Space, Levels, Directions

 

 

Unit: Elements of Dance

Theme: Place

 

I

 

Introduction

 Creating a safe environment in the studio is essential for students to feel free to experience dance.  An important first step for students to feel safe to dance and take risks is knowing each other's names. On the other hand, the elements of dance are the foundational concepts and vocabulary used to help students develop the necessary movement skills to create their own dances.  In addition, the elements of dance allow students to experience modern dance as a sustainable artistic practice that can last a life time.

II

Learning Objectives

 

• Know  each other's names
• Understand the element of dance, place
• Experience place as an element for the dancer to share or claim space
• Reflect on the experience
  

III

Main Lesson 

 

 1 

Warm Up

2

Introductions

a) Introduce yourself to the group by saying your name, where you come from, your major, if you have any physical training [dance, martial arts, sports, yoga, etc], your expectations about the course.

b) Write a brief introduction of yourself for students who are absent to read, in which you summarize who you are. Post your introduction on  Discussion Board.    

3

TODAY'S MOVEMENT CONCEPTS

Elements of Dance

 

SPACE

Space: refers to the space through which the dancer's body moves(general or personal space, level, size, direction, pathway, focus). 

Levels:  high, middle, low

Direction: forward, backward, right, left, up, down, diagonal 

. 

Qualities of Levels and Directions

Levels bring our bodies closer or further from gravity.

Directions allow our bodies to move multi-dimensionally across the space.

 

IV

 

A Note to Remember

 

Place is an important aspect of dance practice. Place includes self-space and general space, but it also requires a safe space where dancers can feel free to move creatively. Modern dance is primarily about freedom to move, to feel, to express and to take risks.

 

 

V

Case Studies

 

Personal Space (a short dance film)

 

 

General Space

VI

 

Discussion Questions

1. Mention one instance in which you use directions when moving on a daily basis.

2. Mention one instance in which you use levels when moving on a daily basis.

3, Mention once instance in which you combine the two elements when moving on a daily basis.

 

VII

 

Activity

• Gather in groups (ensembles) and create an eight movement phrase using 4 directions and 3 levels.
• Share their phrases and are witnessed by the rest of the students in class.
• Repeat phrases with music to see how the perception of the movement (before and after the music) changes.
  

Alex and Aubrey Woods perform Christian Asplund's: Choreutics (2018)

 

 

VIII

Journaling

Go to Discussion Board and reflect on your experience today.

IX

Glossary

 

X

 

Students' Work

 

Group 1

Mafer, Colin, Kelsey, Kara, Yihan, Claire

 

 

 Group 2

Benita, Joao, Yuehan, Cory, Yuehan Concong