D17: Artificial Things — Lucy Bennett
Lucy Bennett/Stopgap Dance Company: features and analysis
Artificial Things — Lucy Bennett
Lucy Bennett/Stopgap Dance Company: features and analysis
Key Fact: 'Artificial Things' was choreographed by Lucy Bennett for Stopgap Dance Company and premiered in 2014
Key Fact: Stopgap is an integrated dance company featuring both disabled and non-disabled dancers
Key Fact: The choreographic intention is to explore human connection and the idea of finding joy despite limitations
Key Fact: The work celebrates difference and shows how collaboration creates something greater than individual limitations
Key Fact: The stimulus was the idea of artificial constraints — things that limit us — and how people overcome them together
Key Fact: Movement vocabulary includes contact work, counterbalance, lifts, rolls, gestures and wheelchair-based movement
Key Fact: The structure is episodic, with distinct scenes that explore different aspects of human connection
Key Fact: David Toole, a disabled dancer, is a key performer whose upper-body strength and movement quality are central to the work
Key Fact: Costume is colourful and casual, reflecting individual personality and creating a warm, human atmosphere
Key Fact: The aural setting features a mix of music genres creating contrasting moods across the episodic sections
Key Fact: Lighting shifts between scenes to define different worlds and emotional states within the episodic structure
Key Fact: The work challenges traditional ideas about who can dance and what dance looks like
📋 Key Vocabulary and Concepts
For Artificial Things — Lucy Bennett, you must know:
- Integrated dance: Dance that includes both disabled and non-disabled dancers performing together as equals, as practised by Stopgap
- Stopgap Dance Company: A UK-based inclusive dance company of disabled and non-disabled dancers, founded to challenge perceptions of dance
- David Toole: A disabled dancer and key performer in 'Artificial Things', renowned for his powerful upper-body movement and expressive quality
- Episodic structure: A structure made up of distinct, self-contained scenes or episodes, each exploring a different aspect of the work's theme
- Wheelchair-based movement: Movement created using a wheelchair as part of the dancer's body and expressive range, rather than as a limitation
- Artificial constraints: The concept that inspired the work — limitations imposed on people that they find ways to overcome through connection and collaboration
❓ Practice Questions
Q: What is the choreographic intention of 'Artificial Things'?
Q: Why is Stopgap Dance Company significant in the context of this work?
Q: How does David Toole contribute to the work?
Q: Describe the episodic structure of 'Artificial Things'.
Q: How does the costume support the choreographic intention?
✅ Answers
- To explore human connection and the idea of finding joy and possibility despite limitations, celebrating how collaboration creates something greater than individual constraints.
- Stopgap is an integrated company of disabled and non-disabled dancers — the work's meaning depends on this inclusive casting, as the dancers' different bodies directly embody the theme of overcoming limitations.
- David Toole is a disabled dancer whose powerful upper-body movement, floor work and expressive quality are central to the work — his performance embodies the theme of transcending physical limitations.
- The work is divided into distinct scenes, each exploring a different aspect of human connection — the episodes contrast in mood, movement and design while building the overall theme.
- The colourful, casual costumes reflect individual personality and create a warm, human atmosphere — they show the dancers as real people rather than theatrical characters, supporting the theme of authentic human connection.
🎯 Exam Tips
- Always mention that the company is integrated — disabled and non-disabled dancers together — this is central to the work's meaning
- David Toole is a key performer — be ready to describe his specific movement qualities and contribution
- Link the episodic structure to the work's intention: each scene explores a different aspect of human connection
- Include design elements: the colourful costume, varied lighting and mixed aural setting all support the themes
- When writing about integrated dance, focus on what the dancers can do, not what they cannot
📝 Exam Technique
GCSE Dance Exam Tips — Artificial Things — Lucy Bennett:
1. For Artificial Things — Lucy Bennett questions, identify the relevant area of law and state the legal principles clearly
2. Apply legal rules to the facts of the scenario — don't just state the law
3. When evaluating, consider both the effectiveness and fairness of legal rules
4. Reference relevant cases and statutes when discussing Artificial Things — Lucy Bennett
5. Consider reform proposals and alternative approaches where relevant
1. For Artificial Things — Lucy Bennett questions, identify the relevant area of law and state the legal principles clearly
2. Apply legal rules to the facts of the scenario — don't just state the law
3. When evaluating, consider both the effectiveness and fairness of legal rules
4. Reference relevant cases and statutes when discussing Artificial Things — Lucy Bennett
5. Consider reform proposals and alternative approaches where relevant
⚠️ Common Errors
✗ 'Artificial Things' is about disability. ✓ The work is about human connection and finding joy despite limitations — disability is part of the casting, not the subject. The intention is broader than disability alone.
✗ All dancers perform the same movement in the work. ✓ Bennett creates movement that draws on each dancer's unique physical abilities — the choreography is tailored to individuals rather than being uniform.
✗ The structure of the work is narrative. ✓ The structure is episodic — distinct scenes explore different aspects of connection rather than telling a linear story.
✗ David Toole only performs arm movements. ✓ David Toole performs a range of movement including powerful upper-body work, floor-based movement, lifts and contact work — his range is extensive and expressive.
✍️ Model Answer
Full-Mark Response
Explain how the choreographic features of 'Artificial Things' communicate its intention of finding joy and connection despite limitations. [6 marks]
The choreographic features of 'Artificial Things' communicate its intention through integrated casting, diverse movement and collaborative structures. The integrated casting of disabled and non-disabled dancers directly embodies the theme — different bodies working together show that limitations can be transcended through collaboration. For example, David Toole's powerful upper-body movement and floor work demonstrate extraordinary expressive range, challenging assumptions about what dance can be. Contact work and lifts between dancers of different physical abilities show mutual support and trust — when a non-disabled dancer is supported by a disabled dancer, the conventional idea of who supports whom is inverted, reinforcing that everyone gives and receives. The episodic structure allows each scene to explore a different facet of connection — some scenes are playful and joyful, others are reflective — building a full picture of human experience. Colourful costumes and varied music create a warm, celebratory atmosphere that reinforces the theme of joy. Counterbalance and shared weight show interdependence — no dancer is complete without the other. Together, these features communicate that human connection overcomes artificial constraints, and that dance belongs to every body.
📊 AO Deep Dive
Assessment Objective Analysis
AO1 (Performance): Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of artificial things — lucy bennett, including choreographic processes, performing skills and dance appreciation relevant to AQA 8236.
AO2 (Choreography): Apply knowledge and understanding of artificial things — lucy bennett through the creative process of choreography, selecting and using movement material and choreographic devices.
AO3 (Appreciation): Analyse, evaluate and critique aspects of artificial things — lucy bennett, including professional works, performance quality and choreographic intention, constructing supported arguments.
📝 Exam Questions by Topic
🎬 Video Resources
Ready to ace your GCSE Dance exams?
Get the best revision books and guides to boost your grades.