Minds On
Today’s vocabulary
Press the following tabs to access today’s vocabulary.
Symbols, shapes, and lines that represent body position and movement. These are invented visuals used to plan, map, or record movement, as opposed to formal forms of dance notation. The following are some examples.
- movement notation
- pathway notation
- position notation
An inspiration for creating a dance phrase or piece (e.g., a story, theme, idea, or object).
Let’s get started!
Let’s explore this video entitled “Bessie Smith – Back Water Blues” to learn more about how music can be a stimulus for dance.
Record your initial impression of the music using a method of your choice.
Action
Get ready, get set…
Task 1: Creating a dance map
Let’s revisit the song you explored in the Minds On section.
Consider the relationship between music and visual art, using the following elements of dance chart as a guide.
| Dance | Music | Visual Art |
|---|---|---|
| BODY | ||
| Locomotor movement | moving notes, how movement is created in music | elements that create movement e.g., texture, tints, and shades, changing visual focal points, emphasis |
| Body shape | tonal shape, dynamic shape | shape 2D, 3D |
| SPACE | ||
| Level | pitch | foreground, background, placement of elements in a piece |
| Size of movement | dynamics | size of shapes |
| Direction | melodic direction | focal points, where the audience’s eyes travel, emphasis, the direction of lines |
| Pathway (in the air, or through general space) | related to the melodic direction | line: outline, contour, silhouette, various line types (straight, curvy, etc.) |
| TIME | ||
| Tempo (fast and slow, etc.), speed of movement | allegro, adagio, ritardando | related to rhythm and movement in a piece, intensity, speed of brushstrokes |
| Freeze - cessation of movement which holds a position in space | rests | blank space |
| Accent - using movement to show emphasis | symbols for staccato, accent | creating visual accents, emphasis |
| ENERGY | ||
| Force | dynamics, accents | creation of line, use of accent and contrast to create a feeling of force |
| Effort | timbre | pressure |
| Quality of movement | dynamics | value - relative lightness or darkness of a color, shades, and tints |
We can respond to the music using lines, shapes, and/or colours. For example, a line travelling in an upwards diagonal could indicate an increase in the pitch of the song. The length of the line might relate to the articulation or duration of a note. Different colours can evoke different feelings or moods. For example, cool colours like dark blue or purple could represent notes at a lower pitch.
The following is an example of a response to the “Back Water Blues”, using lines, shapes, and colours.
An image titled, “My Dance Map”. The name of the song for which the map is made is called, “Back Water Blues”. On the left side of the page is a curved, pink line. It has 4 distinct loops. Then there is a dark blue line that starts straight, rises up into a curve, and then dips down to end in a straight line that is lower than the starting line. The next line is a collection of 6 orange arrows all pointing upwards but sticking out in slightly different directions. The last line is a repetition of the second line.
Portfolio
Portfolio
Create your own response to the “Back Water Blues”.
Complete My Dance Map in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. Consider adding your work to your dance portfolio.
| Name of Song: |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access My Dance Map.
What do you notice about your dance map? Do you notice you used or repeated particular lines, shapes or colours? Which elements of visual arts did you find most useful when trying to map out your thinking? Were there elements you didn’t use? Explain your thinking. Record your ideas using a method of your choice.
Go!
Task 2: Interpreting the dance map
Revisit the dance map you created.
Consider how your response to the music might be used as dance notation and be translated into movement. Use the anchor chart to support your thinking.
Press ‘Dance Elements Chart’ to access the chart that shows relationships between art and music.
| Dance | Music | Visual Art |
|---|---|---|
| BODY | ||
| Locomotor movement | moving notes, how movement is created in music | elements that create movement e.g., texture, tints, and shades, changing visual focal points, emphasis |
| Body shape | tonal shape, dynamic shape | shape 2D, 3D |
| SPACE | ||
| Level | pitch | foreground, background, placement of elements in a piece |
| Size of movement | dynamics | size of shapes |
| Direction | melodic direction | focal points, where the audience’s eyes travel, emphasis, the direction of lines |
| Pathway (in the air, or through general space) | related to the melodic direction | line: outline, contour, silhouette, various line types (straight, curvy, etc.) |
| TIME | ||
| Tempo (fast and slow, etc.), speed of movement | allegro, adagio, ritardando | related to rhythm and movement in a piece, intensity, speed of brushstrokes |
| Freeze - cessation of movement which holds a position in space | rests | blank space |
| Accent - using movement to show emphasis | symbols for staccato, accent | creating visual accents, emphasis |
| ENERGY | ||
| Force | dynamics, accents | creation of line, use of accent and contrast to create a feeling of force |
| Effort | timbre | pressure |
| Quality of movement | dynamics | value - relative lightness or darkness of a color, shades, and tints |
Portfolio
Portfolio
Create a plan for how you could translate your ideas into movement.
Complete the Ideas to Movements activity in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts. Consider adding your work to your dance portfolio.
| Ideas from the Dance Map | How they could be translated into movement |
|---|---|
|
For example, this: 
|
Could become: The dancer stands on two feet at a high level and moves both arms together to create the 4 loops from the image in the air. They move with a light energy at a quick tempo. |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the Ideas to Movements activity.
If possible, share your dance sequence with a partner!
Always be sure to do your safety checks before you do an activity.
Safety
Before you begin, consider these safety precautions:
Consolidation
Putting it all together
Portfolio
Review your learning
Use the following questions to reflect on your learning.
- What concepts of the lesson would you like to continue to explore to further develop your understanding?
- Do you find working from a stimulus helpful in creating dance pieces? Explain your answer.
- Was there one element in particular that you focused on when creating your dance map? Explain your answer.
- In your own words, describe the relationship between dance and music.
Record your ideas using a method of your choice. Consider adding your work to your portfolio.
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.