if the dance is composed mainly of curves and flowing lines, the ground plan should be in curves and circles;
if the dance is composed mainly of curves and flowing lines, the ground plan should be in curves and circles.
Experiment with the movements made in Exercise 2 and explore direction, levels (low, middle and high), symmetry and asymmetry while working on different ground plans.
Choose a ballad or a popular up-tempo song with a definite 4/4 beat for this exercise.
4.
Improvisation
You are free to move in any way you please, but must adhere to the following:
choose music to suit the moods of the exercises
travel (moving from one place to another)
turn (to move around an axis )
elevation (to move to a higher level)
gesture (motion of the hands, head or body to express or emphasise an idea or emotion)
weight transference (to change body weight from one point to another)
levels (middle, high, low)
symmetry and asymmetry
pace, pulse and phrasing
force (yielding to and resisting gravity)
active and passive movement
The Forest Fire:
Some of you have to visualise yourselves as gazelles happily grazing in a forest.
A little flame (another learner) leaps up in one group, then another, until the whole forest is ablaze (learners depicting flames), and the terrified gazelles try to escape.
As the fire gradually dies down the gazelles leap away to safety.
The Smooth and Rough Sea:
You are to be bobbing corks, floating planks or swimmers.
The sea is smooth, the corks, planks or swimmers, float happily on top.
The sea becomes rough and angry, but cannot defeat the corks, planks.
If swimmers are used, they can either triumph or sink.
Activity 3:
To create and present dance sequences: right to choose and disability in dance
[lo 1.3]
Take a look again at the information on human rights in the drama module.
1.Right to Choose
Divide up into groups of six to eight.
Choose the theme of your dance from the rights of the child.
Improvise a dance taking into consideration the following requirements:
music to suit the mood of the chosen theme;
the five basic body activities (refer to Grade 6 Module 4: Dance);
choreographic design concepts (refer to Activity 2.2).
Rehearse your dance.
Perform your dance to the other groups.
2.Disability in Dance
Divide up into three groups:
Group A: Sitting on chairs (paraplegics).
Group B: Standing (as in A but able to stand).
Group C : Walking ( those who can manage to walk – they may have no arms, or only one, and their legs perhaps in callipers, but some have quite good leg movements, and can even run and kick).
Place yourselves in two groups, one on each side of the room, so that you can see the effect of what the group opposite is doing.
Group A: each group to consist of a line sitting on chairs.
Group B: a line standing behind the chairs.
Group C: a circle that moves around those sitting and standing.
Experiment with arm and body movements, taking note of the following:
gesture with full range of motion;
levels (middle, high low);
weight transference;
direction (front, behind, beside, under);
symmetry and asymmetry;
resisting and yielding to gravity;
active and passive movement;
isolation and combination of body parts (arms, head, torso);
Group A and B can do the same arm and body movements.
It is effective if the movements are reversed or you can do two different exercises at the same time to make a pattern.
Croup C must experiment with walking, foot and leg movements taking the five basic body activities into consideration.
Those who are able can also run and hop.
Those who are left standing should clap their hands in time, grouped at each end of the sitting line.
Group C must also experiment with floor patterns and grouping, taking Groups A&B into consideration.
