BC Education - Dance 11 and 12 - Appendix F: Glossary

The following defines terms used in this IRP as they pertain to dance performance and choreography.

abstract	To do with thought rather than matter, or in theory rather than practice; not tangible or concrete; denoting a quality, a condition, or an intangible thing rather than a concrete object (e.g., freedom, love). Abstract can also refer to choreographic forms that are not narrative.
aesthetic	Pertains to understanding that incorporates intellectual, sensory, and emotional involvement in and responses to the fine arts; of or relating to a sense of what is pleasing or "artistic." What is considered aesthetic varies greatly in different contexts. In dance performance, aesthetic qualities may take into consideration the application of style and performance skills; in choreography, aesthetics may be defined in terms of use of the elements of movement, choreographic form, and the principles of design, stagecraft, and the application of the creative process.
alignment	One of the principles of movement—body placement or posture. Proper alignment lessens body strain and promotes dance technique.
artistic choice	The aspects of a dance performance not dictated by the choreographer (e.g., emotional quality, relationship to other dancers and to the audience, timing).
balance	See body.
beat	The regular pulse of the music.
body	One of the five elements of movement. Refers to what the body is doing, which may be described in terms of: whole or partial body action—using the whole body (e.g., whole body stretch), using isolated parts of the body (e.g., gesture); cross-lateral (e.g., left arm and right leg) type of movement: locomotor (travelling)—basic (e.g., walk, jump, slide, roll) or combined (e.g., step-hop, waltz-run or triplet, grapevine) non-locomotor (on the spot) (e.g., curl, stretch, spin) size—small, large weight transfer—lunge, leap, roll balance—on-balance, off-balance; supported, unsupported shape—narrow, wide; angular, curved, twisted; symmetrical, asymmetrical
body percussion	A percussive sound created using the body (e.g., stamp, pat, clap, snap).
canon	See choreographic form.
choreographer	The person responsible for composing a dance and supervising a production. In mounting a full-scale production, tasks of a choreographer may be extended beyond creating the movement to include selecting the accompaniment and the performance venue, auditioning and casting dancers, planning and leading warmups and rehearsals, and supervising technical production.
choreographic form	The way in which the choreography of a dance is structured. Choreographic form may be defined as narrative or pattern. Narrative—follows a storyline (introduction, rising action, climax, resolution) and may convey specific meaning or concepts through that story. Pattern—structured around repetition of the elements of movement. Pattern forms may be abstract, rather than always following a concept or an idea. Pattern choreographic forms may be based on the form of the music. Examples of pattern forms include: AB—consists of two distinct, self-contained sections that share either a character or a quality (e.g., same tempo, style). The A part represents a phrase of specified length and the B part a different phrase of specified length. The A and B phrases are made to complement and enhance each other, and may deal with either two parts of the same theme or two different themes. ABA—an extension of the AB choreographic structure; after the B phrase, the piece returns to the A phrase (which may be altered). The A or B phrases can be manipulated by changing the tempo, rhythm, length, or dynamics of the movement, or by fragmenting, repeating, or changing the order of the sequence. Call and response—one soloist or group performs, with the second soloist or group entering in response to the first. Canon—groups perform the same single theme or sequence but beginning at different times so that they overlap. Rondo—similar to ABA but may continue indefinitely (ABACADA, and so on). The A phrase may be repeated or varied. Theme and variations—a movement idea is established, then repeated with various modifications (e.g., done faster or slower, in a new place, lighter or stronger) but still maintaining its structure and sequence. The theme may be repeated between the variations.
choreographic intent	The mood or impression that the choreographer, and by extension the performers, wish to create or realize in the audience (e.g., to amuse, to surprise, to present a point of view, to raise questions). Choreographic intent is achieved through use of technique, form, the principles of design, stagecraft elements, and so on.
choreography	1. The art of planning and arranging dance movements into a meaningful whole; the process of building a dance composition. 2. A finished dance work or work-in-progress.
context	Circumstances influencing the creation of a dance work. Context includes social, cultural, historical, and personal circumstances.
