Choreography foundations Key vocab

Name all the Action devices

Travel, turn, elevation, gesture, stillness, use of different body, parts, floor work, transfer of weight

Name all the space devises

pathways, levels, directions, size of movement, patterns, spatial design

Name all the dynamic devises

fast/slow, sudden/sustained, acceleration/deceleration, strong/light, direct/indirect, flowing/abrupt

Name all the relationship devises

lead + follow, mirroring, action + reaction, accumulation, complement + contrast, counterpoint, contact, formations

Name all the structure devises

binary, ternary, rondo, narrative, episodic, beginning/middle/end, unity, logical sequence, transitions

Name all the choreographic devices

motif and development, repetition, contrast, highlights, climax, manipulation of number, unison, canon

Name all the aural devices

song, instrumental, orchestral, spoken word, silence, natural sound, found sound, body percussion

Name all the performance environments

proscenium arch, end stage, site-sensitive, in-the-round

dynamics

Action

The physical movements and gestures performed in dance.

Travel

Movement from one location to another in a dance.

Turn

A rotational movement of the body.

Elevation

The act of raising the body or body parts off the ground.

Gesture

A movement of a body part that conveys meaning or emotion.

Stillness

A state of being motionless in dance.

Use of different body parts

Engaging various parts of the body in movement.

Floor work

Movements performed on the floor.

Transfer of weight

Shifting the body's weight from one part to another.

Space

The area in which dance occurs, including pathways and levels.

Pathways

The routes taken by dancers in space.

Levels

The height at which movements occur (low, medium, high).

Directions

The orientation of movements in space (forward, backward, sideways).

Size of movement

The scale or magnitude of a dancer's movements.

Patterns

Repeated sequences of movement in choreography.

Spatial design

The arrangement of dancers in the performance space.

Dynamics

The qualities of movement, including speed and force.

Fast/slow

The tempo of movement.

Sudden/sustained

The abruptness or continuity of movement.

Acceleration/deceleration

The increase or decrease in speed of movement.

Strong/light

The intensity or forcefulness of movement.

Relationships

The interactions between dancers in a performance.

Lead and follow

A dynamic where one dancer directs and another responds.

Mirroring

Dancers performing the same movements simultaneously.

Action + reaction

The response of one dancer to another's movement.

Contact

Physical interaction between dancers.

Accumulation

Gradual joining of dancers into unison.

Complement + contrast

Movements that enhance or oppose each other.

Counterpoint

Simultaneous contrasting movements by different dancers.

Formations

The arrangement of dancers in a specific pattern.

Structure

The organization of a dance piece.

Binary

A dance with two contrasting sections.

Ternary

A dance with three sections.

Rondo

A structure where a section repeats between new sections.

Narrative

A dance that tells a clear story.

Episodic

A dance with distinct segments exploring different themes.

Beginning/middle/end

The three main parts of a dance structure.

Unity

The sense of cohesion in a dance piece.

Logical sequence

A coherent order of movements.

Transitions

The smooth changes between movements or sections.

Theme and variation

Developing an initial idea throughout the dance.

Choreographic devices

Techniques used to create and structure dance.

Motif + development

A recurring movement idea that evolves.

Repetition

The recurrence of movements, either identical or varied.

Contrast

Introducing different elements in a moment of dance.

Highlights

Key moments that capture audience interest.

Climax

The peak moment of intensity in a dance.

Manipulation of number

Varying the number of dancers in a movement.

Unison

Multiple dancers performing the same movement simultaneously.

Canon

Dancers performing the same movement in succession.

Aural settings

The sound environment accompanying a dance.

Song

A vocal musical piece used in performance.

Instrumental

Music without vocals used in dance.

Orchestral

Music performed by an orchestra.

Spoken word

Narration or poetry spoken during a performance.

Silence

The absence of sound in a performance.

Natural sound

Sounds from the environment incorporated into dance.

Found sounds

Everyday noises used creatively in performance.

Body percussion

Sounds made by the body as a rhythmic element.

Performance environments

The physical settings for dance presentations.

Proscenium arch

A traditional stage setup with a framed opening.

End stage

A performance space with the audience in front.

Site-sensitive

Dance created for a specific location.

In-the-round

A performance where the audience surrounds the stage.