Revision Paper
GCSE Dance Exam
UNIT 1 CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF DANCE
UNISON, CANON, COMPLEMENTARY,
CONTRAST, MOTIFS AND DEVELOPMENT
AND CLIMAX
Question 3a
3 (a) Choose and explain two of the following
dance relationships.
Unison, Canon, Complementary, Contrast.
Relationship
Explanation
1.
1.
(2 marks)
2.
2.
(2 marks)
Question 3a Answers
You only needed to choose 2 options.
Relationship
Explanation
Unison
It means synchronized, all together, in time with each
other. When many people do the same things at the same
time
Canon
Means dancing one after another and when movements
overlap in time to create a Mexican Wave effect
Complementary
Actions or shapes that are very similar but not exactly the
same. E.g. One person doing a gesture stood up and the
other on the floor
Contrast
Shapes or movements that are very different from each
other. E.g. Stillness and a jump.
Question 3b
 3 (b) Describe a moment, from one of the
professional dance works that you have
studied, where one of your chosen
relationships occurs. (2 marks)
 Name of work:
.......................................................................................
 Description of movement
.......................................................................................
.......................................................................................
Answer for Question 3b
Nutcracker!
Faultline
Unison in the Frozen Lake Scene of all
dancers whilst ice skating.
Contrast in the boys opening trio of
Faultline.
Question 3c
 3 (c) Choose a different dance relationship
that you used in choreography or
performance in your practical work. How did
this relationship fit the theme of the dance?
(3 marks)
 .......................................................................................
.......................................................................................
.......................................................................................
Answer for Question 3c
 Think of your Performance Piece or any other pieces
of your Choreography or Composition.
 How did this dance relationship help fit the dance?
 E.g. Faultline Performance Piece – Contrast of two
gangs against each other helped show the different
sides and the argument.
Question 4a
 4 (a) Your solo composition task was based
on three motifs from a selected work.
Describe one of the motifs you learned. Use
actions, dynamics and space in your answer.
(3Marks)
 Name of work - .........................................
Actions
Dynamics
Space
Answer 4a
Name of Piece - Overdrive
Actions
We had a kick
Dynamics
Smoothly but quick
Space
We faced the diagonal
Question 4b
 4 (b) Describe two ways that you developed
this motif. (4 marks)
 .......................................................................................
.......................................................................................
......................................................................................
Answer 4b
 Use different body parts
 Change level
 Vary the quality – quivery, jerky,
 Fragment – isolate one or more

smooth

 Change Size- Make it bigger or

smaller

 Alter Focus

 Change the direction you are facing 
 Change floor pattern
 Ornamentation – Embellish the

movement e.g. add loops or wiggles 
etc.
 Change tempo and speed
 Vary Dynamics or Force
 Add accents

parts
Change the order
Add actions - e.g. jump or turn
Make it travel
Repetition
Retrograde – Perform it backwards
Change the plane – swap vertical
lines for horizontal ones
Add stillness
Staging – perform in a different
place
Rhythm - Keep same length but
change timing
Choose two of the above and describe what you did to the movement. E.g.
We had a retire that we called ‘splat’, I performed this upside down
changing it into a handstand with my legs in the same position.
Answer 4b
 1 mark awarded for any appropriate motif development, e.g. change




dynamics, change order of actions, repeat all or part of the motif –
up to 2 marks.
1 mark for simple description of a motif development, e.g: I
repeated a roll later in my dance but changed the direction.
2 marks for a clear, detailed description of a motif development, e.g:
I used a roll in my dance to represent the circle in the painting of
my stimulus and I developed it by making the roll slow and smooth
as the circle was shaded in blue. I feel blue is a calm colour. I also
changed the direction of the roll as there are lines in the painting
and this change could represent those lines.
2 developments required = 4 marks in total.
Examples may include, for instance: change dynamics, change order
of actions, repeat all or part of the motif.
Question 5
 5 A climax is a structurally important
moment in a dance. Describe a moment of
climax in one of the professional dance works
that you have studied. Refer to actions and
dynamics. (4 marks)
 Name of work ........................................
Description of Actions
Description of Dynamics
 Definition of Climax – The most important or
significant moment of the dance which usually
happen near the end.
 Name of work – Nutcracker!
Description of Actions
At the end of Nutcracker when
the Gobstoppers are fighting we
can see lots of jumps and leaps
Description of Dynamics