Module 17: 

General Concepts and Terms of Modern Dance

 
Choreography - the art and craft of composing a dance: the
construction and ordering of movement, phrasing, rhythm, design,
space, and dynamics
Improvisation - the process of creating movement spontaneously in
response to stimuli
Stage Directions – Upstage, Downstage, Stage Right, Stage Left, Center
Stage
Technique Class - The process of training the body to perform a dance
form. This process demands repetition of movement, daily classes, and
much concentration and hard work to make improvements. This is also
where concepts are introduced and explored to widen the dancer’s
movement vocabulary.
Transition – the moments between movements when one is moving
from one movement to the next

The Body
 
Alignment - refers to the placement of body parts in relation to each
other Principles of alignment: lengthen the spine; relax everything
else not involved in this lengthening, center supported, and be aware of
the breath (inhale and exhale to help facilitate the movement.
Bones and Muscles of the Body – see textbook
Breathe – the use of inhalation and exhalation to accentuate
movement (ex. exhaling as you swing forward)
Focus – the gaze of the dancer; this can be direct or indirect (ex. direct:
looking at a particular spot, indirect: scanning the room)
Parallel - Position of the legs in which legs extend in identical parallel
paths with toes pointed forward, usually hips’ width apart.
Positions of the Legs: First, Second, Fourth, Fifth (All can be executed
parallel or turned-out.)
Positions of the Spine: erect, curved, spiral, arch, tilt
Symmetry/Asymmetry – Symmetry is a shape or movement that is
identical on both sides of the body; asymmetry is a shape or movement
that is not balanced, for example the right arm is curved and above the
head while the left arm in held in a sharp angle to the side
Turnout - comes from the hip; position of the legs in which legs are
rotated outward

Locomotor Movements
 
Locomotor movement is a movement that travels through space and
moving from one place to another.
Five Basic Locomotorrs: Walk, Run, Leap, Jump, Hop Assemble - a
jump from one foot to two feet Sissone – a jump from two feet to one
foot

Other Locomotors: Chasse, Triplet, Skip, Prance, Sparkle, Crawl, Slide,

Roll, Walk on your hands, Traveling Turns, etc.
Transfer of Weight - shifting weight from one leg to the other
 
Axial Movements
 
Axial movement is stationary movement. The term “axial” refers to the
central axis of the body.
Brushes (Degages) – the working foot disengages from the floor by
brushing the ball of the foot along the floor and then springing off of
the floor with the toes
Contraction - position in which the dancer contracts the abdominal
muscles and flexes the spine so that the spine takes on a concave
shape. The shoulders are aligned over the hips
Developpe – a movement in which the working leg is drawn up and
slowly extended in the air
Fall – controlled or uncontrolled descent
Fall-Rebound – a basic principle in Limon Technique; the dropping of
weight that then rebounds back up Flat back - Position where the
spine is extended from the coccyx through the cervical spine and head
and bending horizontally from the crease in the hip joint until the body
is perpendicular to the legs
Flex – to bend at the joint
Gesture – established movement patterns that serve as a language of
non-verbal communication
Grand Battement – large kick of the leg; the foot brushes the floor to
extend into the air with a straight knee
Isolation – movement of one body part, for example, a shoulder circle
Lunge – body position in which one’s weight is supported by two legs,
one bent and one straight Passe – the withdrawing of the foot from the
floor until it touches the side of the supporting knee Pointe - to stretch
the foot entirely so that it curves from ankle to toes in one line
Plie – to bend
Releve – to rise
Rolling down the spine (or up) – the sequential rolling of the spine; in
a roll down the movement is initiated by the top of the head curving
forward; in a roll up, the movement is initiated by the lower back –
stacking one vertebrae on top of the other
Swing – movement that releases the weight of a body part and allows
that body part to give into gravity
Tendu – to extend or stretch the foot along the floor