Cambridge OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma in Performing Arts

What you'll be able to do

• Know arranging techniques through the study of musical arrangements of others, analysing their structure and instrumentation
• Arrange music for different groups and resources, adapting the arrangement to suit the specific ensemble
• Manipulate elements of music to produce musical arrangements, demonstrating creativity and technical skill
• Create scores and parts of arrangements for different instruments/voices, ensuring clarity and accuracy

What you'll be able to do

• Select suitable audition material, choosing pieces that showcase strengths and suit the role
• Relate vocal performance technique to character and style, adapting vocal delivery to create a specific persona
• Relate physical performance technique to character and style, using body language and movement to enhance the portrayal
• Use vocal technique in performance, projecting the voice effectively and conveying emotion
• Use physical technique in performance, creating a dynamic and engaging stage presence

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the fundamental principles of choreographing dances, including spatial design and dynamics.
• Create dance for a specific event, considering the audience and performance context.
• Choreograph dance in more than one style, demonstrating versatility and adaptability.
• Create dance for performance, incorporating artistic expression and technical skill.

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the social background of classical roles, considering their place within society
• Understand the historical background of classical roles, considering the period in which they were written and performed
• Understand the cultural background of classical roles, considering the values and beliefs they represent
• Explore the performance styles of classical texts, experimenting with different approaches
• Rehearse creatively, developing innovative interpretations of classical texts
• Rehearse responsibly, working collaboratively and respecting the text
• Perform classical texts, demonstrating an understanding of the role and the text

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the purpose and principles of community arts projects, including their social, cultural, and educational benefits
• Develop a community arts project, including identifying needs, setting goals, and securing resources
• Take part in a community arts project, contributing to its planning, implementation, and evaluation
• Evaluate a community arts project, assessing its impact on participants and the wider community

What you'll be able to do

• Originate compositional ideas using a variety of techniques
• Extend, develop and manipulate musical material to create a cohesive composition
• Appreciate the role and importance of the structural elements of composition in creating effective musical works
• Present a portfolio of compositions in an appropriate format, demonstrating technical skill and creative expression

What you'll be able to do

• Know the key characteristics that define contemporary performance
• Create and deliver contemporary performances using appropriate techniques
• Understand the theoretical and contextual background of contemporary performance

What you'll be able to do

• Research contemporary texts, identifying relevant themes and contexts
• Interpret contemporary texts, developing a clear understanding of the playwright's intentions
• Realise contemporary texts, translating the interpretation into a practical performance
• Rehearse contemporary texts for performance, refining the interpretation and developing stagecraft
• Perform contemporary texts, communicating the meaning and impact of the play to an audience

What you'll be able to do

• Apply a system of analysis to dance works, identifying and evaluating elements such as choreography, performance, and context
• Interpret and evaluate dance works, forming reasoned judgements about their artistic merit and cultural significance
• Learn and reproduce extracts from dance works, demonstrating an understanding of choreographic intention and performance style
• Use the professional repertory to create own dances, adapting and reinterpreting existing material to develop original choreographic ideas

What you'll be able to do

• Apply improvisational methods and structures effectively in dance performance.
• Explore different stimuli to generate improvisational movement ideas.
• Use performance skills, such as focus and projection, in improvisational dance.
• Understand the effectiveness of improvisation as a choreographic tool and performance technique.

What you'll be able to do

• Develop a comprehensive community dance project proposal, including aims, objectives, target audience, and resources
• Understand how groups are managed effectively in a community dance context, including communication, conflict resolution, and inclusivity
• Know what skills and techniques will be appropriate in community dance projects, considering the needs and abilities of participants
• Evaluate a community dance project, assessing its impact, effectiveness, and areas for improvement

What you'll be able to do

• Participate effectively in practical dance workshops
• Participate effectively in dance rehearsals
• Perform dances demonstrating application of physical skills
• Perform dances demonstrating application of interpretative skills
• Perform dances demonstrating the application of appropriate stylistic qualities
• Understand how to improve dance for performance through evaluation
• Understand how to improve dance for performance through review

What you'll be able to do

• Develop costume design ideas for a performance
• Communicate costume design ideas effectively
• Manage the costume construction process
• Fulfil the roles and responsibilities of a costume designer.

