Mātauranga Māori constitutes concepts and principles that are richly detailed, complex, and fundamental to Māoridom. It is important to remember that the practice of these are wider and more varied than their use within the proposed NCEA Achievement Standards and supporting documentation.

We also recognise that the cultures, languages, and identities of the Pacific Islands are diverse, varied, and unique. Therefore the Pacific concepts, contexts, and principles that have been incorporated within NCEA Achievement Standards may have wide-ranging understandings and applications across and within the diversity of Pacific communities. It is not our intention to define what these concepts mean but rather offer some ways that they could be understood and applied within different subjects that kaiako and students alike can explore.

The intent of the Standard

For this Achievement Standard, ākonga experiment with ways of moving. They create, select, and develop movements and elements, and order them into a dance sequence of 60–90 seconds in response to a brief.

The composition may be a solo, duet, or small group performance. Ākonga may perform in their own composition and may work collaboratively to compose the dance sequence. However, their individual contribution will need to be ascertained by the assessor.

In response to a brief, ākonga will look to communicate with creativity and imagination, using choreographic processes to develop and refine their work. The dance sequence they compose could demonstrate stylistic techniques and movements usually associated with particular dance genres or styles, or include personal ways of moving that emerge from improvisation and creative work. Curiosity and experimentation are key assets in developing inventive dance sequences, and teachers should ensure there is sufficient time for ākonga to experiment.

Accompaniment may be music, sound, or silence. There is no requirement for an audience to be present during the assessment of the dance sequence. Costuming is not required, although clothing should allow ākonga to fully express the choreography.

Making reliable judgements

Teachers will need to ensure there is time allowed for ākonga to share early work in order to receive feedback, and to develop and refine their ideas.

The focus of the assessment is the composition of the sequence, not performance skills. However, the student needs to be aware that the assessment of their composition is assisted by the clarity and preciseness of the performance — compositions are rehearsed pieces of work.

At higher levels of achievement, ākonga will have experimented with, varied, and extended their movement ideas to create effects and to communicate meaning. Within dance composition, a variety of elements and devices can be explored to communicate meaning in effective and inventive ways. For example, ākonga can create more effective and inventive work by:

• incorporating variations in dance movement by using a different body part or body base upon repetition, or using phrases that are reordered and reconstructed,
• integrating complementary or contrasting body shapes and movements.

To help ākonga create inventive movement material, they should explore different directional facings, energy qualities, weight and flow, formations and groupings, entrances or exits, and opening or closing of still shapes.

Experimenting with complementary or contrasting movements, using body shapes and tempo, and exploring the relationships between movements (eg over or under, around or through), will support a rich platform for discovery and development of an effective and inventive dance sequence. Exploring a variety of dance elements will also enable purposeful selection, and refinement of choreography to support achievement at higher levels.

Collecting evidence

The final grade will be based on evidence from one dance sequence of at least 60 seconds in length, in response to a teacher-approved brief. While ākonga must submit one dance sequence for assessment, they may choose to compose multiple sequences and select one for submission.

A Statement of Intention which explains how the choreography connects to the brief must also be submitted for each dance sequence. This Statement must include sufficient detail for assessors to see evidence of the connection between the brief and the movement ideas presented in the work.

Possible contexts

A wide range of stimuli can be used to create briefs for this Standard. Ākonga should be encouraged to draw from the knowledges and skills they bring with them, recognising and celebrating their diverse backgrounds and past experiences. They are encouraged to explore a sense of who they are through the dance sequences they compose.

Teachers should ensure that the chosen context provides opportunities for whakawhanaungatanga. Engaging in whakawhanaungatanga will help ākonga to establish and nurture their relationships with one another, supporting a positive and cooperative development process. It will encourage ākonga to practise empathy and awareness towards their peers when developing and refining choreography.

Standard Exclusions

This Standard has one or more exclusions, or Standards that assess the same or similar learning. These Standards are excluded against one another to prevent assessing the same learning twice. You can only use credits gained from one of these standards towards your NCEA qualification.

Find out more about the NCEA Level 1 Exclusions List.