1/15/2026 - Week 1 / Meeting 2: Elements of Dance / Size, Focus, Pathways

 

 

Review
 
Space
 
Space: refers to the space through which the dancer's body moves (general or personal space, level, size, direction, pathway, focus). Time: is applied as both musical and dance elements (beat, tempo, speed, rhythm, sudden, slow, sustained).

Directions
Levels



I

Unit:  Elements of Dance

Theme: Size, Focus, Pathways

 


II

Introduction 

 

Rudolf Laban (15 December 1879 – 1 July 1958), was an Austro-Hungarian dance artist and theorist. He is considered one of the pioneers of modern dance in Europe as the "Founding Father of the Expressionist Dance" in Germany. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of dance. Today, we will discuss Laban's concept of choreutics by exploring directions, levels and space.

 

 III

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the elements of dance: size, focus and pathways
  • Explain how size, focus and pathways relate to choreutics
  • Gain awareness of the spatial possibilities size, focus and pathways add to movement
  • Experience the harmonic qualities of dance and movement when integrated through size, focus and pathways.
  • Reflect on the work done in class

 

IV

Main Lesson


1
 
WARM UP

2

STRETCH 

3
 
Activity 1

REVIEW: LEVELS & DIRECTIONS
FOCUS
COMBINING ALL

4
 
Short Bio 
 
Rudolf von Laban, also known as Rudolf Laban, was an Austro-Hungarian dance artist and theorist. He is considered as one of the pioneers of modern dance in Europe and as the "Founding Father of the Expressionist Dance" in Germany. 

Rudolf Laban (1879-1958) was was a dancer, a choreographer and a dance / movement theoretician. Being one of the founders of European Modern Dance, his work was extended through his most celebrated collaborators, Mary Wigman, Kurt Jooss and Sigurd Leeder.  Laban was a visionary, humanist, teacher and theoretician, whose revolutionary ideas bridged the gap between the performing arts and science.
 
Article
 

As Laban wrote in 1928 in Tanz, the existence and effect of natural powers express themselves when they "come to life in the moving form." The dancing body is "organic nature […] generates dynamic forms that, like "natural images," can grow, change shape, gain strength, consume each other, fight, split up, or re-form, finally achieving order in the "zone between the fixed and the movable."

 

Titan, from 1928, offers an example of how Laban employed this approach in an actual choreographic composition. A contemporary press account describes how various groups in the performance moved with and against one another, at some points rushing together in Dionysian chaos and at others constituting the "ordered form of an ornament." The method by which Laban "causes groups and counter groups to form on the stage, separate, stream together, flow into solo dances," and the way in which the parts of the group interact to form an apparently single living organism, are all hallmarks of the expressionist stylistic principle. Hence, in the early1920s the press dubbed Rudolf von Laban the "founding father" of expressionist dance.” (1)


Question 1
 
Why was Laban considered the father of expressionist dance? 
5
 
Today's Content
 
Size
Focus
Pathways
 
6

 Read the link below.


Merce Cunningham: The Modernizing of Modern Dance 

Roger Copeland

Read: Introduction

 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Merce_Cunningham/m6aTAgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=modern+Dance&printsec=frontcover

Copeland, Roger (2004).  Merce Cunningham: The Modernizing of Dance. Taylor and 

Francis
 
Question 2
 
After reading the Introduction (page 4), what was Cunningham's approach to dance choreography, music composition and visual design?
 
 
 V
 
A Note to Remember
 
 The Elements of Dance are the foundational concepts and vocabulary that help students develop movement skills and understand dance as an artistic practice.
 
VI
 
Case Study
 
 Video

 Question 3
 
 According to Pria, in the video above, what are the 3 ways in which we can approach space in dance?
 
 
VII 
Group Work

Create an 8 movement phrase with the elements of dance studied in class.
 
 VIII
Journaling
 
IX
Glossary
 
kinesphere: personal space
directions: 4 locomotive directions and those in between
pathways: the imaginary trail we leave behind as we move
levels: high, middle and low
 
X
Sources 
 
1. Rudolf von Laban: The "Founding Father" of Expressionist DanceAuthor(s): Evelyn Dörr and Lori LantzDance Chronicle , 2003, Vol. 26, No. 1 (2003), pp. 1-29Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.com/stable/1568111 (Page 6)
 
2. Merce Cunningham: The Modernizing of Modern Dance. Roger CopelandCopeland, Roger (2004).  Merce Cunningham: The Modernizing of Dance. Taylor and Francis.  (Page 4)
 
3.  Elements of Dance: Space – Harbourfront Centre School Visits. https://youtu.be/WhWEzmhCJKo?si=0JSsk-bcGH6-kit6


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FINAL REFLECTION

Image
     1   A great tool for my self-expression   Andrew Wurtz      There were many takeaways, key lessons, and things I have learned from this class all semester. For one, I learned the importance of stretching and the benefits it has on your muscles, internal organs, and even mood. I remember you discussing how it's good to move the body in ways it usually doesn't move to release tension or ease certain body pressures. I have actually found myself routinely stretching on my own on the weekends now, something I rarely ever did in the past. A big personal takeaway I had is that it is always good to try new things and expose myself to different avenues and ways to exercise/move the body. I have been into physical fitness through working out and lifting weights since high school, but taking this class exposed me ...
Read more

2/17/2026 - Week 6 / Meeting 11: Self-Assesment / Midterm Quiz

Image
      Assessment  Theme: Mid-Term Quiz    I Introduction Every semester I assess your understanding of the content covered so far. Just right before the progress report's dead line, you test your own abilities to retain some of the themes we have learned and experienced together.   Today's quiz evaluates how efficient I have been in communicating ideas about Modern Dance based on your responses to the questions below.   II Objectives Understand the nature of self-assessment Make sense of the various concepts explored in class Gather an awareness of assessment that is conducive to further learning Experience what is like to put into practice the content learned in class   III Review Concepts Developed by Rudolff Laban   Choreutics: Laban defined choreutics as “the practical study of harmonized movement.” Latter day colleagues of Laban’s, such as Valerie Preston-Dunlop and Vera Maletic, have delineated Choreutics respectively as t...
Read more

Syllabus

Image
  MODERN DANCE II TERM: SPRING – 2026  January 12 – April 27   University of Miami Frost School of Music – Dance Program DAN 211- R (5766) / Modern Dance II – 3 Units Meeting time: Tuesday & Thursday 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM Location: Wellness Center – Studio: Multi B Lecturer: Jorge L. Morejón PhD Office Hours: Monday & Wednesday: 11:20 AM - 12:20 PM / by appointment j.morejon@umiami.edu   UM’s Academic Calendar: https://registrar.miami.edu/_assets/pdf/spring-2026-commencement-6-24-2026mc.pdf Bulletin Description: This course will introduce students to the fundamental components of Modern Dance. The course will expose students to the movement principles of Modern Dance pioneers such as Ruth Saint Dennis, Ted Shawn and Isadora Duncan. The course will reference different Modern Dance techniques such as Graham, Horton, Limon and Cunningham using movement in an experiential and creative way. Prerequisites : There is no prerequisite and the...
Read more