FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Everything You Need to Know
DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE STUDIED DANCE AS AN ELECTIVE IN YEAR 9 AND 10 TO CHOOSE IT FOR HSC?
No! The course is designed to be able to be taken by anyone, no matter what your background or experience level is. Obviously doing Dance in Year 9 & 10 will give you a great foundation for the HSC Course, but it is not a prerequisite.
HOW MUCH OF IT IS PRACTICAL VS THEORY?
In the preliminary course, it’s about 80% practical vs 20% theory. In the HSC Course, it depends on which Major Study Elective you choose. For example, if you choose to major in Performance, 80% of the course would be practical, where if you chose to major in Appreciation, only 40% would be practical, the other 60% being theory.
I’VE HEARD IT SCALES BADLY, IS THAT TRUE?
While Dance isn’t considered as “hard” as a scientific subject such as Physics so technically may scale lower than Physics, you shouldn’t be worried about scaling when choosing your subjects. If you are someone that has a love of dance, has a natural talent for it, or just wants a creative and physical outlet, you can score really well in Dance which would lead to a higher ATAR!
I’VE HEARD THE PRACTICAL EXAMINATIONS ARE REALLY EARLY. ISN’T THAT BAD?
They are early and typically happen during Weeks 4 & 5 of Term 3. However, this means if you choose to major in any of the practical components (Performance/Composition/Film and Video), you will get 80% of your Dance HSC External Examinations out of the way in Term 3 and be able to focus more time and effort into your other subjects then. So, if you manage your time well, it’s actually a really great bonus.
ISN’T DANCE A BIT OF A JOKE SUBJECT? DON’T YOU JUST ‘DANCE AROUND’?
Far from it! Dance builds so many skills that are desirable for future employers and university selection. It requires various skills such as effective communication, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration and leadership just to name a few.
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