What you'll be able to do

• Demonstrate contemporary dance technique effectively in classes
• Improve physical skills relevant to contemporary dance technique
• Improve interpretative skills relevant to contemporary dance technique
• Absorb and reproduce sequences of movement accurately in class
• Understand individual technical progress in contemporary dance

What you'll be able to do

• Use classical ballet technique in practical work, demonstrating correct posture, alignment, and movement quality
• Know the main elements of classical ballet terminology, defining and applying terms related to steps, positions, and movements
• Create combinations of movement using classical ballet technique, demonstrating an understanding of choreographic principles and musicality
• Perform combinations and sequences using classical ballet techniques, demonstrating technical accuracy, artistry, and performance quality

What you'll be able to do

• Understand key influences in physical theatre, researching practitioners, movements, and historical developments.
• Develop skills and techniques associated with physical theatre, including movement, mime, acrobatics, and ensemble work.
• Select, develop and refine materials for physical theatre performance, ensuring they are appropriate for the intended audience and performance style.

What you'll be able to do

• Create a teaching plan outlining clear and measurable lesson objectives
• Structure a teaching plan to include appropriate activities and resources
• Instruct a dance class, delivering clear and concise instructions
• Demonstrate effective communication and classroom management skills
• Recognise and value prior knowledge and skills of participants
• Build upon existing skills and knowledge to facilitate learning
• Respond to performance of participants with constructive feedback
• Provide guidance and support to improve technique and artistry

What you'll be able to do

• Know the principles of voice production, including breathing, resonance, and articulation
• Know the principles of vocal health, including warm-up exercises and vocal care techniques
• Participate in voice classes, engaging in exercises and activities to improve vocal technique
• Contribute to voice classes, offering constructive feedback and supporting other participants
• Demonstrate vocal technique in performance, applying learned skills to create a believable and engaging character

What you'll be able to do

• Use stimulus material effectively to generate ideas for devised plays
• Develop and shape ideas into a coherent and structured play, demonstrating an understanding of dramatic structure and narrative techniques
• Rehearse effectively for a devised performance, refining the performance through practice and feedback
• Perform devised drama with confidence and skill, engaging the audience and conveying the intended message

What you'll be able to do

• Use the skills of improvisation effectively to create spontaneous and engaging performances
• Use and develop improvisation techniques to enhance performance, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability
• Perform effectively in improvised drama, responding to the situation and collaborating with other performers

What you'll be able to do

• Demonstrate awareness of movement flow and underpinning principles of contact improvisation, such as weight sharing, balance, and momentum
• Explore contact with stimuli, such as objects or the environment, and with other dancers, responding to physical cues and improvising movement
• Improvise using the dynamics in performance, varying energy levels, tempo, and spatial relationships to create expressive and engaging movement

What you'll be able to do

• Know the work of historical and contemporary dance practitioners, including their styles, techniques, and contributions to the field
• Work in the style of dance practitioners, demonstrating an understanding of their choreographic approaches and movement vocabulary
• Understand how dance performance can be influenced by the work of other artistic practitioners, such as musicians, visual artists, and theatre directors

What you'll be able to do

• Identify the key works of historical and contemporary theatre practitioners
• Describe the contributions of historical and contemporary theatre practitioners to the development of theatre
• Apply the style of theatre practitioners in practical performance work
• Adapt performance techniques to reflect the style of different theatre practitioners
• Analyse how theatre performance can be influenced by the work of practitioners
• Evaluate the impact of practitioner techniques on audience interpretation

What you'll be able to do

• Describe the historical context of specific performance material.
• Explain how to contextualise current practical work within a historical framework.
• Present research findings related to performance history and context.
• Evaluate research findings related to performance history and context.

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the stylistic elements of improvisation across a range of musical genres, demonstrating knowledge of historical and contemporary approaches
• Develop instrumental or vocal techniques appropriate for improvisation in contrasting styles, showing versatility and adaptability
• Improvise music in response to a stimulus in contrasting styles, demonstrating creativity and responsiveness
• Improvise music responding to other musicians, demonstrating effective communication and collaboration skills

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the history and context of different genres of international dance, researching and analysing their origins, cultural significance, and evolution
• Reproduce key features of different genres of international dance, demonstrating an understanding of their characteristic movements, rhythms, and styles
• Perform combinations within the international dance genre, demonstrating technical proficiency, stylistic accuracy, and cultural sensitivity

What you'll be able to do

• Demonstrate the relationship between jazz dance and music through movement and rhythm.
• Demonstrate key features of Jazz Dance styles, including isolations, syncopation, and improvisation.
• Perform combinations within the Jazz style, showcasing technical proficiency and stylistic understanding.

What you'll be able to do

• Interpret ideas for performance material, demonstrating understanding of the source material
• Apply ideas creatively to performance material, developing innovative and engaging interpretations
• Take part in workshop performances, contributing effectively to the ensemble and demonstrating performance skills
• Evaluate the workshop process in light of performance, identifying areas for improvement and reflecting on personal development

What you'll be able to do

• Identify different types and techniques of make-up used for performers
• Prepare the skin for make-up using suitable products and techniques
• Interpret make-up designs and character analysis in the application of make-up
• Ensure that make-up is applied with attention to safe and effective skincare practices.

