DANCE: Composition and Analysis

Creative Thinking and Exploration

Involves thinking creatively and exploring various movement possibilities to articulate specific intentions through dance vocabularies.

Understanding Dance Structures

Focuses on exploring different ways of structuring dances, including narrative, theme-based, musical, abstract, improvisational, spatial, rhythmic, conceptual, collaborative, and technical structures.

Alignment and Posture

Emphasizes proper alignment and maintaining upright posture to support movement efficiency and avoid injury.

Balance and Stability

Involves understanding the center of gravity and using the base of support effectively to maintain balance and stability during movement.

Weight Transfer

Refers to smoothly shifting the body's weight from one part to another and utilizing grounding to create movement.

Breath Support

Using breath to support and initiate movement, along with coordinating breath with movement for enhanced fluidity.

Extension and Flexion

Involves extending and flexing the body to create lines and shapes, along with joint articulation and sequential movement coordination.

Opposition and Coordination

Utilizing opposing forces within the body for dynamic movement and harmonizing different body parts to move effectively.

Dynamics and Quality of Movement

Varying intensity, speed, and force of movements to create contrast and exploring different movement qualities.

Timing and Rhythm

Coordinating movements with music or rhythm, understanding pacing, accelerations, and decelerations for effective dance expression.

Waltz

A ballroom dance in triple meter, characterized by its smooth, flowing movements.

X-Position

A position where the arms or legs are crossed or extended in a way that forms an “X.”

Yank

A quick, forceful pull or movement, often used in modern dance to create tension or dynamics.

Zigzag

A movement pattern that involves a series of sharp, angular changes in direction.

Skill Development

Providing opportunities for students to practice required skills and meet assessment requirements.

Creating Original Dances

Composing original dances as coursework, including one arrangement of a long-standing established dance.

Contrasting Compositional Nature (HL Specific)

HL students creating dances with contrasting themes, styles, movement qualities, dynamics, music, spatial design, choreographic structures, and costuming/set design.

Analysis and Examination

Involves analyzing personal dance work, demonstrating understanding of compositional structure, discussing choreographed works, making connections, and meeting assessment requirements.

Assessment Requirements

Include creating and presenting original dances, written analytical statements, discussion and comparative analysis, and HL-specific assessments for contrasting compositional nature.

Narrative Structure

Involves storytelling and themed-based

Musical Structure

Involves verse-chorus and phrasing

Abstract Structure

Involves motif development and ABA form

Improvisational Structure

Involves Structured improvisation and contact improvisation

Spatial Structure

Involves use of space and formation changes

Rhythmic Structure

Involves syncopation and polyrhythms

Conceptual Structure

Involves idea-driven and symbolism

Collaborative Structure

Involves co-choreography and dancer input

Technical Structure

Involves technique based and skill development

Form

Refers to the structure and organization of the dance. It includes the overall layout, sequences, patterns, and the spatial and temporal arrangement of movements.

Content

Encompasses the themes, ideas, emotions, and narratives expressed through the dance. It’s the subject matter or message that the dance conveys.

Function

Refers to the purpose or intended outcome of the dance. It’s the reason why the dance is created and performed.

Arabasque

A position in which the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended horizontally behind them.

Ballet

A highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary and set of movements, characterized by grace, precision, and formalized steps.

Choreography

The art of designing and arranging dance movements and sequences.

En Croix

Movement done in the shape of a cross, typically front, side, back, side.

Fondu

A lowering of the body on one leg, with the other leg moving in or out.

Glissade

A gliding step, typically used to transition between positions.

Hip Hop

A dance style characterized by breaking, locking, and popping, originating from street dance.

Isolations

Moving one part of the body while keeping the rest still.

Jazz

A dance style that blends elements of ballet, modern dance, and popular music, often characterized by its rhythmic, energetic movements.

Piqué

A stepping motion in which the dancer steps directly onto the pointed foot, often used in pirouettes.

Syncopation

A rhythmic pattern in which the expected beat is accented differently, adding variety to the rhythm.

Vaganova

A method of ballet training developed by Russian ballet dancer Agrippina Vaganova, known for its emphasis on technique and artistry.

Composition requirements for second dance

Solo or duet performed by the student alone or with another student from the school.

Collaboration

Working with different choreographers or dancers specializing in contrasting styles to bring authenticity and depth to each piece.

1000 word

Length of the analytical statement demonstrating their understanding of comp

Twirling

Spinning or rotating the body, often used in jazz and contemporary dance.

Tour en l’Air

A jump or leap in which the dancer rotates their body in the air.

Sissonne

A jump from both feet to one foot.

Quadrille

A square dance, often performed in set patterns.