Movement and Choreography · Term 2

Elements of Dance: Space and Time

Analyzing how dancers use levels, directions, and tempo to create visual interest and meaning.

About This Topic

Elements of Dance: Space and Time focuses on the 'where' and 'when' of movement. In the Ontario Dance curriculum, Grade 6 students analyze how dancers use levels (high, medium, low), directions (forward, backward, diagonal), and floor patterns to create visual meaning. They also explore tempo and rhythm, learning how a change in speed can shift the energy of a performance from frantic to calm. Understanding these elements allows students to move beyond 'just dancing' to intentional choreography.

By manipulating space, students learn how to command an audience's attention and communicate relationships between dancers. For example, two dancers moving in unison across a diagonal line create a different feeling than two dancers circling each other at different levels. This topic comes alive when students can physically model these concepts in an open space, using their bodies to 'draw' shapes and patterns in the air and on the floor.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how changes in tempo affect the emotional impact and energy of a dance phrase.
• Compare the visual effects of dancers moving at high, medium, and low levels within a choreographed sequence.
• Explain how different floor patterns, such as straight lines or circles, influence the perception of group cohesion.
• Design a short dance phrase that clearly demonstrates the use of contrasting tempos and spatial directions.
• Critique a recorded dance performance, identifying specific uses of space and time elements to convey meaning.

Before You Start

Basic Body Awareness and Movement

Why: Students need a foundational understanding of how their bodies move in space before they can analyze or manipulate specific elements like levels and directions.

Introduction to Rhythm and Beat

Why: Understanding a steady beat is necessary before students can explore variations in tempo (speeding up or slowing down).

Key Vocabulary

Tempo	The speed at which a dance movement is performed. It can be fast, slow, or moderate, affecting the energy and mood.
Levels	The vertical distance of movement from the floor. Dancers can move high (e.g., on pointe, jumps), medium (e.g., standing), or low (e.g., on the floor, crouching).
Direction	The path a dancer travels through space. This includes forward, backward, sideways, diagonal, and turning movements.
Floor Pattern	The shape or pathway a dancer or group of dancers creates on the stage or dance floor as they move.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: The Human Maze

Groups are given a specific floor pattern (like a zig-zag or a spiral). They must create a 32-count movement sequence that follows this pattern while incorporating at least three different levels (high, medium, low).

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Stations Rotation: Tempo Transitions

Set up stations with different music tracks (very slow, medium, very fast). At each station, students must perform the same simple gesture (like reaching for a star) but adapt its 'energy' to match the tempo of the music.

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Gallery Walk: Shadow Shapes

One half of the class creates 'frozen' group shapes at different levels. The other half walks through the 'gallery,' identifying which shapes feel 'heavy' or 'light' based on the levels and space used.

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Generate mission

Real-World Connections

Choreographers for musical theatre productions, like those on Broadway, meticulously plan how dancers will use space and time to tell a story and create dramatic effect during a show.

Sports commentators often describe athletes' movements using terms related to space and time, such as a basketball player's 'quick crossover' (tempo and direction) or a figure skater's 'graceful spiral' (level and shape).

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Dance is only about the steps you do with your feet.

What to Teach Instead

Dance involves the whole body and the space around it. Use a 'seated dance' activity where students can only move their torso and arms to show how levels and directions can be expressed without taking a single step.

Common Misconception

Moving fast is always more 'exciting' than moving slowly.

What to Teach Instead

Slow movement can actually be more intense because it requires more control and focus. Use a 'slow-motion race' to show students how much strength and 'presence' is needed to move slowly and deliberately.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with short video clips of dance. Ask them to jot down one observation about the tempo used and one observation about the levels dancers employed in each clip.

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a prompt: 'Imagine you are choreographing a dance about a race. Write two sentences explaining how you would use tempo and floor patterns to show the start of the race and then the finish.'

Peer Assessment

In small groups, students perform a simple 8-count movement sequence. After each performance, group members provide feedback using sentence starters: 'I noticed the tempo was...' and 'The floor pattern looked like...'

Frequently Asked Questions

What are 'levels' in dance?

Levels refer to the height of the dancer's body. High level is reaching or jumping; medium level is standing or walking; low level is crouching, crawling, or lying on the floor. Using different levels makes choreography more visually interesting.

How can active learning help students understand dance elements?

Dance cannot be learned by watching alone. Active learning strategies like 'movement puzzles' or collaborative choreography allow students to feel the physical difference between a 'narrow' and 'wide' use of space. By experimenting with their own bodies, they internalize the concepts of tempo and level, making them much more likely to use these elements creatively in their own work.

What is 'tempo' in dance?

Tempo is the speed of the music or the movement. It can be fast, slow, or changing (accelerating or decelerating). Tempo is a powerful tool for changing the mood or energy of a dance piece.

How do floor patterns affect a dance?

Floor patterns are the paths a dancer takes across the stage. Straight lines can feel direct and strong, while curved lines might feel soft or wandering. Patterns help tell the story of where the dancer is going and why.