BC Education - Fine Arts: Appendix G Elements and Principles of the Fine Arts

Appendix G: Elements and Principles of the Fine Arts Disciplines

The following are working definitions for the required elements and principles listed in the Elements and Principles curriculum organizer and in the prescribed learning outcomes for Fine Arts 11.

Dance

Elements of Movement

The elements of movement-body, space, time, dynamics, and relationship-are fundamental to the art of dance. Any movement involves some aspect of these elements, but one or more can be emphasized according to the dancer's purpose. The elements of movement can be defined as follows:

body. The "what" of movement. The body produces action, gesture, and shape.
space. The "where" of movement. Movement may take place in one, two, or three dimensions.
time. The "when" of movement. The speed, metres, and rhythms of movement are established over time.
dynamics. The "how" of movement. The dynamics of movement give it expressive qualities-the intended qualities of emphasis, weight, and flow of movement.
relationship. The "with whom" of movement. Relationship refers to the way partners, groups, body parts, and so on move in relation to one another.

Elements of Dance

The following table outlines examples of types of movement within each of the five movement categories:

Element	Type	Examples
Body-"what is the body doing"	whole/partial body action	using the whole body (e.g., whole body stretch) using isolated parts of the body (e.g.,gesture)
	type of movement	on-the-spot (e.g., curl, stretch, spin) travelling basic (e.g., walk, jump, slide, roll) combined (e.g., skip-hop, waltz-run/triplet, grapevine)
	dimension	small, large, narrow, wide
	weight transfer	lunge, leap, roll
	balance	on-balance, off-balance; supported, unsupported
	shape	angular, curved, twisted; symmetrical, asymmetrical
Space - "Where is the body moving"	direction	forward, backward, sideways, diagonal, up, down pathway (e.g., zig-zag, curved, spiral, circle, straight) focus (e.g., direction body is facing, eye focus direction)
	level	high, medium, low (e.g., on floor, kneeling, elevated)
	plane	horizontal, vertical
	personal space/general space	how little, how much; around body, within available space
Time - "How does the body move in relation to time?"	tempo	slow, fast; accelerating, decelerating
	meter	uneven, even, simple, complex, pulse, breath
	rhythm	accent
Dynamics - "How is the body moving?"	energy	strong, light; tension, relaxation
	flow	sustained, suspended; lyrical, staccato
Relationship - "With whom or what is the body moving?"	grouping	apart, connected; solo, duet, ensemble; formations, side-by-side, supported, near/far
	relationship between/among dancers
	interactions	leading, following, mirroring; unison/contrast; meeting/parting; action/reaction

Table of Contents

Maintained by: Fine Arts Coordinator

Revised: April 1995

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