Dance Trial Examples

idk bro just get it in ur head

TERRAIN

By Francis Rings

Sequencing

Sequences have a beginning, middle, and end, highlight aspects of the concept or intent, and build toward a climax to express meaning clearly.

Sequencing in spinifex

In Spinifex, movement begins with percussive, isolated “twitch-like” actions of the foot, arms, and head, which gradually expand into larger axial turns and posed rotations. The dancers then travel towards stage left before lowering themselves to the floor. This sequencing of movement establishes a clear developmental journey, reflecting the emotional and physical transformation connected to the land. Similarly, the transition from small, individual phrases into synchronised, rhythmic floor patterns builds momentum and cohesion, symbolising the image of Spinifex women patiently awaiting transformation on Country.

Variation + Contrast

Variation plays a crucial role within this sequencing. In Spinifex, core motifs such as pivoting the foot and angular développé’s of the leg are reused but continually altered in level, direction, and speed to reflect how the plants adapt to shifting winds and terrain. For example, after 4 of the 6 females leave the stage, two women perform these motifs in opposing directions through sustained leg extensions and pivoting their supporting ones. This manipulation of established movement develops the theme and again mirrors Rings intent. Contrast is equally important in creating unity by highlighting significant shifts. The section Deluge contrasts sharply with Spinifex. Spinifex is marked by percussive twitching and angular arm and leg extensions while Deluge erupts in movement such as expansive deep second plies, fluid ripples and waves through each dancer’s body and are performed in changing floor patterns that display the release and liveliness of floodwaters. The transition from tight, isolated, individual, and angular motions in Spinifex, to wide ranging, flowing groupings in Deluge demonstrates their differences. These contrasts are carefully sequenced to express the land’s cycles of drought and renewal, reinforcing the central concept of Rings’ work.

Unity

Despite the strong contrasts between sections, Rings maintains unity across the work through consistent thematic content and seamless blackout transitions between each section . The overarching theme of spiritual connection to Country and transformation threads through each section, creating emotional and conceptual coherence. Design elements also support this unity: in Spinifex, dancers wear earth-toned, stiff skirts with holes that resemble the cracked dryness of the desert, while in Deluge, blue-toned, flowing costumes suggest water and renewal. These cohesive visual elements help unify the diverse choreographic textures.

Juliet and Romeo

Created by Mats Ek

Maternal Love

Early in the ballet, the Nurse pulls Juliet across the stage at a low level before rocking her back and forth in a deep second plié, cradling her in her arms. This grounded, maternal movement vocabulary and their close spatial relationship convey a deep emotional connection, emphasising the Nurse’s nurturing role in Juliet’s life. The choice of level and rocking rhythm evokes comfort, care, and the physicality of mothering.

Platonic Love

Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio join arms and move sideways in unison across the stage, performing a series of jumps in rhythmic succession downstage left. Their mirrored patterns and tight spatial proximity highlight their camaraderie and the light-hearted, supportive nature of their friendship. The consistent rhythm and lateral movement visually represent their united bond in contrast to the chaos surrounding them.

Romantic Love

In their duet, Juliet and Romeo dance closely along a straight pathway, with Romeo lifting Juliet as she arches and moulds her body to fit his shape. The entwined shapes, elevated levels, and spatial isolation from the remaining space around them works to represent their intimate connection. The duet’s flowing movement quality and physical intertwining express trust, vulnerability, and the intense passion that defines their love.

Love vs Honour and Violence

Family Pressure/ Honour

During Juliet’s arranged marriage scene, she lies at a low level while Paris is held directly above her in a vertical line. Father stands on a high level, Mother in the middle, and Nurse at the lowest. This layered spatial hierarchy visually conveys the dominance of patriarchal control and Juliet’s lack of autonomy.The contrasting levels also symbolize the tension between societal expectations and Juliet's personal desires, illustrating the conflict between love and familial duty.

Violence acted out of grief

In Romeo and Tybalt’s duel, they begin fighting with angular, linear extensions towards each other on opposite sides of the stage and move along direct pathways. Their aggressive, oppositional movement ends with Romeo pushing Tybalt to a low level, then jumping laterally on either side of him and consequently symbolising Tybalt’s death.

Honour killing

Later, Juliet spins on the spot while surrounded by male dancers, trapped and blocked from movement pathways. Father’s strong, linear open-palmed gesture causes her to collapse to the floor, and she is gradually lowered into the performance space as it symbolises her death and the ultimate tragedy caused by the honour system.