The elements of dance are the ingredients of dance. Often one or two elements predominate in a dance, but all the elements are present. The different ways of combining and using the elements determine the expression of the dance, just as re-ordering words in a sentence changes the meaning of the sentence. The elements of dance identified in the dance program are based on the movement theories of Laban (1975), and the later work of Preston-Dunlop (1980a, 1980b) and Boorman (1969). The elements are described below.
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Actions are what the body is doing. By finding out, through movement explorations, what the body can do and by expanding the body's abilities, students build a "bank" or repertoire of movements they might use in their dance creations. This bank is called a movement vocabulary. Actions fall into the following categories: travelling, stillness, gesturing, jumping, falling, turning, twisting, contracting, expanding and transferring weight. Actions can travel (locomotor) or move on the spot (non-locomotor). The following is an action word list (by no means complete):
Students at the Secondary Level will:
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The body is the instrument of dance. Just as a painter paints with a brush, in dance it is through the body that movements appear. Awareness of the body is encouraged in the dance program as students learn about the following body concepts: The whole body
At the Secondary Level students will:
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The term "relationships" refers to the correspondence or connection between things, be they dancers to each other, dancers to objects, or a dancer's body parts to each other. Students will continue to explore the relationships of connecting, leading, following, meeting, parting, near, far, passing by and surrounding. In addition, students at the Secondary Level will:
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Dynamics describe how the body moves. Dynamics is an umbrella term and includes the factors which give movements various qualities. Therefore, dynamics is the element that gives dance its expressiveness. Knowledge of dynamics is encouraged in the dance strand by learning about the following concepts: Duration - the length of time needed to do a movement; duration is on a continuum of very short to very long Energy - the muscular tension used to move; energy is on a continuum of a little to a lot Even - movements of equal duration; for example, walks Uneven - movements of unequal duration; for example, skips
Quality - characteristics of a movement; for example, strong or light Speed - velocity of movements; speed is on a continuum of very slow to very fast Time - a symbol that denotes a metric or measured rhythm; for example, 3/4 or
Students at the Secondary Level will:
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Space is where the body moves. It is the medium of dance. As dancers move through space, their bodies create patterns on the floor and in the air. These spatial designs are an integral part of dance, giving dancers a purpose for moving. Students should by now understand the concepts of personal and general space. They should have confidence in their use of directions, levels, pathways and size in space. Clarity of body shapes, with an awareness of their body parts to each other, should be evident when students are moving through space and in stillness. As well, students should be paying attention to the pathways traced in the air by their body parts. Awareness of space is encouraged in the dance strand by learning about the following space concepts: General - the dance area
Personal - the space reached while stationary
Directions - forward, backward, sideways, upward or downward Focus - where the eyes or the intention of the movement is directed Levels - high, middle, low or deep Pathways - the patterns or designs made in the air or on the floor by the person's movements; pathways appear as straight lines, curved lines or combinations of straight and curved lines Shape - the design of the body's position Size - the magnitude of the body shape or movement; size is on a continuum of small to large. In addition, students at the Secondary Level will:
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Principles of Composition in Dance
The principles of composition identified in the dance program are adapted from the work of H'Doubler (1957), Lockhart and Pease (1982) and Minton (1986).
