Dance
CHOREOGRAPHIC DEVICES
DANC 1304- FALL 2019
LABAN PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
BODY
SHAPE
EFFORT
SPACE
BODY
MOVEMENT INITIATION
NEUROMUSCULAR PATTERNS
CONNECTION OF BODY PARTS
MOVEMENT SEQUENCING
SHAPE/
SHAPEFORMS
WALL
BALL
PIN
PYRAMID
SPIRAL
SHAPE/
MODES
ARCING
CARVING
SPOKING
EFFORT
SPACE EFFORT
DIRECT
INDIRECT
TIME EFFORT
QUICK
SUSTAINED
FLOW EFFORT
FREE
BOUND
WEIGHT EFFORT
HEAVY
LIGHT
SPACE
SPATIAL ORIENTATION
PLANES
SAGITTAL (DOOR)
VERTICAL (WALL)
HORIZONTAL (TABLE)
SPATIAL ORIENTATION
RELATIONSHIP INSIDE THE CUBE:
PLACE (LOW, MIDDLE, HIGH)
FORWARD (L, M, H)
SIDES (RIGHT AND LEFT L, M, H)
BACKWARD (L, M, H)
DIAGONALS (RIGHT AND LEFT L, M, H)
EX.: RIGHT FORWARD DIAGONAL, FORWARD LOW, ETC.
SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS/KINESPHERE
KINESPHERE
PERIPHERAL
CENTRAL
TRANSVERSE
LABAN EFFORT ACTIONS
| WEIGHT | SPACE | TIME | ENERGY | |
| PUNCH | HEAVY | DIRECT | QUICK | BOUND |
| PRESS | HEAVY | DIRECT | SUSTAINED | BOUND |
| SLASH | HEAVY | INDIRECT | QUICK | BOUND |
| WRING | HEAVY | INDIRECT | SUSTAINED | BOUND |
| DAB | LIGHT | DIRECT | QUICK | FREE |
| GLIDE | LIGHT | DIRECT | SUSTAINED | FREE |
| FLICK | LIGHT | INDIRECT | QUICK | FREE |
| FLOAT | LIGHT | INDIRECT | SUSTAINED | FREE |
STRUCTURES
MUSICAL FORMS
AB
ABA
RONDO (ABA C ABA)
THEME AND VARIATIONS
NARRATIVE FORM
DEVICES
REPETITION
(SPACIAL, BODY PART, REVERSE)
CANON
RETROGRADE (REVERSE ORDER)
TEMPO CHANGE
FACING CHANGE
LEVEL CHANGES
SYNCHRONIZATION/ ASYNCHRONY
CHOREOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLES: A DIGEST
SPACE: Is the space used well?
Are there dynamic uses of space?
Are there formations?
What may the use of space mean within the context of the piece?
Is the use of space redundant or compelling?
TIME: Is there dynamic range?
Is the whole piece slow (adagio) and how does that make you feel?
Is the whole piece allegro (fast) how does that make you feel?
Is the whole piece andante (walking pace) and how does that make you feel?
Does the Choreographer’s choice in utilizing time dynamics (accelerando/ rallentando) make “sense”?
Is there room for “surprise” and “risk” within the choreographic exploration of the music”?
CHOREOGRAPHIC PRINCIPLES: A DIGEST
ENERGY/EFFORT LIFE:
Are the dancers fully invested in the piece?
Are the dancers engaged with the audience?
Are the dancers fully experiencing the effort-life that the choreographer has charged them with? (Are they emotionally committed?)
Has the choreographer explored the effort life appropriate for their theme that fits within the other values?
BODY SHAPES/ PATHWAYS
Is the choreography redundant or does it explore theme/variation in a surprising or novel way?
Are you finding the themes and variations? If so, do they relate well to the message?
Are the dancers just holding shapes, or moving dynamically through shapes?
Do the pathways make sense in a way that is both
Pleasing to the eye
Pleasing to the heart (exhilarating, but not corny)
