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Motif
Motif
In order to help you create original movement and choreography that is sophisticated and complex please read Chapter 5 The Ingredients and the tools from Humphrey, D. (1959) The Art of Making Dances Hampshire: Alton
When creating movement its important that we create original movements that are interesting to watch and help encapsulate you theme, intentions or ideas. Read the Chapter below from The Art of Making Dances looking at symmetry and assymetery.
The motif forms the ‘foundations’ of a dance, rather than continually inventing new movements. After initial improvisation, select movements appropriate to the theme and/or stimulus.
The motif should be repeated, varied and developed throughout the dance to communicate the intentions, making the dance original and unique.
Motif variation — keep the original order of movements within the initial motif and alter dynamics, force, space and time of movements.
Motif development — embraces any alterations that enhance the initial motif to emphasise key movements, concepts or create effects that help to convey the choreographic intentions.
Candidates should consider the following when creating and developing a motif:
Do movements have a particular meaning or show an effect?
Are movements creative and original?
Will movements look interesting?
Will the movements communicate intentions to the audience?
Could the movements selected be the ‘building block’ for the dance?
Does the motif have potential to be varied and developed?
Writing about your Motif...
Writing about your Motif...
Which research finding have you chosen to show in this motif?
Describe the finding and relate back to this throughout your explanation. Your source should be references at the end of your work in the bibliography as below:
Warner, M. (2021). The impact of bullying on mental health. [online] Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Available at: https://med.uth.edu/psychiatry/2021/03/12/the-impact-of-bullying-on-mental-health/.
(You can use the button on the left here to create references for the sources you use- just copy and paste the URL)
In order to create my motif I have used research source 1: Internet (Warner, 2021). Warner (2021) states that:
"The effects of bullying have serious and lasting negative impacts on our mental health and overall well being. Bullying can cause feelings of rejection, exclusion, isolation, low self-esteem, and some individuals can develop depression and anxiety as a result. In some cases it can even develop into Acute Stress Disorder or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Research has shown that being a victim of bullying can lead to longer term impacts including interpersonal violence, substance use, sexual violence, poor social functioning, and poor performance. Even witnessing bullying can impact one’s wellbeing." (Warner, 2021).
Tell us how the motif works as a whole to show your theme or intention
This research describes the negative impacts bullying can have on mental health for victims. My motif will work as a whole to show the feelings of rejection, exclusion, isolation, low self-esteem, described by Warner (2021). Throughout the dance motif development will be used to help show how this can lead to the longer term impacts described such as violence, substance use, sexual violence, poor social functioning, and poor performance.
Individual movements within the motif are described in detail.
Example:
Movement 1: The dancer is in a seated position on the floor, the low position helps to show depression. They put their hands on their head, firstly with the right hand following with the left. This movement is used to help show that bullying has affected their mental health.
Movement 2: The dancer rocks back and forth, this helps and shows the anxiety described by victims in my research
Movement 3: The dancer contracts their arms and stomach to show the physical impact the bullying is therefore having on their body.
Movement 4: The dancers reaches up to the sky to show they are reaching out, no response shows the isolation victims feel.
Movement 5: The dancer places their hands over their face to show the rejection that they feel, hiding showing poor social function which my research describes.
The explanation of how movements relate to theme makes clear intended meanings or ideas and convey a sense of the motif working as a whole.
**Picture of motif breakdown**
Motif Development
Motif Development
Once you have created your motif when using it throughout your dance you should use motif development to help communicate your theme or intentions.
Read the link below from The intimate act of Choreography about 16 ways you can manipulate/ develop a motif.
Writing about Motif Development
Writing about Motif Development
When writing your review you should ensure...
There is a clear and detailed explanation of the relationship between motif development, complex choreographic devices and at least two research findings.
Explain- How have you developed the motif within your dance? (you can use some of the devices below or any other choreographic devices)
Explain/Analyse- How does this help develop your theme or show your intentions? – examples of motif development are below or you may use the examples from the reading provided; (Please note higher dance may only use COMPLEX devices, see device page for help)
Motif variation and development with description;
Size- Condense or expand the motif by performing it in as condensed or expanded a form as possible or desired.
Tempo- Fast/slow/stop. Whatever the tempo, the movements and use of space should be the same as the original motif. Experiment with the motif by performing the movements faster, slower or find places of stillness in it.
Rhythm- Vary the rhythm, not the tempo. The variety and pattern of the beats should be altered, not the speed or length of time it takes to accomplish the movement.
Quality- Perform the same movement but with a soft, fluid quality or with erratic tension.
Staging- Perform the motif and/or movement at a different place on the stage and/or a different facing to the audience, sideways, backwards or on a diagonal.
Additive- While doing the original motif, simultaneously execute another movement, for example, jump or turn.
Dynamics- This is the expenditure of energy in relation to the movement, how and where the movement is performed. Greater strength or flow (direct or indirect movement and pathways) can help to build or reduce tension, create highlights and dramatic effect.
Substitution-Change a movement to another movement.
Example
In order to develop my motif to help communicate my theme and intentions I have used the devices; augmentation, substitution and simultaneous cannon.
Repetition with Augmentation- 'A choreographic device where movements are made larger in space or time'.
Within my choreography the motif is repeated throughout the dance. The first time we see the motif the movements are small, this suggests to the audience the mental effects are not great at this point as the bullying is just starting out. Within my reseach I found out that bulling can be" ongoing and habitual, not a one-time act" (Positive Actions, 2021). To show this the motif is repeated throughout the dance. However, every time we see the motif repeated the movements are made larger through time and space in order to show the development of mental affects over time on the victim. The final time the motif is performed the movement are large and also performed with a soft dynamic, this shows how greatly the bullying has affected the victim and made the timid and scared.
Substitution- 'Substituting one movement to another movement.'
Within the motif I have used substitution on movement 5 (covering the face). I have substituted this throughout the choreography to show the impacts bullying can have overtime. An example of this is In section 3 where the dancer shows the long term effects of bullying the covering the face will be substituted with covering of the mouth and a rippling action this is to help communicate substance use, which is a long term effect decribed by Warner (2021) in my research. Another example of this is when I used substitution in movement 2, instead of rocking the dancer bangs aggressively on the floor, this helps to show another symptom of bullying: anger. It shows how diffeerent victims may react in different ways, or differently at different stages of bullying. It is relates to my research that victims can become violent as a long term effect of bullying.
Cumulative Cannon- 'Each dancer joins in with the lead dancer at various stages during the phrase and all finish at the same time.'
Cumulative Cannon has been used to develop the motif in section B. This is to show that "even witnessing bullying can impact one’s wellbeing." Firstly the motif is performed by dancer A (the victim) and joined in by dancers C&D (friends/bullies). Using this device helps to show how bullying can impact those not being directly effected by the bully which I found in my research.
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