Tips for using visual design in dance choreography

1. Visual Design
“As you view your choreography imagine it as a painting or a series of painting
enclosed in a frame. Onstage, the picture frame is already in place in the shape of
the proscenium arch which surrounds the stage, Dancers are colour lines and
shapes in your painting. You must decide if everything fits together in the painting, to
make up the total picture”.
. Design in choreography uses visual elements in two specific ways:
1. Body shapes and movement
 The dancer/dancer body shape is curved, angular straight or twisted
 The Dancers pathways move through space on a diagonal. In a straight line, in
a straight, zig zag or spiral shape or circular pattern
 Visual designs are either symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical shapes are
balanced so that each side mirror the other. Asymmetrical shapes and
formations are unbalanced, unequal and different on either side.
2. Symbolism in Dance movement takes three forms:
 Representational movement and gestures which presents literal meanings.
 Abstraction takes the essence of a literal movement and gives it symbolic
meanings.
 Distortion alters the shape or movement, the intent and the meaning of the
movement or gesture.
The spatial relationship of dancers adds another dimension to choreography.
Relationships that dancers create with each other and with theatrical props and sets
to contribute to visual design, How the group performs the movement is an equally
important factor.
 Unison movement occurs when all the dancers perform the same movement
together. This type of performance is particularly powerful with many dancers
whose movements are synchronized so they seem to all move and breathe as
one dancer.
 Sequential movements travel through a body or bodies in a logical sequence.
For example, in modern dance a roll down begins in the standing position and
with the head relaxed forward, followed by the neck, rolling through the spine
one vertebra at a time continuing down until the upper body hangs from the
hips.
 Successional movement is like sequential movement, one movement is
performed after another in a domino effect. An example of this is a wave like
movement through a group of dancers.

2.  Oppositional movement and complimentary relationships add variety to
choreographic structures. Oppositional movement refers to shapes,
movement and dynamic and rhythmic elements that oppose each other. For
example, one person moves slowly while another person runs around the
other person quickly. Another example is one person is a t a low level while
another person Is at a high level. An example of complementary movement is
a dancer performing the same movement as another dancer but on the
opposite side.
Choreographic Relationships
Choreographic relationships of a dancers include the following:
 A solo is a dance for
one dancer
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BY-SA

3.  A duet is a dance for
two dancers
 A large group has 5 or
more people
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NC
This Photo byUnknown Author is licensedunder CCBY

4. Choreographic Devices
Choreographic devices are ways to manipulate motifs, movements and movement
themes. Within Choreographic structures is the subject matter of movement theme
or dance. The simplest form is the recurring motif or smallest repeated element of
movement that unites the parts of a dance. Movement themes are similar to musical
themes on their development and use of contrasting components. Movements and
movement themes are linked by transitions that use movement logic, such as
organic transitions that grow out of the movement into another and connect one
movement theme to the next. Movement themes develop using, musical, dramatic
or other structures. The result is a dance in which movement themes in develop in
relation to or in counterpoint to the music, with transitions that logically lead the
audience from a beginning, through a middle, and to an end in the choreographic
work. Movement themes can be manipulated in many ways within the structure of
the dance.
Such as:
 Repeat the movement in the same manner.
 Reverse the movement sequence start with the last and ending with the first (
 Alter the movement by one or more of the following devices:
 Adding or subtracting form the original movement in a variety of ways.
Performing it in place or while moving through space. (Adding a movement
by integrating a jump, leap or turn into it: subtracting and simplifying
movement by removing embellishments from the original movement
sequence.)
 Have dancers face different corners or walls while they perform the
movement.
See others from the way ways resource on motif development.