2015 VCE Dance Units 3 and 4 prescribed
list of dance works
VCE Dance Units 3 and 4 Outcome 1 requires students to analyse works selected from a
prescribed list. In 2014, students will analyse two solo dance works in Unit 3 and one group dance
work in Unit 4. Students will also respond to questions regarding these works in the end-of-year
written examination.
Schools are advised to review the works on the list prior to making a decision about which ones will
be selected for study. In selecting works for study, teachers should consider students’ personal
movement vocabulary, interest in specific dance styles and other considerations, such as works
studied in previous units.
Publication details are provided for each listed work.
Schools should note that only two chapters of Mathinna are set for study. These chapters are titled
‘Mutton Bird’ and ‘People’ on the DVD. Some other sections of the work include content that may
be regarded as confronting. Schools should review other chapters of the DVD before showing the
complete work to students. Students are not required to view the complete work for VCE Dance
Unit 4.
All works on the list are available through local retail and online sources, including DVD stores and
specialist suppliers. All works are also available via YouTube and/or Vimeo. Note: The DVD for
Mathinna is available only from Bangarra Dance Theatre. Orders may be placed via the Bangarra
website or by contacting Community Education Consultant Shane Carroll via email to
shane@bangarra.com.au
Enquiries about this list should be directed to Helen Champion, Manager, Performing Arts, VCAA.
by email: champion.helen.h@edumail.vic.gov.au.
© VCAA
2015 VCE Dance Units 3 and 4 prescribed list of dance works
Unit 3: Solo dance works
Two works are studied in Unit 3.
Work 1
Title: Les Sylphides
Choreographer: Mikhail Fokine
Section of work to be studied: Act 1, 9:49–12:15; only the solo movement vocabulary is to be
studied, not the corps de ballet
Publication: Firebird and Other Legends with A Thousand Encores: The Ballets Russes in
Australia, double DVD set, The Australian Ballet, 2010
Note: Female solo
Work 2
Title: Rooster
Choreographer: Christopher Bruce
Section of work to be studied: ‘Ruby Tuesday’, from where the girl in a red costume walks
forward, until she jumps into the arms of the male dancers
Publication: Christopher Bruce’s Triple Bill, DVD, Rambert Dance Company, London, 1994; DVD
also includes Swan Song (Unit 4)
Notes:
1. Female solo
2. This work will be deleted from the list in 2016.
Work 3
Title: ‘Newspaper Dance’
Choreographer: Gene Kelly
Section of work to be studied: From the point where Joe Ross (Gene Kelly) begins to walk and
whistle, to the point where he walks behind the curtain at the end of the dance
Publication: Summer Stock, film, Charles Walters (dir.), MGM, USA, 1950
Note: Male solo
Work 4
Title: Smoke
Choreographer: Mats Ek
Section of work to be studied: 3rd section, solo performed by Sylvie Guillem
Publication: Evidentia, DVD, Warner Classics/Warner Vision, 2002
Note: Female solo
© VCAA
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2015 VCE Dance Units 3 and 4 prescribed list of dance works
Work 5
Title: Solo
Choreographer: William Forsythe
Section of work to be studied: Complete work
Publication: Evidentia, DVD, Warner Classics/Warner Vision, 2002
Note: Male solo
Work 6
Title: Save the Last Dance
Choreographers: Fatima Robinson and Randy Duncan
Section of work to be studied: ‘Balletto’, from the entrance of the female dancer to the end of the
dance
Publication: Save the Last Dance, film, Thomas Carter (dir.), Paramount, USA, 2001
Note: Female solo
Work 7
Title: Café Müller
Choreographer: Pina Bausch
Section of work to be studied: From about 15:30 to about 17:45, focusing on the dancer in the
long white costume, beginning as the dancer enters the scene with arms outstretched
Publication: Pina, film, Wim Wenders (dir.), Neue Road Movies, Berlin, 2011
Note: Female solo
Work 8
Title: ‘Billie Jean’
Choreographer: Michael Jackson
Section of work to be studied: Complete work
Publication: Michael Jackson Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour, DVD, Andy Morahan (dir.),
Sony/BMG and Optimum Productions, 1992
Notes:
1. Male solo
© VCAA
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2015 VCE Dance Units 3 and 4 prescribed list of dance works
Unit 4: Group dance works
One work is studied in Unit 4.
