Dance terminology

• Elements of Movement

  • Space
  • Time
  • Energy
• Qualities of Space

  • Shape
  • Spatial organisation including travelling and axial (on the spot) movements
  • Direction
  • Dimension
  • Levels
  • Focus
• Qualities of Time

  • Rhythm
  • Duration
  • Accent
  • Tempo
  • Pause
• Qualities of Energy

  • Swinging
  • Sustaining
  • Suspending
  • Percussive
  • Vibratory
  • Collapsing
• Physical Skills

  • Alignment
  • Balance
  • Coordination
  • Flexibility
  • Control
  • Stamina
  • Strength
  • Transference of weight
• Alignment

  Correct stacking of the plumb line (an imaginary straight line from the top of the head to the floor)
• Balance

  Core muscles tensed
• Coordination

  Control of transference of weight
• Flexibility

  Lengthening of muscles through stretching
• Control

  Correct placement and efficiency of movement
• Stamina

  Cardiovascular fitness
• Strength

  Built up muscles
• Transference of weight

  Shifting the centre of gravity in movement
• Movement Categories (GEFTTS)


  • Gesture
  • Elevation
  • Falling
  • Travelling
  • Turning
  • Stillness
• Gesture

  Movements of any isolated body part, executed singly or in combination with other actions
• Elevation

  Actions that result in the upward change of level in a dancer's body or a body part
• Falling

  Movements which result in the downward change of level of the body or body parts, from one level to a lower one
• Travelling

  Movements that the dancer uses to traverse the space from one location to another
• Turning

  The amount of rotation of a body or body part around a vertical or horizontal axis
• Stillness

  The control of movement that results in the stillness of single parts, multiple parts or the whole body
• Intention

  The central theme or concept of the dance composition, the vision that the choreographer has for the dance or the reason or rationale for the choreography
• Ways an intention can be derived and informed

  • To fulfill a performance purpose
  • To explore an idea, observation, emotion or theme
  • To explore movement possibilities in a particular style or fusion of styles
  • To respond either in a literal or an abstract manner to music or other stimulus such as visual imagery or words
  • To stimulate audience reaction and generate commentary on a particular topic
• Choreographic Devices

  • Motif
  • Augmentation
  • Abstraction
  • Repetition
  • Accumulation
  • Inversion
  • Distortion
• Motif

  An action which helps communicate the artistic intention and is therefore repeated or developed through variations in time, space and/or energy
• Augmentation

  Making larger in size or extent, e.g. adding outstretched arms, small kick then large leg circle
• Abstraction

  Focusing on pure movement or design rather than plot emotion or character. Or altering the realistic appearance while maintaining the essence of the topic, e.g. reality=normal walk, abstracted=bent on knees, on toes
• Repetition

  Repeating one or more components of a composition (movements/phrases) so that they appear again and again for effect and help set the theme in the viewer's mind
• Accumulation

  Gathering and collecting; starting with a single action and adding on another action while keeping the original action, done successively. E.g. Step; Step, kick; Step, kick, turn; Step kick, turn, jump.
• Inversion

  Taking an action or phrase and inverting it (flipping it upside-down) to flip it on its axis, either upside-down or laterally
• Distortion

  Twisting out of shape, deforming; taking a movement or a whole phrase and changing it from its original format, including using different movement qualities