The Arts · Grade 7 · Movement and Meaning · Term 4

Choreographic Structures: Repetition and Contrast

Techniques for creating original sequences using repetition, contrast, and transition.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• DA:Cr2.1.7a

About This Topic

Choreographic structures such as repetition and contrast enable Grade 7 students to build original dance sequences that convey clear meaning. Repetition repeats a gesture or motif to emphasize its significance, helping audiences grasp the choreographer's intent. Contrast pairs opposing qualities, like quick and sustained movements or curved and angular pathways, to create dynamic interest. Transitions connect these elements through smooth flows or abrupt shifts, ensuring the sequence feels cohesive. This topic supports Ontario's Grade 7 Dance curriculum expectation DA:Cr2.1.7a, where students demonstrate techniques for developing and refining creative ideas in movement.

Key questions guide exploration: how repetition clarifies a gesture's meaning, what makes transitions seamless, and how symmetry projects order. Symmetry uses balanced repetition across the body or space to evoke stability. Students practice manipulating time, space, body, and energy, fostering skills in composition and expression essential for later arts learning.

Active learning benefits this topic greatly. Students internalize structures by physically creating and performing phrases, receiving instant peer feedback on impact. Collaborative refinement turns trial-and-error into shared insight, while video playback helps analyze choices objectively. These hands-on methods make abstract concepts concrete and boost confidence in choreography.

Key Questions

1. How does repeating a specific gesture clarify its meaning for the audience?
2. What makes a transition between two movements feel seamless?
3. How can a choreographer use symmetry to project a sense of order?

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate the use of repetition to emphasize a specific movement motif within a 16-count phrase.
• Compare and contrast two distinct movement qualities (e.g., sharp vs. sustained) when transitioning between two established phrases.
• Create an 8-count movement sequence that incorporates at least one instance of symmetry.
• Analyze how the use of contrast affects the overall energy and intention of a short dance phrase.
• Explain the function of a transition in connecting two contrasting movement ideas.

Before You Start

Basic Movement Qualities and Elements

Why: Students need to understand fundamental concepts like space, time, and energy to manipulate them for choreographic structures.

Developing Movement Sequences

Why: Prior experience creating short movement phrases provides a foundation for applying structural concepts like repetition and contrast.

Key Vocabulary

motif	A short, recurring phrase or gesture that is developed and repeated within a dance.
repetition	The act of repeating a movement, gesture, or phrase to reinforce its meaning or impact.
contrast	The juxtaposition of opposing movement qualities, energies, or shapes to create interest and highlight differences.
transition	The movement or connection used to move smoothly or abruptly from one movement or phrase to another.
symmetry	Balanced arrangement of movement on either side of a central axis, creating a sense of order or stability.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Repetition makes dances boring.

What to Teach Instead

Repetition strengthens meaning and builds emotional intensity when varied in speed or size. Peer performances show students how audiences connect more deeply, shifting views through shared viewing and discussion.

Common Misconception

Contrast means random opposite movements.

What to Teach Instead

Contrast requires intentional opposition to heighten drama or surprise. Group creation tasks reveal purpose when students test pairs and vote on effectiveness, clarifying structure over chaos.

Common Misconception

Transitions must always be smooth.

What to Teach Instead

Transitions can be sharp cuts for impact or gradual merges for flow. Video analysis in pairs helps students see both effects on audience flow, correcting the smooth-only assumption.

Active Learning Ideas

Pairs: Repetition Mirror Game

Partners face each other; one leads by repeating a gesture three times with variations in level or direction, the other mirrors exactly. Switch roles after one minute, then discuss how repetition built emphasis. Combine into a paired sequence.

20 min·Pairs

Small Groups: Contrast Phrase Builder

In groups of four, brainstorm two contrasting motifs, such as sharp versus fluid. Create a four-part phrase alternating them with transitions. Perform for the group, noting audience reactions, then revise based on feedback.

30 min·Small Groups

Whole Class: Symmetry Circle

Form a circle; teacher models a symmetrical gesture repeated on both sides of the body. Students replicate, then add contrast by breaking symmetry. Perform as a group wave around the circle, observing order created.

25 min·Whole Class

Individual: Transition Improv

Students solo improvise a sequence starting with repetition, inserting contrast, and experimenting with two transition types: blend or cut. Record on phone, self-assess seamlessness against a checklist.

15 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Film choreographers use repetition and contrast to build character and convey emotion in action sequences or dance numbers, such as in the fight scenes of 'The Matrix' or the musical numbers in 'La La Land'.
• Athletic coaches employ principles of repetition and contrast in training drills to improve athletes' technique and responsiveness, for example, practicing a specific dribbling move (repetition) followed by a sudden change of direction (contrast).

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Ask students to create a 4-count phrase using a specific gesture. Then, instruct them to repeat it once, followed by a contrasting movement for 4 counts. Observe if students can accurately apply both repetition and contrast.

Peer Assessment

In small groups, have students perform a short sequence incorporating repetition and contrast. Provide a checklist for observers: 'Did you see clear repetition? Was the contrast evident? Was the transition between them clear?' Students provide one specific suggestion for improvement.

Exit Ticket

Students write down one movement they performed today that used repetition and explain why it was repeated. Then, they describe a contrasting movement they could add and how it would change the phrase's feeling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I teach repetition and contrast in Grade 7 dance?

Start with simple motifs: repeat a gesture while varying dynamics, then pair with its opposite for contrast. Use mirrors or partners for immediate visual feedback. Guide students to link via transitions, aligning with DA:Cr2.1.7a. Short performances let them refine based on peer input, building choreographic intent.

What makes a dance transition seamless?

Seamless transitions use shared energy, like extending an arm's curve into the next spin, or matching pathways. Practice blending repetition into contrast through slow-motion trials. Students identify success when the flow feels inevitable, not forced, enhancing overall sequence coherence.

How can active learning help teach choreographic structures?

Active approaches like paired mirroring and group phrase-building let students embody repetition, contrast, and transitions physically. They experiment, perform, and critique in real time, gaining kinesthetic understanding. Peer feedback and revisions make concepts stick, as students see direct effects on meaning and audience response, far beyond verbal explanation.

How does symmetry create order in choreography?

Symmetry mirrors actions across the body's midline or space, using repetition for balance. It projects calm and structure, contrasting with asymmetry's tension. Have students build symmetric phrases, perform in formation, and reflect on visual impact to connect technique to expressive goals.