What you'll be able to do

• Collate research findings relevant to mask making
• Generate design ideas for masks
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to use materials, construction and decorative techniques in mask making
• Construct masks from designs.

What you'll be able to do

• Explain the context and purpose of community music-making, including practitioners and organisations
• Demonstrate the ability to lead practical music-making activities
• Plan a community music-making project for a specific community group and/or venue
• Participate in a community music-making project for a specific community group and/or venue
• Describe how to monitor a community music-making project
• Evaluate a community music-making project

What you'll be able to do

• Understand a role or roles in a musical theatre work, analysing the character's motivations, relationships, and objectives.
• Apply the appropriate performance skills to a role in a musical, including singing, acting, and dancing techniques.
• Rehearse for a role in a musical, collaborating with the director and other performers to develop a cohesive and engaging performance.
• Perform a role in a musical, demonstrating confidence, skill, and artistry.

What you'll be able to do

• Interpret ideas effectively for performance material, demonstrating a clear understanding of the source material
• Apply ideas creatively to performance material, showing originality and imagination in the development process
• Take part effectively in workshop performances, contributing positively to the collaborative process
• Understand the workshop process in light of performance, recognising its role in developing and refining performance material

What you'll be able to do

• Analyse employment opportunities and requirements within the performing arts sector.
• Identify different types of organisations operating in the performing arts sector.
• Implement financial controls for a performing arts event.

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the defining features of a repertoire, including its historical context, stylistic characteristics, and performance conventions
• Develop skills required for performing from a repertoire, including technical proficiency, musical interpretation, and stage presence
• Perform from a repertoire, demonstrating an understanding of the material and the ability to engage an audience

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the mask as a performance instrument, considering its historical context, cultural significance, and potential for expressive communication.
• Develop mask acting techniques in practical workshops and rehearsals, exploring movement, gesture, and vocal expression while wearing a mask.
• Create and perform mask drama, applying learned techniques to develop engaging and meaningful performances.
• Understand the effectiveness of mask performance, analysing its impact on the audience and the performers.

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the current professional environment within the performing arts industry
• Analyse the challenges and opportunities facing freelance performing arts professionals
• Produce strategies for sustaining a freelance career in the performing arts, including networking and marketing
• Understand legal and contractual frameworks relevant to performing arts professionals
• Interpret and apply legal and contractual information to professional practice

What you'll be able to do

• Use research to inform the design of a prop
• Use research to inform the creation of a prop
• Use appropriate prop construction methods
• Select and use appropriate materials for prop construction
• Interpret design plans accurately when constructing a prop
• Create a prop suitable for performance

What you'll be able to do

• Apply a research methodology to investigate current issues in the Performing Arts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of issues currently affecting the Performing Arts Industry.
• Edit and synthesise research data effectively.
• Communicate research findings clearly and concisely.

What you'll be able to do

• Understand styles and forms of writing for performance, including plays, screenplays, and radio dramas.
• Research and explore different writing forms and topics, gathering information and developing ideas for performance scripts.
• Present ideas in a written format appropriate to the performance medium that can be interpreted by others, using clear and concise language.
• Understand the effectiveness of script writing, analysing its impact on the audience and the performers.

What you'll be able to do

• Know the properties of different set construction materials, including their strengths and weaknesses
• Know the safe handling and storage procedures for set construction materials
• Know a range of set construction techniques, including joinery and assembly methods
• Apply materials and construction techniques to build set components
• Apply materials and construction techniques to assemble set components
• Function safely as part of a set construction team, following health and safety guidelines
• Function effectively as part of a set construction team, communicating clearly and working collaboratively

What you'll be able to do

• Produce a skills development plan that identifies specific skills to be developed, sets realistic goals, and outlines a clear strategy for achieving them
• Develop existing skills through focused practice, reflection, and feedback, demonstrating improvement in performance
• Develop new skills through structured learning activities, experimentation, and application in practical contexts
• Evaluate skills development, assessing progress against the skills development plan and identifying areas for further improvement

What you'll be able to do

• Identify the special effects make-up requirements of a production
• Experiment with different special effects make-up techniques and materials
• Produce designs and plans for special effects make-up
• Realise special effects make-up on performers.