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All dances need to begin somewhere, build toward something and come to a resolution (beginning, middle and end). When a dance builds in intensity and interest and reaches an "acme", the acme is called a climax. A climax can be created in many ways. For example, dance phrases can increase in intensity of energy and speed to a high point before decreasing to a lull, or a narrative can build toward a highlight or a turning-point before being resolved. The resolution of a climax reveals the importance of what has occurred previously in the composition. Climaxes can be resolved in a variety of ways; for example, the climax could dissolve, be converted into something else or be replaced by something else. In the elementary grades, students focused on creating dance phrases which displayed a beginning, middle and end. In the middle years, students began to consider climax and resolution when creating and responding to dances. Students at the Secondary Level will:
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Contrast is vital to maintaining audience interest in dances. Contrast can be achieved by combining and/or juxtaposing unlike movements. Movements can differ in action, body, dynamic, space or relationship concepts. In the elementary grades, students had many experiences in contrasting their movements in their dance explorations and creations. Middle years students continued to experiment with contrasting movements. Students at the Secondary Level will:
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Development refers to the unfolding of the dance, where each movement and choreographic idea logically grows out of the previous one. Development creates continuity, helping the audience follow the intent of the dance. However, if the development of a dance is too predictable, audiences will become bored. At the Secondary Level, students will:
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Repetition of movement phrases or parts of phrases is reassuring for an audience. Repetition permits audience members to see the movements in more detail, allowing them to become familiar with the movement vocabulary the choreographer is using. Repetition can also be used to give certain movements an added emphasis. When used effectively, repetition can help create unity by relating sections of a dance to each other. Repetition should be used prudently when creating dances. As a general guide, movements should be repeated just to the point where the audience is familiar with them and not to the point where the audience is bored with them. Students at the Secondary Level will:
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Sequencing refers to the meaningful ordering of movements. When movements are purposefully connected to each other they can gain significance and take on new meaning. This is similar to a word gaining significance when it is placed in a phrase or sentence. Students at the Secondary Level will:
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Transition occurs when movements and dance phrases are connected. Transitions should work toward the intent of the dance composition by connecting the movements and dance phrases in a meaningful way. Transitional movements should promote continuity and should not stand out from the rest of the dance composition unless it is the intention that they do so. In grade three to grade five, students were encouraged to pay attention to the ways they connected their movements and dance phrases. In the middle years, students continued to consider the transitions they used in their dance compositions. Students at the Secondary Level will:
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Variety within a dance composition is vital to engaging and holding an audience's interest. Variety can be accomplished in several ways, as noted in the following examples: selecting unlike movements to create variety; varying dance phrases in length and structure; varying spatial, dynamic, etc. aspects when movements or phrases are repeated; or presenting movements in retrograde (doing a movement backwards, similar to playing a film backwards). At the Secondary Level, students will:
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When all the parts work together in a harmonious and balanced way to contribute to the whole dance, there is unity. Every movement, no matter how brief, should work toward the intent of the composition. Unity is achieved when the removal of any portion of the composition damages the whole dance. In the middle years, students began to create dance compositions showing unity. Students at the Secondary Level will:
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Focus, tension, contrasts and symbol are elements that should be incorporated into contextual dramas and collective creations at the Secondary Level. In addition to these elements, students working with scripted plays (their own plays or published plays) might need to consider character, action and movement.
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Character and action are fundamental to most scripted plays. Characters are, simply, the people in a dramatic story. The term "action" refers to what they do. Character and action are interconnected as character is determined by what a person does, and what a person does is determined by who that person is and what he or she thinks. It is important to understand that character in drama does not simply refer to how a person looks or how old that person is. Characterization cannot be achieved by donning a wig or affecting a certain walk. Character is determined by what a person thinks and does -- that is, by a person's actions. Character and action are not significant elements for students working in contextual dramas, where they are not required to analyse and understand characters in order to "act" set roles. In contextual dramas students participate in role, but in an organic, ever-evolving manner. |
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Plays and other forms of drama contain several different kinds of movement. Not all of these are important to all plays, but most will have them to some degree.
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Rhythm can be separated into four categories: Beat -- the regular, repeated pulsation in music
Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Pitch describes the highness or lowness of sounds. A melody is a combination of pitches and durations that make a musical statement in the way words make a sentence. Melodies may consist of one or more smaller sections (phrases) similar to phrases in a sentence. Pitch direction describes the movement of pitch patterns or melodies, which may move upward, downward or stay the same. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Timbre describes the quality or "colour" of sound. Timbre is determined by those characteristics of sound that help us distinguish one sound from another. At the Secondary Level, investigation should continue into timbral description. As well, students should begin to discover how timbre can be changed and the effect this can have on a musical composition. Timbral changes occur when a person adjusts the tone controls on a stereo, dampens a ringing object (like a piece of pipe or clay pot) with a piece of tape, or uses a pick rather than a finger to pluck a string on a ukulele. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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The term "dynamics" describes the degree of loudness or softness of sounds in relationship to what effect or mood is being communicated. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Texture is the combination and layering of different sounds in music. Composers create various textures by combining sounds, instruments or voices to achieve expressive effects. The texture may be thick, thin, dense or transparent. Harmony is one aspect of texture. Harmony occurs when two or more sounds are heard simultaneously. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Principles of Composition in Music
Principles of composition are tools or devices that help organize sounds and the elements of music into cohesive works.
