Section of the Three Movement Components

Choreography revolves around three critical movement components: Action, Space, and Dynamics (ASD).
Action refers to the variety of bodily movements a dancer can perform. The primary categories are travel, turn, elevate, gesture, stillness, or fall. Choreographers can also direct performers on partnering activities, such as lifting or supporting.
Space refers to the different dimensions utilised while performing a dance routine. It can involve direction, level, size, and focus of movement. Direction denotes whether the movement sequence progresses forward, sideways, diagonal or backward. Level might refer to high, medium or low height from the ground during a performance. The size of movement can vary from small and intricate to large and expansive. Focus deals with where the dancer is looking or what they are focusing on during the dance.
Dynamics denote the quality or texture of movement. It encompasses elements like speed, strength, flow, and rhythm. The speed of movement can vary from slow to quick depending on the emotion conveyed. Strength refers to the power used in executing the dance moves, it can range from delicate to forceful. Flow refers to the continuity or stop-start nature of the dance. Rhythm is about the timing or pattern of the body’s movements.
Choreographers must have a good understanding of these three pillars of choreography to create exciting and effective dance performances. The choices they make in each category will deeply impact the overall interpretation and presentation of the dance piece.
To interpret a dance piece correctly, it is essential to observe and understand how the choreographer used these three components. A careful analysis can provide valuable insights into the thematic undercurrents and emotional depth of the performance.
The ASD are not rigid ranking systems, rather they act as a guidance framework for dancers and choreographers. The best dance performances typically demonstrate a balanced and creative combination of all three movement components.
Providing constructive feedback on a dance performance involves assessing how effectively the performer or choreographer applied the ASD components. This skill is an important aspect of Dance education.
Studying the ASD components and their implementation can give budding choreographers a solid foundation for developing their unique choreography style.