of place
Adds humour
Adds to theme
Contributes movement material
Defines Space
- The shaft of light provides a narrow space in
which the prisoner’s solos are performed
Provides a sense of place
- The stark set of a single chair hints at
isolation and the dark edges of stage give
impression of confined space
Add humour
Contributes movement
material
- Use of hats and red nose add humour to the
dance
- The chair as part of the set acts as key part
of the choreography as do the canes in the
cane dance section
Describe the physical setting of both
professional dance works that you have
studied.
 Physical setting in work 1: (2 marks)
 Physical
setting in work 2: (2 marks)
 Compare
the way the physical setting is
used in both professional dance works that
you have studied.(8 marks)
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Compare the way the physical setting is used in
both professional dance works that you have
studied. (8 marks)
1–2 marks for simple, descriptive responses, possibly
with reference to only one work. Comparison, if
attempted, is unclear or inaccurate.
3–5 marks for a more coherent response which
includes some accurate comparison.
6–8 marks for well written, clear, coherent answers
which demonstrate knowledge of the similarities and
differences in usage of physical setting in the two
works chosen.
Examples may include: providing realistic/naturalistic
setting, entrances/exits, space for focus on dancers,
multiple settings, mood atmosphere, context – social,
geographical, historical.
 Choose
one of the professional dance
works that you have studied and explain
how effective you think the use of physical
setting is. (3 marks)
 Name
of piece ............................
How does the physical setting
contribute to dance works?
Give examples from your 2 professional dance
works.