Manipulation of the Movement Components

Understanding Movement Components

Movement components are the basic elements of dance: Body, Action, Space, Time and Energy (commonly abbreviated as BASTE).
These components form the building blocks of choreography. Skillful manipulation of these elements enables a choreographer to create wide range of movements and emotions.

Manipulation of Body

Choreographers manipulate the use of the body to explore different possibilities of human movement.
This can include whole body movements, isolation of body parts, or the ability to show different aspects of the body.
Shapes made by the body, body parts, or groups can also be manipulated and transformed in movement sequences.

Manipulation of Action

Action refers to what the body is doing. Examples of action include locomotor movements like running or jumping, and non-locomotor movements like spinning or twisting.
By manipulating action, choreographers can create a wide range of movement possibilities and diverse physical dynamics.

Manipulation of Space

Manipulation of space includes exploration of levels (high, medium, low), directions, pathways, personal and shared space.
It can also refer to the way the dancer or dancers interact with the dance space, such as moving towards or away from a point in the spatial design.

Manipulation of Time

Manipulation of time can manifest in pacing and rhythm. It can refer to the speed or momentum of a movement, the duration of the movement sequence, or the rhythmical pattern applied to a movement.
The choreographer may manipulate these aspects to add a temporal quality or to delineate specific emotional connotations to a piece.

Manipulation of Energy

Manipulating energy refers to the quality of movement. It focuses on how the movement is performed, including aspects such as weight, flow, and tension.
Examples can include swift movements to evoke a sense of urgency, or slow, heavy movements to create feeling of sadness or exhaustion.

A thorough understanding and purposeful application of these movement components forms the essence of effective choreography.