The Arts · Grade 5 · The Body in Motion · Term 2

Energy and Effort in Movement

Exploring the qualities of movement, such as sustained, percussive, or fluid, to express different intentions.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• D1.2

About This Topic

Energy and Effort (often called 'Movement Quality') is about the *how* of dance. In Grade 5, students move beyond just 'doing the steps' to exploring the quality of their movements: is it sharp and percussive, or smooth and sustained? The Ontario Curriculum asks students to use these qualities to express specific intentions or feelings. For example, a 'heavy' movement might show a character's burden, while a 'vibrating' movement might show excitement or fear.

Understanding energy helps students become more expressive performers and more perceptive viewers. It allows them to see the difference between a movement that is 'thrown' and one that is 'placed.' This topic is best taught through contrast and experimentation, allowing students to feel the physical difference in their muscles when they change their effort.

Key Questions

1. Analyze how changing the speed of a movement alters its meaning.
2. Explain what it feels like in your body to make a strong, forceful movement compared to a light, gentle one.
3. Demonstrate a movement sequence that shows a clear contrast between sustained, smooth energy and sudden, sharp energy.

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate contrasting movement qualities, such as sustained versus percussive, to convey different emotional states.
• Analyze how changes in movement speed and force affect the audience's interpretation of intent.
• Compare the physical sensations of executing movements with strong, forceful energy versus light, gentle energy.
• Create a short movement sequence that clearly illustrates the difference between fluid and sharp movement qualities.

Before You Start

Exploring Body Awareness and Spatial Awareness

Why: Students need to be comfortable exploring their body's capabilities and its relationship to space before focusing on the qualities of their movement.

Basic Movement Exploration (Locomotor and Non-locomotor)

Why: A foundational understanding of how to move the body in different ways is necessary to then explore the qualities of those movements.

Key Vocabulary

Sustained Energy	Movement that is smooth, continuous, and controlled, often feeling fluid or flowing.
Percussive Energy	Movement that is sudden, sharp, and often involves a clear beginning and end, feeling abrupt or forceful.
Fluid Movement	A type of sustained movement that flows seamlessly from one part of the body to another, like water.
Sharp Movement	A type of percussive movement characterized by clear, defined edges and sudden changes in direction or speed.
Force	The strength or energy with which a movement is made, ranging from light and gentle to strong and powerful.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Heavy movement means stomping loudly.

What to Teach Instead

Students often equate 'heavy' with 'noisy.' Teach them that 'heavy' energy is about 'weight' and 'resistance' in the muscles, which can actually be done very quietly, like moving through thick honey.

Common Misconception

Fast movement is always 'better' or more 'energetic.'

What to Teach Instead

Students may rush through movements. Use a slow-motion challenge to show that 'sustained' energy requires more control and can be even more 'intense' than fast movement.

Active Learning Ideas

Stations Rotation: The Four Energies

Set up four stations: 'Float' (slow/light), 'Punch' (fast/heavy), 'Glide' (slow/heavy), and 'Flick' (fast/light). Students spend 5 minutes at each station trying to move across the floor using only that specific energy.

30 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: Animal Energies

Students choose an animal and identify its primary 'energy' (e.g., a snake is sustained/fluid). They demonstrate the movement to a partner, who must guess the energy type before guessing the animal.

15 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: The Energy Relay

In a line, the first student performs a simple gesture (like a wave) with a specific energy. The next student must 'catch' that energy and pass it on, keeping the quality consistent all the way to the end of the line.

20 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Choreographers for professional dance companies, like the National Ballet of Canada, use variations in energy and effort to tell stories and evoke specific emotions in their performances.
• Actors in theatre productions, such as those at the Stratford Festival, employ changes in movement quality to embody different characters and convey their internal states to the audience.
• Martial arts instructors teach students to control the percussive energy in strikes and the sustained energy in blocks, demonstrating how different qualities have distinct applications and effects.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Ask students to stand and demonstrate a 'strong, heavy' movement, then immediately transition to a 'light, floating' movement. Observe for clear contrasts in their use of force and speed.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a robot trying to pick up a delicate flower versus a robot trying to smash a wall. How would the energy and effort in your movements be different?' Guide students to use vocabulary like sustained, percussive, strong, and light.

Exit Ticket

Provide students with two scenarios: 1) A character who is very sad and tired. 2) A character who is very angry and excited. Ask them to write one sentence describing the movement quality (e.g., sustained, percussive, fluid, sharp) they would use for each scenario and why.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can active learning help students understand energy and effort?

Energy is a physical sensation. By using 'Station Rotations' to isolate different qualities, students develop a 'physical vocabulary.' They learn to recognize how their body feels when it resists gravity versus when it yields to it. This hands-on experimentation makes the abstract concept of 'artistic intention' something they can actually feel in their own limbs.

What is 'Laben Movement Analysis'?

It's a system for describing movement. In Grade 5, we simplify this into four main categories: Space (direct/indirect), Time (sudden/sustained), Weight (heavy/light), and Flow (bound/free).

How do I assess movement quality?

Look for 'commitment' to the quality. If a student is supposed to be 'floating,' are they maintaining that lightness through their fingertips and gaze, or are they just moving slowly?

Can we use props to teach energy?

Yes! Scarves are great for 'sustained' and 'light' energy, while rhythmic sticks can help students find 'percussive' and 'heavy' energy.