SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
Suggested approaches to learning and teaching
contemporary dance
Learning techniques in dance disciplines and prepares the body to execute
moves and create dance within any dance genre .
Contemporary dance uses these techniques to provide a safe platform for the
improvisation and development of original choreography.
The videos in this material provide the practitioner/learner with model
performances of some of the basic elements of dance, accompanied by a
detailed voice-over explaining how to perform th e techniques safely and
accurately.
Contemporary dance videos
1.
Posture, alignment and centre
2.
Centre work – contemporary pliés
Tendus with pliés
Parallel pliés in contraction
Combining parallel and turned-out pliés with parallel pliés in
contraction
3.
Floor work – high release
Spirals
Combining contraction, high release and spirals
Side falls with recovery
4.
Movement and travelling
Triplets
Runs
Leaps
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
Contemporary dance videos: guidance for practitioners
These notes provide a summary description of the required features for each
technique, supporting the exemplification in the videos. The notes can be
used by practitioners to provide information to learners regarding good
practice.
1.
Posture, alignment and centre
Prior to moving, the young dancer must learn how to stand. When this
discipline is learned at the start, it becomes an automatic feature of any
movement in dance. Poor posture and alignment should be corrected
immediately it is observed.
Finding the position
 Stand with feet in parallel, with the weight on the whole of each foot
 Knees are centred over each foot
 Front thigh muscles (quadriceps) are gently activated to maintain good leg
positioning
 The pelvis faces squarely forward, centred over the knees and feet
 Abdominal muscles should lift and tighten, ensuring a strong core
 The centre of gravity centres between both feet
 Shoulders pull back slightly, lifting the sternum
 Neck is lengthened comfortably
 Head is centred above the spine, eyes look straight forward
Observations requiring correction
 Feet and knees rotated inwards
 Pelvis titled forward, resulting in slouching
 Pelvis titled backwards, producing a lower back arch
 Shoulders forward
 Head not centred above spine
The next videos introduce some of the main techniques in centre work. These
techniques develop correct and safe practice , and are key features of any
dance work.
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
2.
Centre work: contemporary pliés
Parallel demi-pliés
 Stand with the feet in parallel, both feet directly under the hips
 Ensure good posture and alignment before moving
 Centre of gravity is between the feet
 Arms start in second position (out to the side)
 With heels on the ground, slowly bend both knees
 Bring arms into first position
 Maintain a strong core to achieve balance
 Slowly push up to return to starting position
 Return arms to second position
Parallel full pliés
 Stand with the feet in parallel, both feet directly under the hips
 Ensure good posture and alignment before moving
 Centre of gravity is between the feet
 Arms start in second position (out to the side)
 Bend knees into full plié, lifting heels off the floor
 Arms come forward into first position
 Maintain a straight back and strong core
 Push through the legs to return through a demi - plié to start
 Arms return to second position
Observations requiring correction
 Knees rotate inwards, shifting weight to the inside of the feet
 Poor upper body posture and alignment
 Body lowers too far in full plié, creating pressure on the knees
Pliés in turn-out
 Start with the feet in first position turn-out
 Tighten the inside leg muscles, keeping legs together
 Tighten the buttock muscles to assist in maintaining turn -out
 Arms in a neutral position at the sides of the body
 Slowly bend the knees outwards over the feet
 Keep the heels on the floor
 Maintain a straight back and strong core
 Push through the legs to return to centre
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
Tendus with pliés
A tendu is a ‘point’ – a movement of the leg away from the body, culminating
in an extension of the foot into a pointed position. It can be performed in a
variety of directions around the body. A dancer requires the ability to perform
a good extension of the foot into a point therefore practice in this technique is
essential.
Tendus with pliés in parallel
 Start with the feet in parallel, feet hip width apart
 Arms are in a neutral position at the sides of the body
 Slide the foot along the floor and into a parallel point
 Weight remains on the back foot
 Pull the extended foot back into the starting position
 Perform a small parallel plié
 Repeat the whole exercise with the other foot
Tendus with pliés in turn-out
 Start with the feet in first position turn-out
 Arms are in a neutral position at the sides of the body
 Slide the foot along the floor in a turn-out position
 Extend the foot into a turn-out point
 Weight remains on the back foot
 Pull the extended foot back into the starting position
 Perform a small turn-out plié
 Repeat the whole exercise with the other foot
Observations requiring correction
 In a parallel tendu the foot turns inwards
 In a turn-out tendu the heel is not leading the point
 Poor posture and alignment not maintained
 Weight is wrongly transferred forward onto the point
Parallel pliés in contraction
A contraction is a signature technique in contemporary dance. It involves a
movement in the centre of the body in which the core muscles pull the centre
of the body towards the spine. This creates a hollow appearance in the core.
