Practical Activity Choreography: Use of Space

In this section of your choreography/ review you must ensure 

•  A third source of research is described in detail.  (Humphreys (1959) Chapter 9: The Stage Space. The Art of Making Dances (use the link above to access this chapter)

• Spatial elements are described and the relationship between these and the intention(s) of the choreography is explained clearly and in detail.

•  The link between research and spatial elements is clear and detailed.

Spatial Devices 

Levels- The three levels in dance movement are high, middle and low. When people talk about the levels in dance movement, they basically mean the different physical aspects that the dancer reaches while he or she is dancing. The low level refers to floor work or any dance movement and action that take place on the floor. Levels can show many things in a dance 

• Emotional status/ Feelings

• Power/ Strength 

• Control 

• Health

Proximity- How close or far away the dancer is to either another dancer, prop or area of the stage. use of proximity can be used to communicate different things such as; 

• Safety/ Threat

• Relationships 

• Control 

• Direction 

• Confidence/ Vulnerability 

• Addiction 

Humphreys Theory of the Stage Overview 

As your additional piece of research you may wish to use Humphrey's theory of the stage to underpin your choices and decisions to help communicate my theme effectively. 

Reference: Humphrey, D. (1959). Chapter 9: Design, Part 4. The Art of Making Dances, Rinehart Grove Press: the University of Michigan

Spatial Device:

Areas/ Placings on the Stage 

The stage area is typically split into nine areas: The placing is always taken from the performers’ point of view. Whilst this is useful for describing where the action takes place it gives the choreographer little indication of where a motif should take place to further communicate the mood or atmosphere of the dance. The dancer and choreographer Doris Humphrey analysed the stage areas in further detail and suggests that different areas can be considered strong areas and other areas are weaker.

• Centre Stage- The centre stage area can fluctuate between strong and weak in a solo: if the actions are small and vulnerable the dancer can look lost in an enormous space, but if the actions are strong and commanding then the dancer seems to ‘own’ the whole stage.

• Upstage Corners (right and left)- These area are regarded as weak areas of the stage 

• Downstage Corners (right and left) - These area are regarded as strong  areas of the stage 

• Upstage should be used to communicate intentions of solitude, alienation and vulnerability.

• Downstage should be used to show intimacy, familiarity and detail.

Spatial Device: Direction/ Pathways

When travelling from one section to another, Humphrey suggests that in Western culture it is stronger for the performer to move from stage right to stage left, simply because this is the direction in which we read and thus we associate it with important information. Therefore if you wish to make a strong statement in your work you should use a right to left pathway, if you need to make a character weaker then you should use the reverse. This used in conjunction with the stronger and weaker areas as well as the down stage/up stage. 

other pathways 

Circling - Confusion/ Represent cycles 

Groups 

Humphrey states that using groups are effective in showing contrast/ juxtaposition within choreography.  She also states that when in a group mood can be effectively shown by use of levels. When dancing as a collective shows power and strength of the group creating power within the choreography.