Elements of Dance

The elements of movement are space, time, and force

(energy). The instrument is the body. The body moves in
space and in time with force. The dance concepts should be
viewed holistically. When participating in dance, all elements
of dance are integrated all the time.
 5 Elements of Dance
• B - Body
• A - Action
• S - Space
• T - Time
• E - Energy
Body
The body is the mobile figure
or shape, felt by the dancer,
seen by others. The body is
sometimes relatively still and
sometimes changing as the
dancer moves in place or
travels through the dance area.
Dancers may emphasize
specific parts of their body in a
dance phrase or use their
whole body all at once.
 BODILY SHAPES
Symmetrical
• Symmetrical movements are
when both hands and/or feet
are performing the same
motion.
Asymmetrical
• Asymmetrical movements are
very similar to reciprocal
movements meaning both sides
of the body are working
together but both sides are
performing separate tasks with
one side leading and the other
side supporting/assisting.
 GROUP SHAPES
• In this element, a group of dancers perform movements in different
group shapes/ they are arranges in ways that are wide, narrow,
rounded, angular, symmetrical, or asymmetrical, and are viewed
together as a total picture or arrangement.
Action
Action is 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.
ACTIONS-What a dancer does
example travelling,turning,
elavation,gesture, stillness, use of
body parts, floor-work and
tranference of weight.
DYNAMICS- How the dancer moves,
e.g. fast,/slow, sudden/sustained,
acceleration/deceleration,
strong/light, direct/indirect,
flowing/abrupt.
Space
Refers to the space
through which the
dancer's body moves
(general or personal
space, level, size,
direction, pathway,
focus).
 Direction Size

• Dance movements can travel in • Movements can be varied by

any direction. The performers doing larger or smaller actions.
can go
forward,side,backward,diagonal,
circular, and so on.They may face
any direction while executing a
single movement or several
phrases.
Level Focus
• Movements can be done in a • may change their focus by
high, medium, or low level. looking at different directions.
Time
The relationship of one
movement to another. Rhythm -
a pattern of beats. Tempo –
steady beat, fast or slow (the
speed of the movement)
Duration - the length of time the
movement lasts. Pulse -
accented beat or heartbeat of
the rhythm.
• In dance, timing refers to moving to the beat of the music. However,
having perfect timing means more than performing basic steps
perfectly to music beats. It's not difficult to move to the beat, but it
takes lots of practice to teach your mind and body how to actually
feel the beat of the music
Energy
Energy is about how the
movement happens. Choices
about energy include variations
in movement flow and the use of
force, tension, and weight. An
arm gesture might be free
flowing or easily stopped, and it
may be powerful or gentle, tight
or loose, heavy or light.
Sustained
• The sustained dynamic in dance
refers to a continuous and
flowing movement where a
dancer's motion is constant,
even, and smooth.
Percussive
• The percussive dynamic in dance
refers to movements that are
performed in a sudden, abrupt
or sharp way. They have a strong
and often assertive, quality as
the dancer exerts energy and
strength to produce stacatto like
moves with their body.
Vibratory
• Movements consist of trembling
or shaking. A faster version of
percussive movements that
produces a jittery effect.
Swinging
• Movements trace a curved line
or an arc in space. The
movements are relaxed and
giving in to gravity on the
downward part of the motion,
followed by an appward
application of energy.
Suspended
• Movements are perched in
space or hanging on air.Holding
a raised leg in any direction is an
example of a suspended
movement.
Collapsing
• Movements are released in
tension and gradually or
abruptly gving into a gravity,
letting the body descend to the
floor. A slow collapse can e
describe as a melting or oozing
action in a downward direction.