ELEMENTS OF DANCE

DANCE – Is an act or instance of moving one’s body rhythmically usually to music: an act or instance
of
dancing.

THE ELEMENTS OF DANCE

* SPACE This is the area the performers occupy and where they move. It can be divided into four
different aspects, also known as spatial elements.
SHAPE: circles, squares, triangles, etc. made with parts of the body, the whole body, with
groups of people, or by moving through space
LEVEL: the vertical distance from the floor (high, medium or low)
DIRECTION: Where the body moves. dance movement can travel in any direction.
(performers can go forward, backward, up, down, sideways, diagonally and so on.)
PATHWAYS: Patterns we make as we move through the air or across the floor
FOCUS: Where the dancer’s eyes look as he/she is dancing
- performers may change their focus by looking at different directions
SIZE: How large or small movements

PARTS OF STAGE

*TIME - The duration of the movement

BEAT: The ongoing underlying pulse
TEMPO: How fast or slow the movements
ACCENT: Strong beats that usually occur at regular intervals
Rhythmic Patterns: Patterns made by arranging long and short movement or strong and light
movement.
Duration: The length of time the movement lasts

*FORCE/ENERGY - How the body uses energy while moving.

• Heavy / Light
• Sharp / Smooth
• Tensed / Relaxed
• Bound / FLowing
• BOUND – RELEASING ENERGY IN A CONTROLLED, RESTRAINED MANNER
• FLOWING – releasing energy freely

SIX QUALITIES OF DANCE ENERGIES

1. Sustained- movements are done smoothly, continuously, and with flow and control does
not have a clear beginning and ending
Ex. It really hurts
2. Percussive- movements are explosive or sharp in contrast with sustained movement.
They are accented with thrust of energy. They have clear beginning and ending
Ex. Gugmang ga Aso Aso dance
3. Vibratory- movements consists of trembling or shaking. A faster version or percussive
movements that produce a jittery effect.
Ex. Taki taki dance
4. Swinging- movements trace a curved line or an arc in space. The movements are released
and giving in to gravity on the downward part of the motion, followed by an upward
application of energy.
 5. Suspended- movements are perched in space or hanging on air, holding a raised leg in any
direction is an example of a suspended movement
Ex. Ballet
6. Collapsing- movements are released in tennis and gradually or abruptly giving in to
gravity. Letting the body descend to the floor. A slow collapse can be described as a
melting or oozing action in a downward direction
Ex. mostly ballet or contemporary dance

*BODY
3 SUB ELEMENT OF THE BODY
BODY PART – particular use of body in a dance
BODY BASE – part of a body that used as a base while dancing
BODY SHAPE – refers to how the entire body is molded in space or the
configuration of body parts
 The body can be rounded, angular, or a combination of two.
 Other body shapes can be from wide to narrow and from high to low.
 They can be symmetrical and asymmetrical

*ACTION
 Any human movement included in the act of dancing—
 it can include dance steps, facial movements, partner lifts, gestures, and even
everyday movements such as walking.
 Dance is made up of streams of movement and pauses, so action refers not only to
steps and sequences, but also to pauses and moments of relative stillness.