2014 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 – A girl’s journey between two
cultures 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. Note: The DVD for Mathinna – A girl’s journey between two cultures will be available from January only from Bangarra Dance Theatre.
Orders may be placed via the Bangarra website (www.bangarra.com.au ) or by contacting the company by email (bangarra@bangarra.com.au) or telephone (02 9251 5333).
Works that will be deleted from 2015 are marked in red. New works that can be studied from
2014 are shown in green.
Enquiries about this list should be directed to Helen Champion, Manager, Perf orming
Arts, VCAA. Email: champion.helen.h@edumail.vic.gov.au
Unit 3: Solo dance works
Two works are studied in Unit 3.
Work 1
Title: Cry
Choreographer: Alvin Ailey
Section of work to be studied: Complete work
Publication: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre perform Stack Up & Cry , DVD, Arthaus
Musik, 1986
Notes:
1.
Female solo
2.
This work will be deleted from the list in 2015.
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Work 2
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 3
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)
Note: Female solo
Work 4
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 5
Title: Snakes, Gods and Deities
Choreographer: Tracks Dance Company
Section of work to be studied: ‘Freedom in Knowledge’
Publication: Snakes, Gods and Deities , DVD, Tracks Dance Company, 2004
Notes:
1.
Female solo
2.
This work will be deleted from the list in 2015.
Work 6
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
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Work 7
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 8
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 9
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 10
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: Male solo
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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: Water Study
Choreographer: Doris Humphrey
Section of work to be studied: Complete work
Publication: Water Study (Doris Humphrey Legacy) , DVD, The Doris Humphrey Society,
USA, 1998
Note: This work will be deleted from the list in 2015.
Work 3
Title: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Choreographer: Michael Kidd
Section of work to be studied: ‘Barn-raising Celebration Dance’, from ‘Hey everybody, get your partners! There’s gonna be dancin’!’ to the end of the dance; 39:15 to 45:30
Publication: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers , film, Stanley Donen (dir.), MGM, USA, 1954
Note: This work will be deleted from the list in 2015.
Work 4
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 5
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
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Work 6
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
Work 7
Title: Mary Poppins
Choreographers: Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood
Section of work to be studied: ‘Step in Time’, from when the men poke their heads out of the chimney stacks and Bert says, ‘Hello, cheerio, step in time’, to ‘We’re being attacked by
Hottentots’, spoken by the Admiral
Publication: Mary Poppins , film, Robert Stevenson (dir.), Walt Disney, USA, 1964
Note: This work will be deleted from the list in 2015.
Work 8
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
Work 9
Title: Mathinna – A girl’s journey between two cultures
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 will be available only from Bangarra Dance Theatre. Orders may be placed via the Bangarra website (www.bangarra.com.au ) or by contacting the company by email (bangarra@bangarra.com.au) or telephone (02 9251 5333).
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Work 10
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 11
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
Work 12
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
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