Choreographic Forms in Dance PDF

CHOREOGRAPHIC FORMS IN DANCE  Selecting the structure which best expresses the dance idea is fundamental. Dance and music closely resemble in so many ways. It is not surprising that they follow similar forms. The shape of a dance or a piece of choreography is based on common musical...

CHOREOGRAPHIC FORMS IN DANCE  Selecting the structure which best expresses the dance idea is fundamental. Dance and music closely resemble in so many ways. It is not surprising that they follow similar forms. The shape of a dance or a piece of choreography is based on common musical forms. These compositional forms are traditional frameworks which have set patterns categorized as sequential, contrapuntal, episodic, and other compositional forms. CHOREOGRAPHIC FORMS Sequential Forms These forms contain themes/motif which progress in a specific order. They are arranged accordingly.  It is the simplest of the sequential forms and is similar to a verse and a chorus of a song. It is binary form with two contrasting sections consisting of a beginning section (A) a. AB followed by a second section (B). Each (two-part) section contains elements that contrast in Form tone or quality. Examples of which are light and dark, huge and tiny, love and hate. This form is commonly used in many folk dances and songs. b. ABA (three-part) Form Composed of introductory theme (A), a contrasting theme (B), and a restatement of the original theme (A). (A) is the unifying theme as an exact repetition or in an easily recognizable variation or development. Most popular songs use this form where there is chorus (A), a verse (B) and repetition of the chorus (A), which is often somewhat elaborated to highlight the idea of the song.  In this for, the unifying theme (A) returns after every contrasting section at least three times, but it can itself be varied. It can be described as c. Rondo Form ABACADAEAFA development of (ABACA) movement idea.. Here, sections (B), (D), (E), (F) are the contrasting themes while (A) is constantly repeated every after each section. d. Theme and Variations form This motif is a series of movements to which variations are added throughout the development of the entire choreography. The motif/theme can be a single phrase, or several movement phrases placed together in a sequence. The order of the movements is kept the same all throughout the variations. It can take the form of subtle adjustments in dynamics, space, style, mood, and tempo.  Here, several themes are woven Contrapuntal together in choreography to form a Forms complex structure. The main theme is seen against itself or against one or more other themes. There four contrapuntal forms of dance.  A single theme starts the dance and is repeated all the way through the dance while other contrasting themes are simultaneously performed with it. This form is best done in a group working either in contrast to each other or against a soloist. The repeated theme can be a. Ground performed by a group while a soloist or a smaller group Bass dances the other theme with more complex combinations of movements. It can also be performed in a circle wherein the dancers in a circle perform the repeated theme while the soloist or smaller group in the center performs the contrasting theme b. Round or Canon This consists of two or more movement phrases or theme in which the main movement phrases is imitated exactly and completely by the successive movements but done in staggered manner. For instance, the first dancer performs the theme, the second dancer enters at the end of the first half-phrase, the third enters at the start of the second phrase, and the fourth enters on the half of the second phrase. The round ends in the same order as the last dancer finishes off the movement or theme.  A choreographic form that is constructed by adding on different movement or dance phrases in every c. Fugue or repetition of the main movement Accumulation theme. The movement phrases or the motif can be developed by reversing, inverting, augmenting, or diminishing throughout the dance.  Every section of the dance use different tempos and qualities. d. Suite Commonly, it has a moderate beginning, a slow middle section, and a fast and lively end section.  Episodic forms are not musical forms; instead, they are found in literature. They tell a story through connected and progressive Episodic sections called episodes. Narrative form is an Form episodic form that tells a story or conveys an idea, and the sequence of the story determines the structure of the dance. As in all good soap operas, each section or chapter reveals more of the plot and has its own interest, variations, and contrast. Classical ballet often uses this form.  Natural Structures – mostly come from natural structures such as the seasons, life cycles, and everyday life experiences. All these present rich materials for organic Other dance structure. Compositional Collage – consists of “a series of Forms movement phrases that are often unrelated but have been brought together to create a single dance with a beginning, a middle, and an end”. The overall from remain a whole even though the content may be illogical. Other Compositional Forms Tableau – different movement phrases are performed dancers simultaneously in the same space. The dancers may execute a tableau at a different location on the stage and connect transitional movements for each scene to produce a progression of moving snapshots. Chance – the movement phrases are performed in random order and spatial placing. Every time the dance is performed, it is done in different order and therefore has a different appearance. Originally, the dance phrases were arranged by tossing coins to decide on choices and the order of performance, hence, coming from the word by chance.