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Start with the feet in parallel, hip width apart
Arms are in a high V, breathe in to initiate the contraction
Slowly bend the knees in a demi-plié
Abdominal muscles pull in to create the contraction
Arms rotate inwards to position in front of the face
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
 Head and eye focus is above the hands
 Slowly push up to return to start
Observations requiring correction
 Knees rotate inwards
 Core of the body slouches downwards into the hips
 Shoulders slouch forward
Combining these techniques
Combining the previous techniques can produce a short motif, which allows
the dancer to develop both memory and flow from one technique into another.
The quality features of the techniques are as previously mentioned. This
description takes the learner through the movements of this combination.
Phrase 1
 Start with feet in parallel, arms in second position
 Perform two parallel pliés, bringing arms to first position
 Perform one full plié
 Rise to relevé (onto the balls of the feet), arms in high V
 Drop towards the floor, arms dropping through second position to join at
the floor
 Rise and pull hands up towards the centre of the body
 Drop again to the floor and then rise to relevé
 Repeat the drop section again
 Finish with feet in parallel, arms in second position
Phrase 2
 With arms in neutral, perform a tendu forward wi th the right foot, close in
plié
 With arms in neutral, perform a tendu forward w ith the left foot, close in
plié
 Take arms to a high V, tendu right forward, close
 Tendu right forward, bringing arms almost together in front of face
 Close in plié
 Repeat whole exercise on left foot
Phrase 3
 Stand in first position turn-out, arms in neutral position
 Perform two demi-pliés then one full plié
 Rise to relevé, arms in a high V
 Drop towards the floor, arms through second position to join at floor
 Rise and pull hands up towards the centre of the body
 Drop again to the floor and then rise to starting position
 With arms in neutral, feet in first position turn-out
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
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Perform a forward tendu right foot then left foot
Tendu right foot to second position, then left to second position
Tendu right to the back (derrière) the left to derrière
Tendu right foot to second position, then left to second position
Phrase 4
 Stand in second position turn-out, arms in second
 Perform two demi-pliés, bringing arms to first position in the plié
 Perform one full plié, then rise to relevé, arms in a high V
 Perform one demi-plié with arms in second position
 From the plié, transfer weight onto the left foot
 Stretch over the left foot, right arm stretches in a diagonal line
 Allow right arm to drop round in front, finishing in a deep plié
 From this centred plié, repeat the stretch to the right side
 Left arm stretches in a diagonal line, then drops in front to a deep plié
 Return to starting position, arms in second position
 Perform a high release, recovering through second position to a neutral
stance
 Finish arms in fifth position
3.
Floor work
These videos demonstrate some of the basic techniques in floor work in
contemporary dance. They are often combined with other techniques, such as
floor balances and hip rolls. A full list of techniques is provided in the
National 5 Dance: Unit Support Notes – Technical Skills, which is available
to download from the SQA website (www.sqa.org.uk).
High release
A high release is a signature technique in contemporary dance. It can be
performed either sitting or standing. It involves a gentle arch of the upper
spine with the head slightly lifted upwards and the front of the chest open.
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Sit on the floor with the soles of the feet together
Hands rest on the inside of the shins
Pull up from the hips to maintain a straight back and a strong core
Gently pull the lower part of the shoulder blades together
The head and the sternum lift slightly upwards
An arch forms in the upper back, creating the high release
Return to the starting position
Observations requiring correction
 Lower back relaxes into the pelvis, resulting in poor posture
 The head pokes forward
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
 In the release position, the head drops back too far
 The hands pull on the shins
Spirals
A spiral is a movement of the upper body around the spine . Imagine a
cylinder encasing the spine, which then rotates around the spine, creating a
spiral effect. A spiral to the right involves the shoulders moving towards the
left, with the head looking over the right shoulder. In a spiral, the shoulders
and the hips work in tandem with one another.
Right spiral
 Sit with the soles of the feet together
 Hands rest on the inside of the shins
 Keeping shoulders and hips in alignment, pull the left shoulder back
 Head looks to the right over the opposite shoulder
 Upper chest remains open
 Unwind back to the centre and repeat on the other side
Observations requiring correction
 Poor understanding of co-ordination required results in loss of spiral
 Shoulders turn in towards one another
 Poor posture results in a slouch into pelvis
 Hands exert too much pull on the shins
Combining contractions, high release and spirals
This video shows the previous floor techniques, now performed in
combination.
