Review & Body Parts


REVIEW



The Elements of Dance: 
Dance Concepts

The elements of movement are space, time,and  
force (energy). 

The instrument is the body. 

The body moves in space and in time with force.

The dance concepts should be viewed holistically. 
  
When participating in dance, all elements of dance are integrated all the time. 

The separation among concepts here serves as a means to think about, plan, and discuss dance. 

Question

We should not separate the concepts shown here. Why?

---------------------------

SPACE 

Where is movement performed? 

Place: self-space/general space (also called personal/shared) 

Size:big/small, near/far

Level:high, middle, low

Direction:forward, backward,right, left,up, down,diagonal

Pathway:curved, straight, zigzag

Focus:single focus or multifocus 

Question

How has COVID 19 affected our use of space in dance?

------------------------

TIME

When is movement performed?

Speed:fast or slow

Rhythm:beat, pattern, and tempo

Question

What tempo do you naturally use to move? How has that affected your dance in class?

-------------------------

 FORCE

How is movement performed? 

Energy:sharp (sudden) or smooth(sustained) 

Weight:strong or light 

Flow:free or bound

Question

Based on your own experience, why are energy, weight and flow movement qualities that help one express force? 

 

 

 

I

Unit: Elements of Dance

Theme: Body Parts 


Introduction

When discussing body parts in dance one may think about very specific parts such as: head, eyes, torso, shoulders, fingers, legs, feet, etc. A more general way to think of body parts is in patterns; for instance: upper/lower body, homologous, contra-lateral, mid line, etc.  Another way to describe the body in dance is to consider the body systems—muscles, bones, organs, breath, balance, reflexes. For instance, we could describe how the skeletal relates to the muscular in dance.

II

Learning Objectives

 

  • Understand the use of general body-parts in dance
  • Explain howspecific body parts enhance dance performance
  • Gather an awareness about the importance of muscle groups and joints
  • Experience what is like to move consciously from body part to body part 


III

Warm Up

IV

Stretch

V

 Main Lesson

BODY PARTS: 
 
1
 
Specific

 head

     neck

         shoulders 

                    arms
 
                        wrists

                             elbows

                                  hands
                                   
                                        fingers

                                               spine

                                                    torso

                                                        pelvis

                                                               legs

                                                                                                                                                        knees

                                                                                                                                                                       feet

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ankles

                                                               heels
 
toes    

 

2

Patterns

 

upper/lower body, homologous, contra-lateral, mid line

 

3

Systems

muscles, bones, organs, breath, balance, reflexes.


VI

A Note to Remember

The body base is the part of the body supporting a dancer in a balanced position (such as two feet, or one hand and one foot).  Body parts can also be described as Inner - Muscles, bones, joints, heart, & lungs (breath) or Outer - head, shoulders, arms, hands, back, rib cage, hips, legs, & feet.

Core (Proximal) Initiation takes place when movement is initiated by body parts situated next to or nearest the point of attachment to the body.  

 Distal Initiation: Movement takes place when movement is initiated by body parts situated far away from the point of attachment to the body,

 Axial Plane (Transverse Plane) - A horizontal plane; divides the body or any of its parts into upper and lower parts. ○ Median plane

 Dance is an art form consisting of sequences of body parts in movement with aesthetic and often symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected.



VII

Case Studies

Chelsea Vargas


Chelsea Vargas is currently working towards a Bachelor of Arts in dance education with a studio teaching concentration in hopes of being able to open her own dance studio one day. “[I hope to] get the chance to impact students just like I was impacted six years ago,” she said. “I want to show people that dance is a platform that enables creativity and teaches discipline.”



                                                       

BEST of 2021 in Dance // stance

     
 

 
 0:00 - 0:36 - Dany Dann at WDSF 00:37 - 1:03 - Box at Bboy City 1:03 - 1:37 - Wildchild at Red Bull BC One World Finals 1:37 - 1:59 - Shosei at Nordic Break League 1:59 - 2:36 - Dtex at Bboy City 2:37 - 3:02 - Flea Rock at Red Bull BC One World Finals 3:03 - 3:58 - Body Carnival at Toulouse Trophee Masters 3:59 - 5:93 - Jinjo Crew at Battle of the Year 5:03 - 5:37 - Isis at Red Bull BC One USA 5:37 - 6:22 - Run at Massive Monkees 2021 6:23 - 6:50 - Hijack at Red Bull BC One USA 6:50 - 7:05 - Nelzwon at Freestyle Session 1v1 7:06 - 7:28 - Amir at Red Bull BC One Last Chance Cypher 7:28 - 7:52 - Lee at Red Bull BC One Last Chance Cypher 7:52 - 8:34 - Orb at Break Down The House USA 8:35 - 9:02 - The Ruggeds at Battle of the Year 9:02 - 9:28 - Doug at Philly Open 9:29 - 10:06 - Robb at Red Bull BC One Camp 10:07 - 10:45 - BC One Squad and Ives at Bboy City 10:45 - 11:49 - Victor at Freestyle Session 1v1 11:50 - 12:31 - Hoctskee at Massive Monkees 2021 12:32 - 13:09 - Logistx at Bboy City 13:10 - 13:56 - Conrad at Red Bull BC One: Los Angeles 13:57 - 14:18 - Mace at Red Bull BC One: Los Angeles 14:19 - 14:45 - Roxrite at Freestyle Session 14:46 - 15:25 - Ives at Freestyle Session  
 
VIII
 
 Discussion Questions
  1. How can general body parts be used in dance?
  2. In what sense do specific body-parts enhance performance?
  3. In which way are muscle groups and joints important for dance performance?
 
 
IX
 Activity

Explore body parts movements and will create an 8 movement phrase using isolated body parts. 
 
Laban's Cube 

Students imagined to be inside a cube in order to experience what it may feel like to move in such confined space.

Circling the Cube:

  • Standing in the center
  • Reach the side wall
  • Explore the right side of the cube with the right arm
  • Explore the left side of the cube with the left arm
  • Move along the sideway edge of the left deep back corner of the cube
  • Explore the left side and pathway leading with right arm
  • Explore the right side and pathway leading with the left arm
  • Explore the front wall with right arm
2
 
Students create groups and explore the moves from the activity "circling the cube "in order to eventually set an 8 moves phrase.
 
Students making-up, record your phrase and post it on Discussion Board. 
 
 
 
  3
 
Laban’s Four Components of Human Movement with their Respective Elements:

•Direction – direct/indirect

•Weight – heavy/light

•Speed – quick/sustained

•Flow – bound / free
 
 4
  
Students add to their phrases Laban's 4 components of human movement with their respective elements. 
Add these components to your 8 movements. Every component has two elements (example direction can be direct or indirect).  Two each of your 8 moves add an element. Example; first move add the direct element, second move add the indirect element, etc.
Students making-up record and post your movements on Discussion Board.

 5

Laban’s Eight Effort Actions:   
The Eight Effort Actions help clients both physically and emotionally to embody and understand internal impulse while developing an expressive body.

•Wring:

•Press

•Flick

•Dab

•Glide

•Float

•Punch

•Slash
 

 
To the initial phrase and movement components, students add the 8 effort actions. 
 
Finally, the add music to their phrases.Add one of the efforts to each one of your 8 moves.
 
Students making-up, record your movements and post them on Discussion Board.
 
                                                                     
  Record and post your movement phrase.
 
 X
Journaling
 
 


 XI
Glossary
 

 
 
XII

                
 
Sources
 

Montclarion Entertainment (2016). Student Artist Profile: Chelsea Vargas

https://themontclarion.org/entertainment/student-artist-profile-chelsea-vargas/

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