Generating movement

For 2 or 3 dancers

Stimulus

Choreographic ideas can be drawn from your own experiences and from images, ideas, sounds, surfaces and movement, this is called stimulus.

Syllabus definition

'...the starting point or incentive for creative movement. Stimuli for dance composition can be auditory, visual, ideational, tactile or kinaesthetic.'

Dance 11-12 Syllabus copyright NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2009.

It is how you start the work, coming up with an idea and then researching it and improvising. It is about exploring different movement possibilities which bests reflects your concept/intent (the idea).

Activity

Identify your concept. Make a clear statement about what you want to achieve (intent)? How many dancers will best communicate your intent and why? Develop a mind map of movement ideas in relation to concept/intent for the number of dancers you have selected.
Find pictures, photographs and other visual stimuli that support your concept/intent. Include these in your Major Study Composition Process Diary, ensuring that all images are annotated with your movement intentions.

Improvisation

Syllabus definition

'...movement that is created spontaneously, ranging from free form to highly structured environments, but always with an element of chance.'

Dance 11-12 Syllabus copyright NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2009

This is a process by which you the choreographer create movement that is an exploration of the concept/intent. The movement created may then be manipulated and further explored so that it best communicates your concept/intent.

Generating movement

The ideas are endless with two or three dancers. It is, however, essential that both of the dancers have a specific role and they explore relationships in the space, with one another, and with the general performance space. The relationships developed will assist greatly in communicating the concept/intent.

The choreographic devices listed below can be used to develop possible relationships.

Counterbalance
Partner work i.e.: weight sharing, lifts
Canon
Unison
Relationships 1 to 2, 2 to 1, 1 to 1
Elements of space – For example: level change, change in direction, differing size in movements, use of opposing shapes, different spatial pathways
Use of performance space – weaker and stronger areas of the stage space

Partner work

Trust, intimacy, giving and receiving, following and leading these are all required when performing movement with a partner. These aspects assist with developing relationships and partnering work.

Counterbalance

Counter balance is usually the object that keeps another object in balance. Without the counter balance on a scale, both sides would be unequal. Weight in counter balancing is finding a point of balance between two or more dancers.

Weight sharing

Where dancers give their weight to one another.

Lifts

Where one or more partner/s enables the other to defy gravity.

Activity

Improvise with your dancers some weight bearing and lifting movements that could be utilised in your Major Study Composition Work.
Select one weight bearing and one lift example that you think particularly relates to your concept/intent.
Explain how this communicates meaning in relation to your concept/intent.

Include an annotated drawing/photograph of the example/s to support your answer.

Canon

Canon allows greater contrast and variety in dance works. It is basically a single movement or movements executed at different times. It is a formal choreographic device.

Reverting – overlapping

Each dancer performs the entire phrase from beginning to end, starting at periodic intervals.

The movement may or may not overlap.

Each number represents 1 count, so dancer A will start on count 1 and complete the movement in 3 counts, Dancer B will start on count 2 and complete the movement one count behind Dancer A, and Dancer C will begin on count 3 and complete the movement 2 counts behind Dancer A and one count behind Dancer B.

Reverting - non overlapping

Each Dancer A completes the movement in 3 counts before the other dancers begin.

Simultaneous

All dancers do the same phrase at the same time, but have different starting points.

Cumulative

The cumulative is a series of staggered entries, each dancer joins in with the movement in progress, but all end at the same time. Each number represents a single count.

Activity

Improvise with your dancers some examples of canon movements that could be utilised in your Major Study Composition Work. Select one example and explain how these communicate meaning. Include an annotated drawing/photograph of the example/s to support your answer.

Unison

All the dancers do the same thing in the space at the same time. A slight variation is performing similar movements in the space at the same time. This can be a little monotonous and lack interest, if it occurs throughout the entire dance. However unison in a dance can represent ideas of harmony, unity, solidarity and togetherness.

Activity

Explain how unison will assist in creating meaning within your Work?

Include an annotated drawing/photograph of the example/s to support your answer.

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