SpaceThe Elements of Dance

No not outer space …• Space is one of the three things that

dancers and choreographers are able to manipulate to make movement more interesting. When discussing Space as it relates to dance you are focusing on two concepts:– Personal Space– Performance Space

Personal Space• Personal space can

be described as a bubble around yourself.

• Your personal space remains constant. When you move your personal space moves with you.

Manipulating Personal Space

• You can manipulate your personal space in a number of ways:– Size– Level– Shape

SIZE• How big or small your movement is.• Think of making circles with your

arms. You can make small circles or you can make large circles. The only thing you are changing is the SIZE of the movement.

LEVEL• The relationship between the body and

the ground.• Levels can be described as LOW,

MEDIUM or HIGH• How would you describe:– Someone standing on a chair– Someone laying on the ground– Someone jumping into the air– Someone standing on the ground

SHAPE• The design of the

body as it exists in space.

• The body is capable of making a variety of shapes.

ASPECTS OF SHAPE• Shapes can be classified in many ways. • Shapes usually fit into one side of the

following relationships– Curved v. Angular– Open v. Closed– Symmetrical v. Asymmetrical

• However shapes can have aspects of different relationships (i.e. a shape can be curved and closed or open and asymmetrical)

CURVED v. ANGULARCurved Shapes have rounded edges. No sharp points or angles.

Angular shapes have sides that meet in a point.

OPEN v. CLOSEDAn open shape does not completely close in on itself

The edges of a closed shape will all connect, leaving no gaps.

SYMMETRICAL v. ASYMMETRICAL

Symmetrical shapes are those that you can cut in half and each half will be the mirror image of the other

Asymmetrical shapes do not mirror each other in that way.

Performance Space• Performance Space is the area in

which a dance is performed. This space can be limited by the actual location or by parameters set by the choreographer.

• Consider these areas:– The Performing Arts Center– The Football Field

Manipulating Performance Space

• Performance Space can be manipulated in the following ways:– Direction– Pathway– Formation

DIRECTION• The relationship of the starting point

and the ending point for a traveling movement.

• Examples: North, South, East, West, Forward, Backward, Sideways, Up, Down, Upstage, Downstage, Stage Left, Stage Right, Down Stage Right, Up Stage Left

PATHWAY• The route taken to get from the

starting point to the ending point.• Pathways can be:– Straight– Curved– Zig Zag

STRAIGHT PATHWAY• A direct pathway

from one point to another

CURVED PATHWAY• An indirect path

way with rounded edges. Direction is shifted but gradually.

ZIG ZAG PATHWAY• An indirect

pathway that combines multiple straight pathways. There are many “stops” along the way in which you change direction.

FORMATION• The arrangement of multiple dancers within

the performance space.• You must have at least two dancers to

create a formation.• Like all the other aspects of space you can

change the formation multiple times for effect.

• The number of formations possible is only limited by the number of dancers you have.

Formations: