The Arts · Grade 10 · Dance and Movement Studies · Term 3

The Elements of Dance: Space

Breaking down movement into space, time, force, and body alignment, focusing on spatial awareness.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• DA:Cr1.1.HSII
• DA:Re7.1.HSII

About This Topic

The elements of dance, Body, Space, Time, and Energy (often remembered by the acronym BASTE), are the building blocks of all movement. In Grade 10, students move beyond learning steps to understanding how to manipulate these elements to create meaning. They explore how a dancer's use of 'negative space' can communicate isolation, or how a shift in 'energy' from sharp to fluid can change the entire mood of a sequence.

This topic is the foundation of the Creating, Presenting, and Performing strand of the Ontario Dance curriculum. By mastering these elements, students develop a vocabulary for both creating their own choreography and analyzing the work of others. This topic is inherently physical and benefits from a 'movement lab' approach where students can experiment with different ways of moving and receive immediate feedback from their peers.

Key Questions

1. How does a dancer's use of negative space communicate isolation or connection?
2. In what ways does the speed of a movement sequence alter its perceived meaning?
3. How can tension and release in the body be used to tell a story without words?

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how a dancer's manipulation of spatial pathways (e.g., straight, curved, zigzag) impacts the audience's interpretation of the movement's intent.
• Compare and contrast the use of personal space and general space by two different choreographers in recorded dance performances.
• Create a short dance phrase that explicitly communicates a feeling of confinement using only variations in level and direction.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of negative space in a solo performance to convey a theme of loneliness or community.
• Explain how the size and shape of the space occupied by a dancer can alter the perceived emotional weight of a gesture.

Before You Start

Introduction to Movement Qualities

Why: Students need a basic understanding of different movement qualities (e.g., sharp, smooth) to later connect them with spatial elements.

Body Awareness and Basic Locomotor Skills

Why: A foundational understanding of how the body moves through space (walking, running, jumping) is necessary before exploring more complex spatial concepts.

Key Vocabulary

Personal Space	The area immediately surrounding a dancer's body, which they can reach without changing their location.
General Space	The entire performance area, including the floor, walls, and the air above the stage.
Pathway	The pattern traced by a dancer's movement through space, which can be direct, indirect, straight, curved, or zigzag.
Level	The vertical distance of movement from the floor, ranging from low (on the floor) to medium (standing) to high (jumping or reaching).
Direction	The orientation of movement in space, such as forward, backward, sideways, upward, or downward.
Focus	The dancer's gaze and the direction of their attention, which can guide the audience's focus and communicate intention.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Dance is just about 'doing the steps' correctly.

What to Teach Instead

Many students focus on technical perfection. Through 'energy' exercises, they learn that *how* you move (the quality of the movement) is often more important for communicating a story than *what* step you are doing.

Common Misconception

You need a big stage to 'do' dance.

What to Teach Instead

Students often feel limited by their physical environment. By exploring 'negative space' and 'near-reach' movements, they learn that powerful dance can happen in very small spaces and that the space *around* the body is just as important as the body itself.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Space Explorer

Students are given a 'pathway' (e.g., zigzag, circular, or direct) and a 'level' (high, medium, or low). They must move across the room using only those constraints. Peers observe and discuss how the different combinations of space and level change the 'character' of the movement.

30 min·Individual

Inquiry Circle: The Energy Relay

In small groups, students must pass a 'movement' down a line. The first person starts with a 'sharp' energy, the second must transform it into 'fluid,' the third into 'heavy,' and so on. They then discuss which transformations were the most difficult and why.

25 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: Time and Tension

Pairs are given a 10-second movement sequence. They must perform it three times: once in 'fast-forward,' once in 'slow-motion,' and once with 'sudden stops.' They then discuss with another pair how the change in 'time' altered the emotional tension of the dance.

20 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Set designers for theatre and film use principles of spatial design to create environments that enhance storytelling and character development, influencing audience perception of mood and relationships.
• Urban planners and architects consider how people move through and interact with public spaces, designing plazas and pathways that encourage or discourage specific types of social engagement.
• Video game designers meticulously craft virtual environments, using spatial elements like level design and character movement mechanics to guide player experience and convey narrative.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with short video clips of dance. Ask them to identify and write down: one example of the dancer using personal space, one example of general space being utilized, and the primary direction of movement in each clip.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'How does a dancer's choice to move close to the floor versus high in the air change the story being told?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to reference specific movements and their potential meanings.

Exit Ticket

Students will respond to the prompt: 'Describe one way a choreographer could use pathways to make a dance feel urgent versus calm.' They should provide at least two distinct examples.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can active learning help students understand the elements of dance?

Dance cannot be learned from a textbook. Active learning strategies like 'The Energy Relay' or 'Space Explorer' allow students to feel the elements in their own bodies. This physical 'embodied learning' helps them understand the nuances of movement, like the difference between 'sustained' and 'percussive' energy, much more deeply than just watching a video. It also builds the confidence they need to start creating their own original choreography.

What does 'negative space' mean in dance?

Negative space is the empty space around and between dancers. A choreographer can use this space to create interesting shapes or to show the relationship between performers (e.g., a large gap might show emotional distance).

How do I teach 'energy' to students who aren't 'dancers'?

Use everyday metaphors. Ask them to move like they are walking through honey (heavy/sustained) versus walking on hot coals (light/percussive). This helps them find the different 'qualities' of movement without getting bogged down in technical dance terminology.

Why is 'alignment' important in Grade 10 dance?

Alignment is about how the parts of the body are stacked (head over shoulders, shoulders over hips). Good alignment is crucial for preventing injury and for allowing the dancer to move with more efficiency and grace. It's the 'safety' element of dance.