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The Lively Arts Guide to Looking at Dance
Understanding and describing dance performances can be both a visual
and a musical process. There are many things to look for, but often the
first things you notice can tell you a lot about what kind of dance you
are watching.
Consider the following:
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Try and discern whether the dance is primarily
ballet, modern, or a world cultural dance form. Are the dancers wearing
shoes of any kind? Does this help you identify the idiom?
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Generally note which of the supporting arts
(costumes, sets, props) are being used to contribute to the choreography.
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Generally note the relationship of the dance
to the music.
Now approach the dance from your emotions/imagination.
How does the dance strike you (does it seem frantic, smooth, sharp, tender,
chaotic, random, solemn, joyful. . .)? Try to perceive why you get that
feeling; how is it achieved? Ask yourself the following questions:
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What is the intent of the dance? Is it purely
abstract movement, or does it tell a story? Does it convey images?
Are there ideas about human relationships? Is it based around one
idea?
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What is the use of space? Where are the dancers
on stage? Do they center on one area or move around a lot? Are they
placed symmetrically? What size are their movements? Which levels
of space are used the most? Which body parts do the most moving?
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Which kinds of energy are used? (Remember,
in dance the word "energy" does not refer to how many calories
the dancers are burning! It has to do with the kind or quality of
movement.) Is the energy predominantly sustained, suspended, percussive,
swinging, vibratory, or fall and recovery?
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What is the tempo of the dance (This is a separate
issue from the tempo of the music)? Do the dancers mostly move quickly
or slowly? Are there sudden or gradual changes? Does one body part
seem to express the rhythmic pattern or any accents?
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How is the dance constructed? Do you see a
lot of repetition? Is there a lot of new movement? What about the
group movement? Does it seem to be in unison or at odds?
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How does the dance relate to the music? Does
the dance seem to express the music or move with the music (visualization
or conversation)? Would the dance be less understandable if the music
were absent? Or does the dance seem to be completely unrelated to
the music (isolation)?
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How do the costumes, props, and lighting seem
to relate to or affect the dance? Are they a significant part, or
could they be taken away without changing the effect of the dance?
Do they seem to complement/support or detract from the dance?
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