contrast	A principle of design that juxtaposes strongly differing uses of one or more of the elements of movement for effect (e.g., darkness and light, sound and silence, movement and stillness).
contrast chart	An instructional strategy—any tool students use to compare and contrast two or more issues or art forms and to arrange the observed similarities and differences. Contrast charts can be used by individual students, small groups, or the whole class. Examples include: Venn diagram—two or more partially overlapping circles or ovals, in which the characteristics are recorded in terms of applying to one (A) or the other (B) or both (C) sets. Same-Different chart—a two-column chart, often used to focus brainstorming of the similarities and differences between two ideas. Contrast charts can also be represented in formats such as dramatizations, models and manipulatives, computer spreadsheets, musiccompositions, movement sequences, and so on.
cooldown	A series of slow, stretching activities following active movement, to help students' heart rates return to normal and to help students reflect on the process they have just undergone. Warmup activities can be adapted for use as cooldown exercises.
creative process	An ongoing and circular process of exploration, selection, combination, refinement, and reflection to create dance.
critique	Constructive criticism of the effectiveness of a work or the appropriateness of the choices made by a creator or performer, based on established criteria as appropriate for the given circumstances (e.g., students' work or professional work, polished performance or work-in-progress).
diorama	An instructional strategy—a technique generally used to design or illustrate the set for a dance or theatrical presentation, or a scene from daily life. Traditionally a box with a small opening for viewing, a diorama can take many forms as appropriate for a given purpose (e.g., an open space to illustrate a dance stage set outdoors).
dynamics	1. In dance, one of the five elements of movement. Refers to how the body is moving, which may be described in terms of energy, force, and weight (e.g., strong or light) or flow (e.g., free, bound; tension, relaxation). 2. In music, the degree of loudness or softness.
elements of movement	The elements of body, space, time, dynamics, and relationship. The number of possible combinations and permutations of these elements is virtually endless.
emphasis	A principle of design concerned with making one or more elements stand out in such a way as to appear more important or significant.
environment	The created place and mood for a work, including any combination of sound, levels, light, staging, and audience.
expression	A performance skill—an indication of feeling, spirit, or character; bringing out the meaning, emotion, or aesthetics of something danced, read, spoken, played, sung, painted, and so on.
expressive elements of music	The interrelated elements of rhythm, tempo, melody, harmony, texture, timbre, articulation, and dynamics.
flexion	Bending a joint so that the angle between the bones is diminished (usually less than 180 degrees).
focus	1. A performance skill—concentration or transmission of energy or attention toward a specific person, object, or location; may be external or internal. 2. Dynamics and relationship, in which the focus may be narrow (relating to one person) or wide (relating to a group of people).
form	See choreographic form.
Gallery Walk	An instructional strategy—an approach to exploring a range of responses to a given image or idea. A set of images (e.g., drawings, photographs, displays, videos) are set up around a room or space. They are posted with no explanation, but one or two focus questions are provided. Students working in small groups travel from image to image, discuss what they think is happening (in response to the focus questions), and record their responses on paper provided. Each new group builds on comments provided by the previous groups' responses.
general space	The defined space in which the whole group works.
genre	A broad categorization of dance, incorporating several related types of dance. (e.g., Foxtrot, rumba, and tango are examples of dances within the ballroom genre.)
guided response sheet	An instructional strategy—can be used to record and focus responses to a given viewing or listening experience. Usually in the form of prepared handouts, guided response sheets can be used for in-class, home, or community experiences with dance. Questions on the sheets are aimed at having students identify given characteristics of a presentation (e.g., technique, emotional responses, use of form and design, use of stagecraft).
guided visualization	An instructional strategy—can be used as a mental warmup to prepare students for a creation activity, as a pre-performance relaxation technique, or to refocus students at the end of a class. Typically, a visualization begins by asking students to find comfortable positions, relax, and close their eyes (if they feel comfortable doing so). Then the teacher or student facilitator recites a prepared script designed to help students focus on the activity ahead or reflect on the one just concluded. The script can be designed to have students recall or construct specific incidents, visualize particular places, or explore emotional responses. Guided visualization can be done in pairs, in small groups, or as a whole class, and might last 5 to 20 minutes.
