So my teacher is

making me write an

essay

Or how to structure your

response and receive a good

result

The following example -

• Is a Dance example, the content isn’t relevant but the format, structure and requirements are expected of you.

• It is colour coded to make it easy to understand each element.

Breaking down your essay question

“To what extent has Western civilisation influenced Indigenous dance and culture since colonisation”.

Key Question:

To what extent has Western Civilisation influenced Indigenous Dance culture since colonisation?

Make a judgement!Evaluate!Good or Bad etc

Evaluate what?Evaluate western civilisations influence

What do we evaluate western society had an influence on?Changes to the Indigenous Dance and culture.What changes happened? How did westerners influence these changes?

Scaffold your argument

• Hypothesis (Introduction)• Explain your topic (Background paragraph)• Argument 1 (Body Paragraph 1) Movement

• Argument 2 (Body Paragraph 2) Non-movement

• Argument 3 (Body Paragraph 3) Interpretation

• (Body Paragraph 4) Evaluation

• Sum up Argument (Conclusion)

Introduction

Writing an introduction

•B - Background•A – Answer (Hypothesis)

•M – Main Points

Background

• Colonization • Define western civilization • Bangara Dance Theatre• Ochres

Writing your body paragraphs

P.E.E.L the Paragraph

• Point

• Explain

• Evidence

• Link

Citations are in this colour for your reference

Paragraph 1

Movement

Dance ExampleIsolation from modern western culture has allowed the The Pamiarri people to retain the purity of traditional movement (Smith, 2002). Smith states the Pamiarri people successfully resisted the hostile advances of colonization and as a result have remained untainted by western technology, religion and culture. The tribe’s dances remain pure to the ‘The Dreaming’ era in which they were created.

“The Honey Tree Dance” depicts a young boy in search of nourishment. The dancers mimic the local bird life (the cassowary) by raising an arm above the head and creating a beak shape with the hand while resting the other hand behind the back. The piece continues with the young boy cutting down a tree to retract the honey from within. The purity and simplicity of Indigenous life which is depicted suggests that western civilization has had no impact on the dance piece.

Paragraph 2

Non-movement

Non- movement

Discuss only what is relevant to your second argument

• Lighting• Props• Music • Costume• Stage• Sound effects (and spoken word)

Paragraph 3

Interpretation

Western civilisation has corrupted the purity of “The Honey Tree Dance” through the integration of the audience and modern technology. A concept which in ancient civilisation would have been quite foreign sees the performers placed on a stage to improve the vantage point of the audience. The purity of the Indigenous performance piece has been corrupted through the modern introduction of technology and ‘critical audience’. A critical audience is a modern invention. Theatre and dance was created in western civilisation at the turn of the 19th century as an escape and a form of entertainment for audiences (Kibney ,1997). Whereas Indigenous dance was traditionally created and performed as a form of celebration and a way to pass on an undocumented history.

While viewing the performance of “The Honey Tree Dance” the evidence of a critical audience is prevalent. Staging, microphone, speakers recorded music have all been captured on video.Indigenous peoples believe that to take a photograph of a tribe member is to “steal a part of their soul” (Herbert, 1975). This notion too extends to the use of a video camera and therefore would not be condoned within traditional Indigenous society.

Interpretation

Your third point should discuss one of the followingConcepts relating to interpretation of a specific dance:• Character• Meanings/significances• Qualities (effects, impressions, appearances, moods, and atmosphere)

Concepts through which interpretations are made:• Socio- cultural background• Context• Genre and style• Subject matter

Paragraph 4

Evaluation

Evaluation

• Was the piece successful in achieving the choreographers stated choreographic intent

• Why/ Why not?

Conclusion

Writing a Conclusion

•A – Answer (Reciting your hypothesis)

•M – Main Points (Recapping your main points)

•C – Clincher(Final Statement)

From a naïve society, with limited cultural interpretations, Brisbane was transformed by the presence of American troops during World War II. Brisbanites embraced the American’s influence, however, at times tensions arose. Socially, the Americans raised Brisbane’s expectations by exposing residents to a more exciting, exhilarating way of life. The safe patterns of Brisbane life were transformed and new social problems such as high divorce rates, abortion, prostitution and excessive alcohol consumption arose. Culturally, Brisbane became aware of diversity in entertainment and amusements. According to historian Barry Ralph (2000), the Americans “passed this way and helped show the way” (p. 271). The American troops stationed in Brisbane from 1941 to 1946 transformed Brisbane society and helped it to participate in a more complex post war world.

Common Mistakes in Essays

• Argument/Point too vague• Telling the events/Writing a narrrative instead

of arguing a thesis• Irrelevant information• Not responding to the question• Referencing• Not writing in 3rd person• Not using dance terminology

Citation, Sources and Referencing

• Keep them short, I want to read your argument• A source is to back up your point not be your

point!• If you are referring to a source, going to explain

a source or using a direct part of a source you must reference it.

• Always reference information that is not knowledge such as statistics, graphs, images, video etc.