ELEMENTS OF DANCE YEAR 9 DANCE DYNAMICS

ELEMENTS OF DANCE Shapes and formations Levels Timing Expression/Acting/Interpretation Space Precise Movement Flexibility/ Posture/ Elevation

SHAPES AND FORMATIONS Increases the audiences curiosity towards what will happen next in the performance. Aims at allowing clear interpretation of the dance. There is a clear difference between formations and shapes Formations are more precise and strict and structured clearly Shapes can be precise but also free flowing.

LEVELS 3 different levels can be applied throughout dance: Low: Lowest point to the ground identifies despair, loneliness, grief, death. Medium: Looks at the centre of the body: identifies anxiety, emotion, closed, heartbreak. High: Looks at the highest part of the body, it identifies: happiness, love, power, heaven, and celebration. Levels are applied to a dance to allow the audience to perceive what story is being shown throughout a performance.

TIMING Timing is the most important dynamic. If you do not have the correct timing throughout the choreography, then you do not have control over the performance. The correct timing helps in conjunction with all dynamics as is the basis of the dance. It helps to influence other dynamics through understanding at which time the choreographer should be adding levels, space, shapes and expressions. To obtain precise timing you must be able to understand the beat of the music.

SPACE It is imperative to use as much space in your performance as you can as it includes the entire audience The performance looks more interesting if you are constantly moving instead of staying one place Use all the space that you can to help get your message across when you are performing

ACTING/ EXPRESSION/ INTERPRITATION This dynamic focuses on the use of our movements and whether or not the movements we are using are free flowing or precise and clean. Remember that 1/3 of dance is based on overall performance, judges will always look to see if movements are clean and finished. If you do not finish a movement after the beat the entire performance looks out of time, it looks messy and it looks like you have no control over your body.