Jan 29 / The Body: Shapes in Motion


 

Unit: The Body

Theme: Body Shapes

 

I

Introduction

Body shapes, as a tool of improv dance, is one of the easiest ways of creating movement vocabulary. Today we will cover different ideas to generate body shapes at random.The idea is that the dancer does not stop generating dance movement since all dance is a non-stop sequence shapes.


II 

Learning Objectives

 

  • Understand the connection between body and shapes
  • Explain the creative process involved when using geometric, gestural and other abstract shapes
  • Gain awareness of the use of movement to transition from shape to shape
  • Experience ensemble movement when integrating multiple shapes
  • Reflect on the creative process at the end of the process

 

III


Warm Up

 Stretching

 

IV 

Main Lesson

 

1

 Body Storming

 

2

Videos 

 



SHAPES
 

 
Question 1
 
Write your reflections on the above videos.
 
 3


There are 5 Basic Body Shapes:

WIDE

NARROW

ANGULAR

ROUND

TWISTED

COMBINED

ANGULAR LEGS / WIDE ARMS

NARROW ARMS WITH ANGULAR LEGS

WIDE ANGULAR AND ROUND

ANGULAR AND WIDE
 
Question 2
 
When thinking about these shapes listed above, which are your favorite shapes and why?
 

 4
Body shapes are present in all actions in dance. Shapes in dance convey meaning. There are many types of shapes: shapes with straight lines and angles • curving or organic shapes • open and closed shapes • symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes • harmonious and contrasting shapes • centered and off-centre shapes.
 
Question 3

Which shapes mentioned above do you relate to in dance? Explain.
 
 5
 
 (Page 36 / second column first paragraph)


V

Case Study
 
Gillian Rhodes
 
Gillian Rhodes is an American performing artist and storyteller. She graduated with a degree in dance from Columbia University and has since spent ten years performing, teaching, and choreographing across Asia, in Cambodia, South Korea, and now Pakistan.
 

Basic Improvisation Score and Examples: Shapes

 

"An improvisation score is a set of rules that you set to help you know what to do while improvising. In this series I'm giving you some examples of scores and what they might look like. Your goal should not be to copy these movements, but see how I am using the prompt of shapes in a variety of ways. Then, you can try to find your own ways of creating shapes with your body. Circles and squares are the easiest, you can also add lines and angles." Gillian Rhodes

 

 VI


Activities

 1
 
Solo & Ensemble

Choose the shapes that are most significant to you and create a score in which you use new movements phrases.

Dance the phrase to a piece of music of your choice.

-------------------- 


2
Exploration of shapes by progressively moving feet, arms and other body parts tracing the shape of circles, squares, triangles and lines.

Individual explorations and group explorations.
 
Moving with music.

3
 
Embodying shapes as the body moves across the room. Work individually and in groups. Whole group moves like a cluster.
Moving with music.
 

Music




VII

 Journaling

 

VIII

Glossary

 

IX

Sources

 

X

Students' Work

Make Up

Oriana Davila
 
  1. Write your reflections on the above videos.

 Body shapes in dance are vital for expressing emotions, creating visual impact, maintaining precision, exploring movement dynamics, and enhancing musicality. They help dancers communicate with the audience, execute choreography safely, and create compelling performances.

  1. When thinking about these shapes listed above, which are your favorite shapes and why?

 

My favorite shape I will say it could be the round shape since I feel a lot of my movements when I represent what I’m feeling could be more in a round shape, also I feel it could be because I’m not that comfortable showing what I think or what I’m feeling, and that shape makes me feel secured.

 

  1. Which shapes mentioned above do you relate to in dance? Explain.

I feel I relate to curving or organic shapes since I let my body move the way it wants, and it shows in an organic way what’s in my head. I feel I can be more freely with my movements. 

 

CLASS

 Tusca Mahmoudpour

Today we worked on shapes withinn our movements. I felt that I was one with my shape and I was learning to move in different ways to create certain shapes. 


Delaney Brown
 
I liked todays class because I felt free and loose to do whatever movement my body wanted to. It was fun to create shapes with my body.
 
 
 
Delaney Brown
 
I liked todays class because I felt free and loose to do whatever movement my body wanted to. It was fun to create shapes with my body

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