 Start sitting on the floor, soles of the feet together
 Breathe out and pull the centre of the body towards the spine in a
contraction – this creates a C curve in the spine
 Recover back to start
 Repeat a further three times
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Curve forward and, initiating from the pelvis, push to a straight back
Recover back to centre and then rebound forward into a spiral to the right
Return to a curve forward and push into a straight back position
Recover back to sitting, raising arms to fifth position
Open arms through second position to finish on floor at hips
Lift the upper body into a high release
Raise arms to fifth position and open legs to second
Bring arms to rest hands on front of shins
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
 Ensure the legs and feet do not rotate inwards
 Sit high on the pelvis with a straight back and strong core
 Perform a contraction with flexed feet three times, returning to starting
position each time
 Curve forward and push from the pelvis into a straight back
 Recover and rebound forward into a spiral to the left
 Curve forward and push from the pelvis into a straight back
 Return to starting position, lift arms to fifth
 Open arms through second towards the floor
 Lift the upper body into a high release
 Return to starting position
Side fall with recovery
A side fall is an energetic but smooth and safe movement to lie sideways on
the floor. It can be performed from the knees or from standing, as shown in
the video.
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Start kneeling on the floor, sitting back on the heels
Right arm extends to the right, left arm reaches across the body to the right
Begin the fall by pushing up and lifting off the heels
Circle the arms through a sweep to the left
From the left hip, begin to initiate the fall to the left
Reach the left arm out, following the line of the fall
Left leg is tucked under right
Recover back to starting position, using the core to initiate
Lift hips off the heels, circling arms in a sweep to the right
From the right hip, begin to initiate the fall to the right
Reach the right arm out, following the line of the fall
Right leg is tucked under left
Recover back to starting position, using the core to initiate
Observations requiring correction
 Not lifting off the heels prior to the fall
 Falling in a jerky action rather than melting into the floor
 Not using the core of the body to recover
Combination of techniques using side falls
 From a kneeling position, perform a side fall to the left and r ecover
 Perform a side fall to the right and remain in the lying position
 Roll to the left onto the back and over to the knees, to stand facing right
 Step left foot to the left, throwing right arm overhead
 Step right foot to the right, throwing left arm overhead
 Gently and safely lower body into a fall to the right
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
 Pull back onto one knee, facing right, lean back slightly, arms in third
position
 Return to standing position, walk to the left
 Step right foot to right, windmill arms overhead to right
 Repeat to the left
 Repeat to the right, lowering into a side fall to the left, weight on hands
4.
Movement and travelling
Moving and travelling across the floor allows the dancer to experience a
freedom of movement and, in any dance or choreography, provides int erest
and variation, making effective use of physical space. The videos show some
of the main techniques in contemporary dance, sometimes performed on their
own, but most often in combinations.
Triplets
A triplet is a travelling movement with a rhythmic pattern of 1, 2, 3. It should
demonstrate a smooth, flowing step pattern. Performed in turn-out, the first
step is a small plié, steps two and three are performed on demi -point (ball of
the foot). This creates a down-up-up feeling. The triplet can also turn.
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Step forward on the right foot in demi-plié
Arms are in opposition (right foot forward , left arm forward)
Step onto the left foot in demi-point, with straight leg
Maintain good posture and alignment
Step onto the right foot in demi -point, with straight leg
Repeat, leading with the left foot first
Observations requiring correction
 Turn-out of the feet not maintained
 Poor posture and alignment
 Steps performed on a flat foot
 Lack of opposition in arm movements
Runs
A run in dance is performed in turn -out and is often used as a transition
between one technique and another. The run should be smooth, not jerky, and
the arms relaxed at the sides. The video demonstrates how runs can be used to
link movements together across the floor.
 Stand in first position, perform four small jumps
 Run forward, right, left, right, left, arms at sides
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO LEARNING AND TEACHING
 Stop on right foot in demi-plié, lift left leg in retire (bent up towards other
knee)
 Right arm circles through right, initiating change of direction to right
 Cross-step left foot over right, step right, then left
 Stop and step back with feet together, sweeping arms in backward circle
 Step forward, feet together and turn 270 degrees
 Step forward right, left
 Step to right, throwing left arm in circle overhead
 Step to left, throwing right arm in circle overhead
 Step to right, throwing left arm in circle overhead
 Turn to face left and continue with runs
Leaps
A leap is an energetic jump from one foot to the other, where the body
remains upright and centred, and where one leg is extended forwards and the
other is extended to the back. Arms are in opposition, right leg forward, left
arm forward. The dancer should generate a feeling of effortlessness. A leap
can be performed from any number of steps leading into the take-off, for
example step leap, step leap/step, step, leap/step, step, step, leap.
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Step onto the left foot and push down to take off
Extend right leg in front in point, left arm in front, right to the side
Extend left leg to the back in point
Body remains centred with good posture and alignment
Right leg bends on landing to absorb the force
Repeat on the other side
Observations requiring correction
 Front leg is flicked rather than smoothly extended
 Back leg is bent at the knee
 Upper body and head tilt forward
 Head drops back, causing spine to arch
 Arms are not in opposition
 Landing does not absorb the force