Expressive and Mental Skills in Performance
A great performance is more than the steps. Explore the expressive skills that reach an audience, the mental skills that keep a dancer sharp, and the safe working practices that protect the body.
Justify the choices, the way you are assessed
Free interactive practice on the decisions the assessment actually asks you to justify.
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Bringing a dance to life
Knowing the steps is only the start. What lifts a performance is the way a dancer communicates with an audience and stays sharp under pressure. In this module you meet the expressive skills that reach the audience, the mental skills that keep a dancer focused, and the safe working practices that protect the body so a dancer can keep performing.
Expressive skills
Expressive skills are how a dancer communicates the mood and meaning of a dance to an audience. Learn these four.
Match the expressive skill
- Projection
- Focus
- Spatial awareness
- Facial expression
- Sending energy out so the movement reaches the audience
- Using the eyes and gaze to guide attention and show intention
- Using the surrounding space and the position of others well
- Using the face to show the mood or character of the dance
Spot the expressive skill
Which of these is an expressive skill, used to communicate with the audience?
- Facial expression
- Stamina
- Movement memory
- Warming up
Two kinds of skill
It helps to separate what the audience sees from what happens inside the mind of a dancer.
Complete the mental skills
Recalling the choreography accurately relies on _____ memory. Staying focused without being distracted is _____. Going through the dance in the mind without moving is _____ rehearsal. Giving full energy throughout the piece shows _____, and believing in the performance shows _____.
Stay safe
Which of these are safe working practices for a dancer? Choose all that apply.
- Warming up before dancing
- Tying long hair back
- Removing jewellery before performing
- Using facial expression
- Adding phrasing to the movement
Dressed to dance safely
Safe dancewear protects the body and the performance. Wear footwear suited to the style so the feet are supported and do not slip. Tie long hair back so it does not block the vision or catch. Remove jewellery that could snag on a costume or another dancer, or cause an injury.
Order a safe session
Put the parts of a safe dance session into the correct order.
- Warm up to prepare the muscles and joints
- Rehearse the choreography using systematic repetition
- Perform the piece
- Cool down to help the body recover
- Rehydrate and refuel afterwards
Find the expressive skills
Tap the two statements that describe expressive skills.
- Using facial expression to show the mood of the dance.
- Projecting energy so the movement reaches the audience.
- Repeating a phrase many times in rehearsal to secure it.
- Having the stamina to dance for the whole piece.
Match the mental skill
- Movement memory
- Concentration
- Mental rehearsal
- Response to feedback
- Recalling and reproducing the choreography accurately
- Staying focused on the performance without distraction
- Running through the dance in the mind without moving
- Acting on comments from a teacher to improve
Only with a partner
Which skill is needed only when dancing in a duet or trio, not in a solo?
- Sensitivity to other dancers
- Facial expression
- Movement memory
- Projection
Name the skill
Decide what each dancer is doing.
- A dancer looks out to the audience and smiles to share the joy of the dance.
- Waiting in the wings, a dancer runs through the whole routine in the mind without moving.
- Before the show a dancer ties back long hair and takes off a ring.
Explain how mental skills improve a performance
Explain how a dancer uses mental skills in rehearsal to improve a performance. Name at least two mental skills and say what each one does.
- Name two mental skills such as mental rehearsal or response to feedback
- Say what each skill helps the dancer do
- Link them to improving the final performance