Application
People at an early stage in their dance careers apply the skills and knowledge outlined in this unit. To ensure that they adopt a healthy approach to building a career in the live performance industry, they need to integrate knowledge of safe dance practice into classes, rehearsals and performances.
At this level they are learning about and applying safe dance practice under the close supervision of experienced dancers and dance teachers.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Apply an understanding of anatomy and physiology to movement | 1.1. Become familiar with the basic structure of the human body 1.2. Apply principles of correct posture and body alignment to basic dance movements 1.3. Discuss with relevant personnel the purpose and benefits of warm-up and cool-down procedures 1.4. Practise a range of warm-up and cool-down exercises 1.5. Discuss with relevant personnel the importance of healthy nutrition to dance performance |
2. Develop an understanding of common dance injuries and health concerns | 2.1. Become familiar with the causes of common dance injuries 2.2. Discuss with relevant personnel the effects of alcohol, smoking and eating disorders on a dancer's health 2.3. Become familiar with action to be taken if injuries occur, including compression, elevation, rest and ice techniques for dealing with soft tissue injury 2.4. Compile a list of sources of professional assistance with health and injury management |
3. Apply a knowledge of safety to dance activities | 3.1. Discuss with relevant personnel safety aspects of dance classes, venues and facilities 3.2. Report safety hazards in venues according to organisational procedures 3.3. Follow procedures to minimise environmental impact of performance activities on the environment 3.4. Follow safety and emergency procedures in venues |
Required Skills
Required skills
communication skills to discuss dance safety issues with others
learning skills to become familiar with and apply a range of health, safety and injury-prevention information in day-to-day activities
planning and organising skills to access and keep a record of sources of professional assistance in relation to health issues
problem-solving skills to identify and report safety hazards
self-management skills to follow safety and emergency procedures.
Required knowledge
structure of human body
anatomical foundations, including:
articulation of the spine
engagement of the feet
bases of support, including feet, legs, hands, arms and torso
range of joint motion
differentiation of the legs and pelvis
importance of healthy food choices in relation to wellbeing and injury prevention, including five food groups and recommended daily amounts.
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: perform a range of warm-up and cool-down exercises apply a basic understanding of anatomical principles to day-to-day dance activities explain the cause of common dance injuries identify potential safety hazards in a dance studio or venue. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to appropriate dance performance areas or spaces. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance evaluation of hazard reports completed verbal or written questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit case studies and scenarios as a basis for discussion of issues and challenges that arise in the context of following basic safe dance practice direct observation or video recording of the candidate undertaking warm-up and cool-down routines. Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy) and the needs of particular groups (e.g. people with disabilities and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties, such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling). |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CUEIND01C Source and apply entertainment industry knowledge. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Basic structure of the human body includes: | systems, such as: articular muscular circulatory nervous. |
Principles may include: | head upright eyes straight ahead chin parallel to the floor shoulders wide and relaxed neck stretching upward chest vertically aligned with the hips body weight distributed evenly between the feet, and kept slightly forward. |
Body alignment refers to: | alignment of the body's load-bearing joints in a standing position, that is: shoulders hips knees ankles muscles being in balance: front to back side to side top to bottom other elements, such as: feet pointing straight ahead knees pointing straight ahead level pelvis. |
Relevant personnel may include: | teachers community members manager mentors peers performers supervisor medical practitioners. |
Purpose may include: | warm-up: to stimulate heart and lungs moderately and progressively to increase body and muscle temperature gradually to increase the metabolism of skeletal muscle to prevent joint injury psychological preparation for performance cool-down: to return respiration and heart rate to normal to help prevent muscle soreness to unwind and relax. |
Benefits may include: | physiological, including: higher metabolic rate increased blood flow to muscles higher rate of oxygen exchange between blood and muscles more oxygen released within muscles faster nerve impulse transmission decreased muscle relaxation time between contractions increased muscle elasticity increased flexibility of ligaments and tendons rehearsal effect, that is, muscular patterns of the body to be used later psychological, including: reduced stress due to an increase in endorphin and a decrease in adrenalin increased mental alertness increased concentration inhibition reduction improved technique, balance and coordination through a body-focused mind set. |
Warm-up and cool-down procedures may include: | stretching, including: static or passive dynamic joint-mobility exercises flexibility exercises aerobic activities coordinated breathing activities floor work. |
Importance of healthy nutrition relates to: | injury prevention and management wellbeing healthy food choices, e.g. five food groups and recommended daily amounts. |
Causes may relate to: | bad posture and body alignment overstretching compressing body tissues, such as: muscles bones joints incorrect technique insufficient conditioning and training fatigue inappropriate environmental conditions nutrition emotional or psychological stress. |
Common dance injuries occur in: | lower back ankles feet knees muscles and tendons ligaments joints abdomen stress fractures. |
Sources of professional assistance | general and specialist practitioners rehabilitation therapists, such as: Pilates Alexander technique chiropractors yoga osteopaths physiotherapists massage. |
Safety aspects include: | venue or facilities, such as: class size class numbers appropriate for the style or genre of dance and floor area appropriate change rooms and toilet facilities ventilation unobstructed space appropriate heating, cooling and lighting music or sound system doing exercises and performing routines on flooring appropriate to genre and style of dance, including: sprung softwood tarkett sprung parquet tongue and groove hardwood resined for ballroom and Latin dance non-slip for ballet wood for tap and Spanish condition and maintenance of flooring, including: floor surface should be even and free from potentially dangerous cracks, gaps or uneven joins floor surface should be regularly maintained so as to be kept free of protruding nails, wood splinters and loose boards or other potentially dangerous flaws location security, e.g. safe access to and from venue suitable footwear and clothing. |
Strategies to minimise environmental impact | measures to reduce energy consumption, such as: using light emitting diode (LED) lights using fluorescent light bulbs turning lights off recycling: waste paper tins cardboard bottles reducing water usage sweeping rather than hosing maintaining biodiversity protecting the natural habitat from damage awareness of air quality and noise. |
Sectors
Performing arts - OHS
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.