hyperextension	Extending the angle of a joint beyond 180 degrees.
improvisation	Movement that is created spontaneously, ranging from loosely structured to tightly limited (e.g., based on a given genre, a particular element of movement, or an understanding of a role), but always with an element of chance. Improvisation provides an artist with an opportunity to bring together elements without preplanning, and requires focus and concentration. Contact improvisation is a more complex form of improvisation, in which dancers create movement using the physical laws of gravity, momentum, friction, and inertia as they govern the motion of two or more bodies in contact.
isolation	Moving individual parts of the body independently of others.
jigsaw	An instructional technique that promotes co-operative learning in creating or in learning content. It is based on dividing a task among students so that they must pool their contributions to complete an assignment. There are typically four steps: 1. Divide students into home groups and present an overview of the task. 2. Give each home group member a different part of the task (e.g., divide a choreographic piece, music selection, or text into several parts). Students with the same information then leave their home groups and form expert groups. 3. Expert group members work together to learn or create their piece of the final product. 4. Students return to their home groups, and each expert proceeds to share his or her expertise with the others. Each home group is responsible for combining all the contributions of its members to create the final product.
language process	A method for teaching a set dance: Say the steps. Say and do the steps. Whisper and do the steps. Think and do the steps. All of these can occur before adding the music.
lead-and-follow activities	Techniques for movement exploration in dance that are effective in building trust and sensitivity between individuals or within a group. Examples are: Echoing—the leader makes a movement, and the follower(s) repeats the movement with some change in body shape, tempo, energy, and so forth. Flocking—students move in groups with no set pattern or formation, all doing the same movements simultaneously. Mirroring—two students face each other; student A initiates the movement while student B follows, maintaining eye contact as appropriate; students switch roles after a set time. Shadowing—the leader faces away from the follower, and the follower(s) shadows the leader's movement.
mentoring	An instructional strategy—students select (with assistance from teachers or parents, as applicable) an adult from the local community who uses dance in the workplace or in her or his daily life. Students maintain ongoing contact with their mentors, preferably over several years, using them as resource people with whom they share and discuss fine arts concepts and skills and their application in the real world. Where possible, mentors should be representative of the diversity of students and of the community (e.g., diverse cultures, both genders).
metre	The grouping in which a succession of rhythmic pulses or beats is organized; in written music, the metre is usually divided into measures and indicated by a time signature at the beginning of a piece (e.g., ).
motif	A dominant, usually recurring idea or element in a dance or sequence. Motif development as a choreographic device involves using a single movement or short movement phrase that is manipulated (e.g., by varying the elements of movement, by repetition, by fragmentation, using different body parts) to develop movement sequences for a dance.
movement memory	The acquisition and retention of sensation that helps the body remember what a given movement feels like (also referred to as muscle memory or kinesthetic awareness).
movement vocabulary	An individual's repertoire of learned dance movements, patterns, and sequences as well as non-dance movements (e.g., from sports, everyday activity) used for dance.
notation	Any written, audio, or visual record of choreography. Standard dance notation systems range from the simple (e.g., folk dance or ballroom notation) to the complex (e.g., Laban notation, Benesh). Invented notation for dance could take the form of computer notation, animation, sculpting, prose, symbols and colours, flip books, and so on.
pattern	A principle of design concerned with repetition of one or more of the elements in a planned way. (See also choreographic form.)
pedestrian movement	Movement originating in everyday gestures or actions and performed in an ordinary, non-stylized way; non-dance movement that may become the actual dance movement (e.g., walking, opening a door, swinging a bat, lifting a box) or the source for creating dance movement.
performance skills	The qualities that a dancer contributes to a performance in order to create a connection with the audience and fulfill the choreographer's intent (e.g., focus, projection, stage presence, concentration, effort, commitment to movement, expression, clarity of execution).
