1/28/2026 - Week 3 / Meeting 6:The Body / Body Shapes

 

Unit: The Body

Theme: Body Shapes

 

I

Introduction

Body shapes, as a tool of improv dance, is one of the easiest ways of creating movement vocabulary. Today we will cover different ideas to generate body shapes at random.The idea is that the dancer does not stop generating dance movement since all dance is a non-stop sequence shapes.

II 

Learning Objectives

 

• Understand the connection between body and shapes
  
• Explain the creative process involved when using geometric, gestural and other abstract shapes
  
• Gain awareness of the use of movement to transition from shape to shape
  
• Experience ensemble movement when integrating multiple shapes
  
• Reflect on the creative process at the end of the process
  

 

III

Warm Up

 Stretching

 

IV 

Main Lesson

 

1

 Body Storming

lines, triangles, squares, circles (feet, legs, arms)

 

2

Videos 

 

SHAPES

 

 

Question 1

 

Write your reflections on the above videos.

 

 3

There are 5 Basic Body Shapes:

WIDE

NARROW

ANGULAR

ROUND

TWISTED

COMBINED

ANGULAR LEGS / WIDE ARMS

NARROW ARMS WITH ANGULAR LEGS

WIDE ANGULAR AND ROUND

ANGULAR AND WIDE

 

Question 2

 

When thinking about these shapes listed above, which are your favorite shapes and why?

 

 4

Link:
Shape as an Aspect of Space

Body shapes are present in all actions in dance. Shapes in dance convey meaning. There are many types of shapes: shapes with straight lines and angles • curving or organic shapes • open and closed shapes • symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes • harmonious and contrasting shapes • centered and off-centre shapes.

 

Question 3

Which shapes mentioned above do you relate to in dance? Explain.

 

 5

 

 The Nikolais/Louis Dance Technique

 (Page 36 / second column first paragraph)

Question 4

Summarize the tips given to teachers and students about dance improvisation by listing at least 3 tips.

6

 

Article on Improvisation

 

 I Want to Be Ready: Improvised Dance as a Practice of Freedom

Introduction 

(Page 4) on "practices of freedom"

Danielle Goldman

 https://www.google.com/books/edition/I_Want_to_Be_Ready/YCbXr-nFHccC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Art,+Music+and+Dance+Improvisation&printsec=frontcover

Goldman, Danielle (2010). I Want to Be Ready: Improvised Dance as a Practice of Freedom. University of Michigan Press

Question 5

 

 

 

Read paragraphs 2,3 and 4 (Page 4) and express your ideas about the political application of improvisation? Illustrate your ideas by connecting them to the piece "I Want to be Ready" shown in the video above.

V

Case Studies

 

1

Gillian Rhodes

 

Gillian Rhodes is an American performing artist and storyteller. She graduated with a degree in dance from Columbia University and has since spent ten years performing, teaching, and choreographing across Asia, in Cambodia, South Korea, and now Pakistan.

 

Basic Improvisation Score and Examples: Shapes 

"An improvisation score is a set of rules that you set to help you know what to do while improvising. In this series I'm giving you some examples of scores and what they might look like. Your goal should not be to copy these movements, but see how I am using the prompt of shapes in a variety of ways. Then, you can try to find your own ways of creating shapes with your body. Circles and squares are the easiest, you can also add lines and angles." Gillian Rhodes

 Question 6

In which way can body shapes help the dancer in the process of dance improvisation? 

 2

Body Awareness and Freedom in Movement

Question 7

Body parts are a great reference when improvising dance right on the spot. Explain.

 

 VI

Activities

 1

 

Solo & Ensemble

Choose the shapes that are most significant to you and create a score in which you use new movements phrases.

Dance the phrase to a piece of music of your choice.

-------------------- 

2

Exploration of shapes by progressively moving feet, arms and other body parts tracing the shape of circles, squares, triangles and lines.

Individual explorations and group explorations.

 

Moving with music.

3

 

Embodying shapes as the body moves across the room. Work individually and in groups. Whole group moves like a cluster.

Moving with music.

 

Music

VII

 Journaling

 

VIII

Glossary

 

IX

Sources

 

X

Students' Work

Academic