In simple terms
A friendly intro before the formal notes — no formulas yet.
From Stage to Page: Deconstructing Dance
Analysing choreography is like being a detective for movement. You gather clues from what you see—the use of space, the rhythm, the quality of motion—to uncover the choreographer's story or message. Documenting your own work is creating the case file that proves how you built your dance from an initial idea to a finished piece.
Think of analysing a dance like you would a film. You wouldn't just say 'it was a good movie'. You'd discuss the cinematography (how the camera moves), the editing (the pacing and cuts), the script (the story), and the acting (the performance). In dance, we do the same: we look at the 'choreography' (the movement script), the 'spatial design' (the cinematography), the 'dynamics' (the emotional tone of the acting), and the 'structure' (the editing) to understand how it all works together to create meaning.
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Describe: Objectively state what you see. Use precise language (e.g., Laban terms) to detail the movements, pathways, and timing without judgment.
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Analyse: Explain how the elements of dance and choreographic devices are being used. How does the use of space, time, and energy contribute to the piece?
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Interpret: Propose the meaning, effect, or intent. Based on your analysis, what is the choreographer communicating to the audience? What is the work about?
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Evaluate & Document: Judge the effectiveness of the choreographic choices in fulfilling the intent. For your own work, record these insights in your portfolio to demonstrate critical reflection and the evolution of your piece.
Explore the concept
Use the live diagram and synced steps — play it or tap a step card to walk through.
Full topic notes
Formal explanation with the rigour you need for the exam.
Frameworks for Analysis: The Describe-Analyse-Interpret Model
To produce a sophisticated analysis, you must move beyond subjective statements like "the movement was emotional". A rigorous framework allows you to build an evidence-based argument about the work's meaning and effectiveness. The most effective approach is sequential:
Describe (The 'What'): This is the objective, factual layer. Use precise, technical language to state what you see. Laban's 'Effort' terminology is invaluable here. Instead of 'angry movement', describe it as 'strong weight, direct space, and sudden time'. Describe the use of the stage, the number of dancers, and the relationships between them.
Analyse (The 'How'): This is where you connect the descriptions. How do the elements of dance (space, time, energy) and choreographic principles (motif, repetition, contrast) work together? For example, 'The choreographer contrasts the sudden, direct gestures with sustained, indirect travelling to create a tension between confinement and escape.'
Interpret (The 'Why'): Based on your analysis, what is the potential meaning or effect? This is where you connect the 'how' to the choreographic intent. 'This tension could be interpreted as representing an internal conflict within the character, fulfilling the choreographer's intent to explore the theme of psychological struggle.'
Documenting Your Creative Process
Your composition portfolio is an argument that proves your artistic development. It's not a diary of everything you did, but a curated selection of evidence showing your critical thinking. For the IB, this primarily involves video evidence accompanied by insightful written commentary.
Video as Primary Evidence: Short, well-filmed clips are essential. Film improvisations, early drafts of phrases, and sections of the final work. Label them clearly (e.g., 'Motif A - Draft 1', 'Development of Motif A using retrograde').
Written Commentary as Analysis: Your writing gives the video context. It's where you articulate your intent, analyse your choices, and evaluate your progress. Always refer specifically to the video evidence.
Show, Don't Just Tell: Instead of saying 'I made the dance more interesting', document the problem ('My initial phrase felt repetitive and lacked dynamic range'), the solution ('I applied the choreographic device of fragmentation and varied the effort qualities'), and the result ('This created a more complex and textured phrase that better reflects my intent').
Structure is Key: Organise your portfolio logically. A common structure is: Initial Intent -> Exploration/Improvisation -> Developing Motifs -> Structuring the Dance -> Refining and Rehearsing -> Final Performance. Each stage should have supporting evidence and reflective commentary.
Examiners reward depth over breadth. It is more effective to provide a detailed analysis of two or three key developmental moments in your process than to give a superficial overview of everything you did. For Criterion C3, focus on demonstrating 'critical' skills. This means questioning your own choices, acknowledging what didn't work and explaining why, and justifying your final decisions with clear reference to your choreographic intent.
Self-Analysis: The Choreographer as Critic
The most successful choreographers are their own best critics. The ability to step back, analyse your own work-in-progress objectively, and make informed decisions is crucial. Use video to your advantage. Film a rehearsal, then watch it back without dancing along. Watch it once for spatial patterns, once for timing and rhythm, and once for dynamic quality. Take notes as if you were analysing a piece by a famous choreographer. This critical distance is essential for refinement.
Connecting Your Work to the Wider World of Dance
While the focus is on your own creation, situating your analysis within the context of other artists and genres demonstrates a higher level of understanding. When analysing your own work, you might note influences. For example, 'My use of gesture and floorwork to convey emotional narrative is influenced by the work of Pina Bausch,' or 'In structuring my piece, I consciously moved away from a traditional narrative form, inspired by Merce Cunningham's use of chance procedures.' This shows engagement with the art form beyond the studio and enriches your own analytical writing.
Worked examples
See the formulas applied — reveal one step at a time, like the exam.
Your choreographic intent is 'to explore the fragility and resilience of the human body'. You have created a 30-second motif. In your portfolio, write a commentary that analyses this motif, justifying its effectiveness in relation to your intent.
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This commentary models how to link description, analysis, and intent, hitting the top bands for Criteria C1, C2, and C3.
In your portfolio, you are comparing an early improvisation for a dance about 'urban chaos' with a more structured phrase from your final piece. Write a reflective commentary that evaluates the development.
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This response demonstrates high-level evaluation (Criterion C3) by comparing two stages of the creative process.
How it all connects
The big idea sits in the middle — tap a linked idea to explore the link.
Tap a linked idea to see how it connects back to the main topic — that connection is what examiners reward.
Glossary
Try to recall each definition before you reveal it.
Quick check
Answer in your head first — then tap to check. No pressure.
Revision flashcards
Flip the card. Test yourself before the exam.
Choreographic Intent
The choreographer's purpose or goal for the dance. A clear, well-articulated intent is the foundation of a successful composition and is assessed in Criterion C1.
Key takeaways
Review these before you close the topic — retrieval beats re-reading.
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Describe (The 'What'): This is the objective, factual layer. Use precise, technical language to state what you see. Laban's 'Effort' terminology is invaluable here. Instead of 'angry movement', describe it as 'strong weight, direct space, and sudden time'. Describe the use of the stage, the number of dancers, and the relationships between them.
- ✓
Analyse (The 'How'): This is where you connect the descriptions. How do the elements of dance (space, time, energy) and choreographic principles (motif, repetition, contrast) work together? For example, 'The choreographer contrasts the sudden, direct gestures with sustained, indirect travelling to create a tension between confinement and escape.'
- ✓
Interpret (The 'Why'): Based on your analysis, what is the potential meaning or effect? This is where you connect the 'how' to the choreographic intent. 'This tension could be interpreted as representing an internal conflict within the character, fulfilling the choreographer's intent to explore the theme of psychological struggle.'
Practice — then mark it
The whole point: a real Cambridge question, marked mark-by-mark.
Test Your Analytical Skills
Test Your Analytical Skills
Extra simulations & links
PhET, GeoGebra and other curated tools — open in a new tab.
Frequently asked
Checkpoint
One marked question is worth ten re-reads — close the loop before you move on.
Reading it isn’t knowing it — prove it.
Before you move on: do Test Your Analytical Skills on paper, snap a photo, and get examiner-style feedback on exactly where you win and lose marks.