principles of design	Unity, variety, contrast, repetition, balance, climax and resolution, sequencing and development, transition, and pattern—used for example, in conjunction with the elements of dance. Application of the principles of design within the creative process determines an artwork's form.
principles of movement	Principles of alignment, balance, flexibility, strength, and breathing used to refine dance technique according to a given style, and to ensure safety.
relationship	One of the five elements of movement in dance. Refers to with whom or what the body is moving, which may be described in terms of: grouping—apart, connected; solo, duet, ensemble; formations (e.g., circle, diamond, flock, free-form) relationship between or among dancers—side-by-side, supported, near, far; roles (e.g., for gender, age) interactions—leading, following, mirroring; unison, contrast; meeting, parting; action, reaction relationship to props (e.g., chair, hat, umbrella)
repertoire	A collection of learned dance works at a ready-to-perform level. (See also movement vocabulary.)
repetition	A principle of design in which one or more components of a composition (e.g., choreographic motif, stagecraft element) appear again and again for effect.
rhythm	The arrangement of notes and silences of varying duration.
role	Assigned or assumed function or position of an individual within a dance (e.g., in relation to gender, status, age, leader or follower).
rondo	See choreographic form.
sequence	A combination of movements that have been selected and arranged in a deliberate manner.
set dance	A dance with established steps and choreography, such as a folk or a ballroom dance (e.g., foxtrot, rumba, Virginia reel).
shadow puppetry	An instructional strategy—students perform a dance behind a screen so that only their shadows or silhouettes show through. Shadow puppetry can be done using prefabricated puppets, student-made puppets, or with students acting as puppets themselves.
shape	See body.
space	One of the five elements of movement . Refers to where the body is moving, which may be described in terms of: direction—forward, backward, sideways, diagonal, up, down pathway (e.g., zigzag, curved, spiral, circle, straight) focus (e.g., direction body is facing, eye focus direction) level—high, medium, low (e.g., on floor, kneeling, elevation) plane—horizontal, vertical, sagittal personal space and general space—how little, how much; around the body, within available space
stagecraft	Use of music, sound, lighting, sets, costumes, makeup, props, media, and so on, to enhance a theatrical dance, drama, or music production; the knowledge and skills required for full-scale theatrical production.
stage presence	A performance skill—a quality defined by a performer's ability to command the audience's attention through projection, focus, attention, expression, confidence, and so on.
staging	The process of selecting, desiging, adapting to, or modifying the performance space for a given purpose. This includes the use or absence of stagecraft elements as well as the structure of the stage and its components (e.g., proscenium stage with arch, curtain, wings, legs, and apron; theatre-in-the-round, park, alleyway). (See also environment.)
style	The distinctive quality given to a dance by its creator, performer, or both.
tableau	A still picture representing concretized thought, physically created by dancers. A tableau can be performed in conjunction with a freeze or an improvisation activity, or it may be planned and rehearsed for a given purpose.
technique	In dance, the ability to perform elements and principles of movement efficiently, safely, and accurately as appropriate to a dance style or genre (does not necessarily refer to traditional, formalized techniques for particular styles, such as ballet or Graham).
tempo	Speed or pace of dance or music; the use of slower and faster beats and steps.
theme and variations	See choreographic form.
time	One of the five elements of movement. Refers to how the body moves in relation to time, which may be described in terms of: tempo—slow, fast; accelerating, decelerating metre— rhythm—simple, complex; pulse, breath; accent
tranformation	Altering a dance sequence by changing one or more of the elements of movement (e.g., maintaining the steps but changing the pathway; converting a solo to an ensemble piece). Transformation can be achieved using exaggeration, distortion, repetition, and selection, and can be used as a basis for applying the creative process.
unity	A principle of design concerned with the arrangement of the elements of a dance to create a coherent whole.
warmup	A series of movements and exercises to increase heart rate and circulation, to mobilize joints and muscles that will be used in forthcoming activity, and to encourage concentration and body awareness.

Revised: January 25, 1999

BC Ministry of Education Home Page