Work 1
Title: The Envelope
Choreographer: David Parsons
Section of work to be studied: Complete work
Publication: The Parsons Dance Company, DVD, Thomas Grimm (dir.), Denmark Radio and TV,
1992
Work 2
Title: Swan Song
Choreographer: Christopher Bruce
Section of work to be studied: Begins as the Prisoner is standing with his legs caught in a chair,
looking upstage left to the light, and ends when he does an assisted handstand on a chair, then is
carried back to the chairs by the guards; begins approximately eight minutes from the end of the
piece
Publication: Christopher Bruce’s Triple Bill, DVD, Rambert Dance Company, London, 1994; DVD
also includes Rooster (Unit 3)
Work 3
Title: One Flat Thing, reproduced
Choreographer: William Forsythe
Section of work to be studied: Tables are dragged in to face looking towards the camera, from
1:44 to 7:06
Publication: One Flat Thing, reproduced, film, Thierry de Mey (dir.), Arte France, 2006
Work 4
Title: Jewels
Choreographer: George Balanchine
Section of work to be studied: ‘Rubies’, final ensemble (6 minutes)
Publication: George Balanchine’s Jewels, DVD, Opéra national de Paris, Telmondis, France 2,
13/WNET New York and Opus Arte, 2006
© VCAA
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2015 VCE Dance Units 3 and 4 prescribed list of dance works
Work 5
Title: Swan Lake
Choreographer: Graeme Murphy
Section of work to be studied: Act II, 56:45–1:03:17, beginning when the Swans enter
Publication: The Australian Ballet in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake, DVD, ABC/The Australian
Ballet, 2009
Note:
1. This work will be deleted from the list in 2016.
Work 6
Title: Mathinna
Choreographer: Stephen Page
Section of work to be studied: ‘Mutton Bird’ and ‘People’
Publication: Mathinna ‒ A girl's journey between two cultures, DVD, Bangarra Dance Theatre
Australia, 2013.
Notes:
1. Only two chapters of this work are set for study. These chapters are titled ‘Mutton Bird’ and
‘People’ on the DVD. Some other sections of the work include content that may be regarded as
confronting. Schools should review other chapters of the DVD before showing the complete
work to students. Students are not required to view the complete work for VCE Dance Unit 4.
2. This DVD is available only through Bangarra Dance Theatre. Orders can be placed via the
website www.bangarra.com.au. Contact Shane Carroll, Community Education Consultant at
Bangarra via email: shane@bangarra.com.au
Work 7
Title: Step Up 3
Choreographers: Dave Scott, Jamal Sims, Nadine ‘Hi-Hat’ Ruffin, Richmond Talauega and
Anthony Talauega
Section of work to be studied: ‘The Final Dance’
Publication: Step Up 3, film, Jon M Chu (dir.), Summit Entertainment and Touchstone Pictures,
USA, 2010
Work 8
Title: Sweet Charity
Choreographer: Bob Fosse
Section of work to be studied: ‘The Rich Man’s Frug’ (‘The Aloof’, ‘The Heavyweight’ and ‘The
Big Finish’)
Publication: Sweet Charity, film, Bob Fosse (dir.), Universal Pictures, USA, 1968
© VCAA
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2015 VCE Dance Units 3 and 4 prescribed list of dance works
Work 9
Title: West Side Story
Choreographer: Jerome Robbins
Section of work to be studied: ‘Prologue’, beginning at ‘the clicks’ and ending at ‘the leap frogs’
(before the paint is thrown)
Publication: West Side Story, film, Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins (dirs.), MGM, USA, 1961
© VCAA
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