Around 900 Dance students from more than 200 schools across NSW will be performing for HSC examiners from next Monday 3 August.

Member for Miranda, Eleni Petinos today visited Port Hacking High School to see their five HSC Dance students in a final rehearsal before their practical exam on Wednesday 5 August.

“Having rehearsed for many hours over the past 10 months, I wish our local students and those around the state the very best for their HSC exam performances.

“Studying a HSC subject with a performance component helps students to build valuable life skills including self-confidence and self-esteem,” Ms Petinos said.

Around 10,800 (14%) HSC students will do performance exams in Drama, Dance or Music before the HSC written exams start in October.

The 2015 HSC Dance exam includes four components:

• a performance exam worth 20 marks
• a composition exam worth 20 marks
• a major study worth 40 marks
• a written paper worth 20 marks on Wednesday 14 October.

Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) Executive Director Curriculum, Teaching and Assessment Paul Hewitt said that for the practical exam, students perform a dance and have a dance they have choreographed performed by another dancer.

“For the major study students undertake in-depth study in Performance, Composition, Appreciation or Dance and Technology.

“Through the HSC Dance course students learn the skills of dance, to perform and create dances, to critically analyse, respond, enjoy and make discerning judgments about dance, and to gain cultural knowledge and understanding,” Mr Hewitt said.

Exemplary HSC Drama and Dance students are selected to perform in the BOSTES OnSTAGE and CALLBACK showcases held annually in February.

View the HSC Dance syllabus.

View HSC key dates and exam timetables.

2015 HSC Fact sheet: 24 June 2015

• More than 75,000 students are enrolled in one or more HSC courses
• Around 10,000 students are studying less than 10 units and may not be eligible for the HSC credential this year
• HSC Music, Dance and Drama practical exams are scheduled for August and September
• 51 HSC oral language exams are scheduled from 30 July to 5 September
• 118 HSC written examinations totalling around 300 hours are scheduled for 12 October to 4 November
• HSC exams will be held in over 750 exam centres staffed by over 7,500 supervisors and presiding officers
• Plans are in place for 318 students to sit their HSC exams at Australian schools overseas
• 85 exam committees and 300 committee members are involved in developing the written examinations
• Each exam will be reviewed at least six times before more than 700,000 exam papers are printed
• More than 5,500 markers will mark HSC exams from 10 marking centres and home across NSW
• Around 45% of HSC markers will mark online with 64 courses (an increase of 13%) to be fully or partially marked online
• Each student will have their English exams marked by at least 11 markers, and their Mathematics exam by at least six markers
• Students can access their HSC results from 6.00am on Wednesday 16 December
• To be awarded the internationally recognised HSC students must complete at least 12 units of preliminary courses and 10 units of HSC courses. English is compulsory. Most students complete preliminary courses in Year 11, HSC courses in Year 12 and are awarded an HSC at the end of Year 12
• HSC exams were first held in 1967
• The HSC Rules and Procedures underpin the integrity of the world–class HSC. BOSTES treats breaches very seriously. Students found to have cheated may not be awarded an HSC.