What you'll be able to do

• Demonstrate competence in a range of costume construction skills, including pattern cutting, sewing, and fitting
• Select appropriate materials for costume construction, considering factors such as durability, comfort, and aesthetic appeal
• Realise a costume design for public performance, ensuring that the finished costume meets the designer's specifications and is suitable for the performer

What you'll be able to do

• Develop detailed and practical set designs that meet the requirements of a performance brief
• Present set design ideas effectively, using sketches, models, and other visual aids to communicate concepts
• Manage the set construction process, coordinating resources and ensuring that the set is built safely and to the required specifications

What you'll be able to do

• Describe how to effectively use a portfolio of reference material for stage lighting design and operation
• Demonstrate the ability to rig stage lighting equipment safely and in accordance with industry standards
• Explain the principles of colour theory and its application in creating mood and atmosphere within a performance context
• Demonstrate the ability to accurately focus and effectively control stage luminaires to achieve desired lighting effects
• Operate lighting control systems to execute pre-programmed cues and respond to live performance requirements

What you'll be able to do

• Know lighting design practices used in theatre
• Know lighting design practices used in other performance contexts
• Apply design skills effectively in a variety of 2D forms
• Apply design skills effectively in a variety of 3D forms
• Undertake the role of lighting designer effectively during the preparatory phase
• Undertake the role of lighting designer effectively during the rehearsal phase
• Manage the plotting session effectively
• Manage technical rehearsals effectively
• Manage dress rehearsals effectively

What you'll be able to do

• Know the responsibilities of a stage manager during the pre-production process
• Know the responsibilities of a stage manager during the production process
• Know the responsibilities of a stage manager during the post-production process
• Create and use appropriate production documentation
• Create and use appropriate performance documentation
• Undertake the responsibilities of a stage manager during performance effectively
• Take responsibility for the implementation of safe working practices
• Take responsibility for the observation of safe working practices

What you'll be able to do

• Demonstrate knowledge of how to use technical model-making skills
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to select and use appropriate model-making materials
• Construct a scale set design within a scale model box
• Apply decorative finishes to the scale model box.

What you'll be able to do

• Evaluate the acoustic properties of a performance venue, identifying factors that affect sound quality and clarity
• Demonstrate skills in recording techniques and associated technology, including microphone placement and audio editing software
• Provide sound reinforcement for a live performance, ensuring clear and balanced audio for the audience

What you'll be able to do

• Identify and describe the key components and functions of existing stage sound designs, including equipment and techniques
• Undertake the role of sound designer within a production process, contributing to creative meetings and developing a sound concept
• Apply advanced studio techniques, such as mixing, equalisation, and effects processing, to a range of production genres
• Operate sound equipment, including mixing consoles, microphones, and playback systems, effectively during a live performance

What you'll be able to do

• Research source material for a story, identifying key elements and themes
• Create stories, developing original narratives with engaging characters and plots
• Use storytelling techniques, employing vocal and physical skills to enhance the narrative
• Tell stories to selected audiences, adapting the performance to suit the audience's needs and interests

What you'll be able to do

• Show the relationship between music, accompaniment and tap dancing through rhythmic expression.
• Perform competently the key features of tap dancing, including clear sounds and intricate footwork.
• Perform studies and combinations within the style of tap dancing, demonstrating technical skill and musicality.

What you'll be able to do

• Know the structure and function of the human body in relation to physical performance.
• Apply principles of fitness training and safe practice to maintain physical well-being as a performer.
• Know why injuries occur in performance and how to treat them effectively.
• Know the importance of a balanced diet for optimal performance and overall health.

What you'll be able to do

• Understand the history and key practitioners of mime, demonstrating knowledge of its origins and development
• Develop mime skills and techniques, demonstrating control, precision, and expressiveness in movement
• Create and rehearse mime performances, developing original and engaging routines
• Perform effectively in mime acts, communicating ideas and emotions through movement and gesture

What you'll be able to do

• Prepare a script for production, ensuring it is suitable for the intended audience and performance style.
• Plan the necessary processes for a production, including scheduling, resource allocation, and risk assessment.
• Conduct a rehearsal process, providing constructive feedback and guidance to performers to achieve the desired performance quality.

What you'll be able to do

• Know front of house procedures and the roles within a theatre front of house team
• Devise customer care guidelines for a theatre front of house operation
• Know current legislation relevant to the operation of a theatre
• Undertake roles effectively within a front of house team

What you'll be able to do

• Research and select suitable ideas for a Theatre in Education (TIE) project, demonstrating an understanding of the target audience and educational objectives
• Develop an educational performance project, incorporating research findings and creative ideas into a coherent and engaging performance
• Contribute effectively to the realisation of a TIE project, working collaboratively with others to bring the project to fruition

What you'll be able to do

• Perform the key features of urban dance, demonstrating technical proficiency and stylistic accuracy
• Understand the relationships between music and urban dance, analysing how musical elements influence movement and expression
• Demonstrate the application of physical skills, such as coordination, strength, and flexibility, in urban dance performance
• Demonstrate the application of interpretative skills, such as conveying emotion and narrative, in urban dance performance