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A musician or composer uses variety within a musical composition to create interest. He or she creates variety by using or altering different elements in numerous ways. Variety is often created through the use of contrast, such as loud to soft dynamics, harsh to smooth timbres, and thick to thin textures. A composer might, for example, repeat a previously heard melody twice as fast (tempo change) or in a different key (tonality change). Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Musicians and composers use repetition to help the listener become familiar with the major ideas or themes of a musical work. The restatement of a particular melody, theme or rhythm often draws the audience back to an idea or thought that the musician or composer wants to communicate. Repetition also serves to unify many compositions and draw attention to ideas that are central to the work. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Balance in music traditionally has referred to the relative volume of various sounds. It can also pertain to the equalization of other elements. For instance, a musician can try to balance timbres through instrument selection in order to maintain a desired sound or effect. Balance could also refer to similarities of style or duration in the "A" sections of a composition in A-B-A form. A lack of balance can also be used to create a desired effect. A very loud sound in a quiet section might redirect the listener's attention or introduce a different theme or melody. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Acoustics pertain to the properties or qualities of sound transmission in a space, including the way places such as meeting halls, classrooms or an outdoor field reinforce, absorb and reflect sound. Students can explore the many ways acoustics can be changed. For example, a student could play a drum in an empty closet and then again when the closet is full of clothing. The acoustics of a space can also alter the timbre of a sound by reinforcing or absorbing certain parts (frequencies) of the sound. A musician or composer might create a piece of music for a particular space such as a specific church, or a general space such as "outdoors". Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Tension can be created in music through the use of many different elements. For example, a building of dynamics, a rising of a melodic line or the use of more dissonant harmony could all lead to an increase in tension. Resolution is a common occurrence after the building of tension. This involves the manipulation of the elements to create a sense of release or relaxation. Resolution might be created by a change in dynamics, a change in height of melody, or movement from a dissonant to consonant harmony. In many forms of music, tension builds to a climatic peak and is followed by a brief concluding resolution to finish the work. This type of action is sometimes referred to as biological form -- a gradual building of interest and knowledge followed by a resolving climax and a rapid end. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Transition in music typically involves the connection of ideas or "bridging" of one part of the music to another. Transitional material might foreshadow material that will be forthcoming or include the changing of the tonality from major to minor. Transitions might be subtle and difficult to initially notice or very prominent in order to attract attention. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Unity is the principle of composition in which all the separate parts work together to make a complete whole. The elements, ideas and principles are combined in such a way that all are essential to the product. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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In previous years of study, students have looked at a great variety of lines in the natural and constructed environments, recognized hidden lines in the art works they have studied (lines used to control eye movement by repetition of lines, colours, textures, shapes and forms) and used line to express their ideas. Students should continue their study of line through observations and a variety of experiences. They should become more aware of the many subtleties of line and how the quality and direction of the real or implied lines may suggest many different ideas and experiences. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Colour is an element of art that can be the most expressive but can also be the most difficult to describe. Students should further their study of colour in the environment, learn about many colour relationships, and study the many relationships between colour and their daily lives. Through an exploration of different colour schemes and techniques, students should develop an understanding of some of the expressive qualities that can be achieved through colour. The teacher should continue to provide activities that require the students to explore a variety of media and tools and to use colours in a variety of ways. A colour wheel can be a good resource to help students understand and organize colours. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Texture in visual art deals with the real or the illusory sense of touch on a surface. In the students' study of texture, they should understand that every surface has a texture, that artists often use texture to reinforce concepts and that different surfaces can imply different ideas or meanings. Students should continue to create many different "real" textures and the "illusion" of texture in their own works. Teachers should provide experiences that enable students to explore texture through a variety of methods, materials and techniques. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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A shape is a two-dimensional area. Students have been using and recognizing shapes since the first days of their lives and throughout their school years. The shapes and shape relationships that students use and describe will be more sophisticated and complex as students progress. The teacher should provide experiences that promote an awareness and appreciation of shapes and an understanding of how these shapes interrelate within a visual image. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Forms are objects that have three dimensions: width, height and depth. Architecture, sculpture, ceramics, weaving and jewellery are all three-dimensional art forms. Students should experience and build various kinds of forms; for example, open and closed, active and stable, freestanding and relief, holograms, etc. Through numerous experiences with forms, students will begin to understand the impact that different forms can have and begin to use these understandings to analyse and interpret meaning in art works. Students will also be examining and exploring how artists create the illusion of form on a two-dimensional surface. Many students will value the ability to produce images that appear to be correct. Concepts relating to the creation of the illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface should continue to be investigated. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Balance in visual art can be formal, informal or radial. Formal balance places equal or very similar objects on either side of a central axis. In radial balance, equal or similar objects radiate from a central point. Informal balance is a balance of unlike objects. Visual artists achieve informal balance by considering all the visual weight factors and arranging objects carefully. The concept of visual balance is one that grows with experience. Some artists intentionally create works that are not balanced. Students should continue to examine how artists use balance to achieve different expressive qualities and how balance can be affected by placement of objects, use of colour, direction of line, use of pattern, etc. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Rhythm is one of the most accessible principles of design because life is full of rhythmic images, events, sounds, etc. Students will make connections between rhythm in other disciplines and visual art. Through this study, they will begin to understand that visual rhythms are often created through repetition and that the way the images are arranged or presented can imply meaning or express ideas and feelings. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Emphasis is the principle of design that causes one element or area of a work of art to be more important than the other parts. This part is usually called the focal point. The sequence in which the viewer sees the parts of a work of art and the relative importance of each are controlled by emphasis. Contrast, isolation, location, convergence and the unusual can all be used to create emphasis. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Variety is a principle that artists use when they want to add interest to works of art, designs, advertisements, etc. It is important to point out that an art work does not have to have variety to be interesting. Some works are interesting in their simplicity. Variety is simply one thing an artist can think about when planning and creating. Some artists want to create works with various and complex relationships in them. To these artists, variety would be an important principle of design. Variety can refer to elements of art, such as colour and texture. Variety can also refer to the subject matter of a work of art. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Contrast is another principle artists can use to emphasize, to provide variety and interest, or to create a certain feeling in the work. High contrast (black and white, for example) serves to emphasize differences. Low contrast (two shades of grey, for example) serves to de-emphasize differences. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Proportion is the principle of design that deals with the size relationship of one part to another. Many artists use the correct proportions to depict realistic works, while other artists exaggerate and distort to express moods and experiences. Scale refers to the size relationship between an object and a standard reference, such as the human body. Scale of an object can be from minute to monumental, or scale of an object within a design can be correct or exaggerated depending on the intention of the artist. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Harmony refers to ways similarities in a work are accented to create an uncomplicated, uniform appearance. For example, the use of similar colours would create a harmonious effect. Harmony can also be achieved through organization of images, colour (monochromatic or analogous), shape (repetition of related shapes), and space (equal space between objects). Note that work does not have to be harmonious. Some works are interesting because of the artist's deliberate creation of a chaotic effect. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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Unity is perhaps the most important of the principles and the most difficult to define. If there were one statement a person could use to explain why many different kinds of art works are good art works, he or she might say, "Because they have unity". Unity is the principle of design in which all the separate parts work together to make a complete whole. The elements, ideas, principles and media are combined in such a way that all are essential to the product. Students at the Secondary Level should:
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