DANCE ACTIONS

1. TRAVELLING::: Locomotion, is about how we move through space and Where. HOW (walking, running, sliding, skipping, crawling...) WHERE is the path we choose to take action within the space... Geometric configuration (circles, spirals, straight lines, angles, corners...)
   
2. ELEVATION::: Rising OFF the floor// I. HOP (from 1foot to same foot) II. LEAP (from 1 foot to the other foot) III. JUMP (from 2 feet to 2 feet) IV. SISSONE (from 2 feet to 1 foot) V. ASSEMBLE (from 1 foot to 2 feet) VI. EN POINTE (rising, relevé)
   
3. TURNING::: Changing directions, used for aesthetic purposes. I.e. Hypnotic dervishes. Could be fun, frightening, magical, mystical. Laban considers 3 planes: I. VERTICAL (around a sagittal axis i.e. cartwheel) II. HORIZONTAL (around a vertical axis i.e. piruettes, spins, rolls) III. SAGITTAL (around a horizontal axis i.e. somersaults - the water goes inwards)
   
4. FALLING::: It can represent loss, madness, recover found strength... There are 2 types: I. OFF BALANCE (centre of gravity shifts Off centre) II. COLLAPSE (falling to the floor with no rebound, loosing totally the centre of gravity)
   
5. STILLNESS::: It's an action because it's an active choice that contrasts the movement action. It can represent hesitation, a caught of breath or a moment arrived at. Like quiet before the storm, relief, suspense, or even can have a comic effect...
6. GESTURE::: Used for communicate with others a non-verbal idea. Isolation... it's NOT MANEURISM (unaware gestures not used for communicate to others). I.E. facial expressions, hand gestures, etc..
   

MOTIF and Development

A Motif is one single, simple, short movement or chain of movements that are smaller than a phrase.

Ways to develop the Motif:

1. Repetition
2. Retrogade (I.E. Backwards)
3. Embellishment/Ornamentation
4. Inversion (I.E. upside down or lateral)
5. Size (I.E. condense/expand)
6. Tempo (fast/slow/stop with the movement in its original size)
7. Rhythm (beats altered, not the speed)
8. Quality/Dynamics
9. Instrumentation (perform movement with several body parts)
10. Force (strength/weakness)
11. Background (let the rest of the body do something else)
12. Staging (different place/facing...)
13. Levels + Planes (horizontal, vertical, floor, knees...)
14. Additive/Incorporative (simultaneously execute jump, turn, run, slide...)
15. Fragmentation (execute one part of the motif, or change the order...)
16. Combination (any of the above)