The document outlines the requirements and assessment criteria for a 2000-word essay analyzing the dramatic and narrative structure of a classical ballet. Students must [1] provide a synopsis of the plot, [2] analyze the dramatic structure, and [3] explain how visual components communicate the narrative. The essay will be assessed on content, analysis, structure, and communication/academic conventions. A high-quality essay requires detailed knowledge, critical analysis, a clear argument structure, and proper writing mechanics.

1. Assessment 2: Essay (40%)
(To be submitted by WEEK 15, Friday 4th February, 12 pm).
Requirements:
Write a 2000 word essay in which you reveal the dramatic and the
narrative structure of a classical ballet of your choice.
You are required to analyze your chosen classical ballet for:
1.Narrative Elements: Outline the plot of your chosen ballet (synopsis).
2.Dramatic Structure: Reveal and explain the dramatic structure of your
chosen ballet.
3.Visual Components: Explain which visual components communicate the
narrative elements and the dramatic structure you have identified under 1
and 2.
The classical ballet you would like to analyze can be a live performance or
a professional record (e.g. DVD). It MUST be agreed with your Tutor!
Essay Assessment Criteria
For your essay you will be assessed on the following criteria:
Content: Your ability to present knowledge and understanding of the topic
area and to select relevant source materials and apply them to the task.
The main subject matter of your essay is based on the composition and
communication of narratives within dance. The intention for you is to
reveal and analyze this for a ballet piece of your choice. You will need to
look at principles relating to climax, characters, situations, exposition,
confrontation, resolution etc. which I have addressed during my first
lectures (please check the module website if you want to revisit the
slides). From your essay I will need to see that you know which
ingredients you need in order to create a narrative, why these ingredients
are important and that you can spot them within a choreography.
Analysis: Your ability to critically analyze and interrogate the source
materials and demonstrate independence of thought.
An analysis is a detailed examination of the elements or structures of your
subject. From your essay I will need to see that you have identified the

2. narrative elements/ingredients such as exposition, inciting incident,
characters, climax, visual components etc. in your chosen piece and that
you can describe them and explain why they are how they are and where
they appear. I will need to see that you evaluate/judge/gauge them in the
context of the piece: Do they work? Should they perhaps be different? Are
they timed well? If not, why?
Structure: Your ability to structure the findings into a framework
appropriate for the subject matter in order to provide a well-considered
and convincing argument.
Introduction: Start your essay with a clear and well-informed introduction –
you are aiming to convince the reader from the start of your confidence in
the subject area. You will need to outline the aims of the essay. For a
2000 word essay your introduction should be between 100-200 words.
Contextual Overview & Introduction of the Piece: In this section of the
essay you will introduce the piece and the dramatic structure model(s) you
will refer to and provide some background information on both.
This section of your essay may take up between 400-600 words. Make
sure you divide your discussion into clear and distinct paragraphs.
Analyzing the work: This section will form the main body of your essay and
will normally be between 1000-1200 words. In this section you will use
one or more of the three models of dramatic structures (Aristotle, Freytag,
Daniels) to analyze the work. Remember that description is not enough to
achieve first class work!
Conclusion: Your conclusion will summarize the main points of the essay
and attempt to draw your research together. Allow 100-200 words for this
section of the essay. Do not attempt to introduce new ideas at this point.
A good conclusion can be tricky to get right – allow plenty of time.
Communication: Your ability to use language, referencing and other academic
conventions (e.g. appendices, footnotes etc.) in a clear and confident manner.
Read your essay out loud in order to spot grammatical mistakes, run a spell
check, get your referencing right, any minor plagiarism results in a fail and we
have incredible software that spots all quotes no matter if they have been
referenced by you or not, avoid colloquial language and use academic language
instead…

3. IF YOU DON’T ENJOY WRITING YOUR ESSAY YOU ARE DOING
SOMETHING WRONG.  AND IF YOU JUST FOLLOWED THESE
INSTRUCTIONS BLINDLY YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A 2.1 EASILY!
st rd
1 (70-100%) 2.1 ( 60-69%) 2.2 (50-59%) 3 (40-49%) Fail (0-39%)
Excellent/Outstanding Good/Very Good Satisfactory Poor Unsatisfactory
Content Detailed and accurate Clear knowledge Generally clear Limited knowledge Inadequate level
knowledge and and understanding knowledge and and understanding of knowledge and
What is the level understanding showing showing clear understanding showing some understanding with
of knowledge excellent/outstanding evidence of showing some evidence of little or no
and evidence of research. research. Clear evidence of research. evidence of
understanding? Assured ability to select ability to select research, although research. Little or
relevant source relevant source there may be Limited ability to no ability to select
How has this materials and apply materials and significant gaps or select relevant relevant source
been applied to them to the task. apply them to the omissions. Ability source materials materials and little
the task? task. to select relevant and apply them to or no attempt
source materials the task. made to apply
and apply them to them to the task.
the task.
Analysis Sophisticated and Strong critical Some attempts at Limited attempts Little or no critical
extremely well analysis that deals critical analysis at critical analysis analysis.
What is the supported critical with some that occasional that rarely deal Concepts are dealt
strength of analysis that deals with complex concepts deals with with complex with in an
critical analysis complex concepts and and may complex thoughts. thoughts. Overly incoherent
and how well are demonstrates demonstrate some May be prone to descriptive, manner. No
ideas independence of independence of being overly extremely limited independence of
supported? thought. thought. descriptive and independence of thought. Fails to
shows limited thought and may understand the
independence of seem to ‘miss the question.
thought. point’ of the
question.
Structure Refined structure Sensible structure Argument is not Weak structure Little or no
allows for a persuasive allows for a clear always clear or and an structure results in
Does the and engaging and convincing convincing and underdeveloped an illogical and
structure of the argument. Structure is argument. may rely too argument. incoherent
work allow for a within a framework Structure is within heavily on argument.
clear and appropriate for the a framework secondary source Structure is not in Structure is not in
convincing subject matter. appropriate for the materials. a framework a framework
argument? subject matter. Structure may not appropriate for the appropriate for the
be within a subject matter. subject matter.
framework
appropriate for the
subject matter.
Communication Confident and Clear and Language is Language is not Poor use of
sophisticated use of accurate use of generally clear but always clear to language
Have language language, referencing language, with some follow. Limited but obscures
and academic and other academic referencing and significant errors. flawed use of meaning. Little or
conventions conventions (e.g. other academic Referencing is referencing and no referencing.
been employed appendices etc). conventions. No seriously other academic Frequent spelling
in a successful Accurate spelling and significant errors attempted but with conventions. and grammar
manner? grammar, Meticulous with spelling and some flaws. Spelling and errors. Clumsy
layout etc. grammar. Good Occasional errors grammar errors layout etc.
layout etc. in spelling and may obscure
grammar. meaning. Poor
Satisfactory layout layout etc.
etc.