Last year's prac exam (1 Viewer)

[MiuMiu]

Whilst we're into HSC Dance, have you guys heard how they look at your body shape and stuff? I had a friend do one of the prac exams last year (beautiful dancer) and they were apparently quite harsh about her shoulders (she broke her collar bone two years ago and one bone is slightly higher than the other--not noticable unless you're looking for it).
Also, they had basically grilled the girl before her about her weight (indirectly--they kept asking stuff about healthy body weights and how her shape fitted into this) apparently she was nowhere near being fat, just bigger than a stick!!

 

[um..]

they made fun of my bosoms. MY bosoms

 

[braindrainedAsh]

I can't believe that they would perpetuate that ludicrous garbage about having to be skinny to dance. Dance is an art for everyone to enjoy..... painters and musicians don't have to come in specific sizes, why do dancers?

If I was asked that in a HSC exam I would officially complain the the BOS. They don't check to see if everyone doing the PE exam is physically fit.....

It just seems crazy to me. You can dance, and dance well I might add, without having that perfect dancers body.

 

[MiuMiu]

Yeah but the markers are obviously trained in ballet and stuff, and I guess in 'real life' (for lack of a better word) this is closely scrutinised. I actually remember the head of Performing Arts & PE telling me this a few years ago, that they really closely scrutinise your body.

And also, when looking for technique they look at lines of the body etc, and someone larger is not going to have the 'perfect' lines they are looking for. I am certainly not saying this is right, dance ability has nothing to do with size IMO, this is just how things tend to work. Welcome to the bitchy world of ballet I guess.

 

[um..]

oh this girl i was talking to today, she's like really pretty and has a good figure, is a ballet dancer. and she was saying how her coach or whatever they're called told her she was too big to dance....she has like the best body ever, but she's sorta tall and has a big frame. pretty gay but

 

[MiuMiu]

Yeah it does suck, but thats just what its all about I guess.

Its kinda like someone with a ballet dancer's frame would probably be told they couldn't play certain sports.

Oh yeah and tall is certainly frowned upon in the wonderful world ballet

 

[braindrainedAsh]

However you would think that they wouldn't be expecting professional type standards in HSC dance... they don't expect professional chemists or professor-type english essays....

I know ballet ideals suck... I'm larger myself and I've been doing ballet/tap/jazz since I was three... I almost quit so many times, and sometimes my results from my RAD exams have been very iffy in comparison with others I dance with... I'm sure they always dock me some marks because I'm not ballerina sized.

I'm just surprised that they look at body size so scrutinizingly in HSC dance. I thought they would be looking more for performance skills etc. And if the type of dance being performed is contemporary, you could always say that your differing body shape is a part of the dance.... and make up some sort of meaning for it or something......

Ah well, glad I didn't do HSC dance. From what I've heard it seems quite challenging. I think it must have changed significally from the old dance syllabus because I remember watching HSC dance performances from our school in yr 8 and they weren't that great technque (or even choreography) wise. I was actually in one girl's HSC dance choreography. I think it was to Kylie Minogue music lol! We haven't had a HSC dance class for a few years (no one to teach it) but a gal in yr 11 is doing it via correspondence.

 

[MiuMiu]

Yeah well I know a lot of people are warned against doing it cos it is so tough, especially to get a good mark

 

[tonberry_kun]

GET DOWN AND DANCEEEEE
|-<

 

[tash]

Originally posted by YEAR12

Oh yeah and tall is certainly frowned upon in the wonderful world ballet

that's not necessarily true. i mean being 5'10 or something isn't that great cos then you'd probably be taller than your male partner but some of the world's greates dancers, eg darcey bussell and sylvie guillem are like 5'7 or something, and that's not that short. i guess you look kind of gangly on stage if you're too tall, as well as the whole guy thing who needs to lift you up etc...

 

[MiuMiu]

yeah Im not saying you can't be a good dancer if you're tall, but shorter (but not dwarf ) is more accepted

 

[Bunny04]

They mark you on alignment, So if shoulders if slouched.... Loose marks... You must have Correct alignment... BUT one thing, its probably NOT true about what they said.... as its against the rules, For the Examiners to say anything like that.... they are not allowed to say anything at all, apart from Exam questions.. I did HSC Dance, and in the exam they are NOT allowed to mention anything like that too you. Not allowed to discuss anything to do with marks, or correct/incorrect work

 

[beksta]

Ok heres the low down....

Body shape - you study your individual body shape as everyone is different and this potentially allows different factors (eg greater flexibility, more strength etc). Your own body shape is not marked by the examiners. They look at your body shape and then what you have presented. So are you dancing in alignment?, are you working within your own body limitations?

The examiners are not to discuss any part of the examination with the candidate - so they cant mention anything about your performance to you or your body shape.. they are not allowed to ask any question that is not part of the exmaination. The only exemption to this is if the viva voce question is about body shape... then you have to relate it back to your self but they still cannot ask your to clarify anything or ask you additional questions

Yes it is a hard subject - mainly as it contains so many different components and you have to do well in all of them in order to do well overall. Teachers may recommend certain things such as the covering of breasts and stomach as they do not wish to view this whilst marking.