MTEL Dance cheat sheet

Elements of dance (movement components): space, time, force/energy, and body - the four-part framework used to describe and analyze any movement phrase.

Space concepts: level (low/middle/high), direction (forward, backward, sideways, diagonal, up, down), pathway (straight, curved, zigzag), size (large/small), and focus (single, multi, self, audience).

Time concepts: tempo (fast/slow), beat, duration, rhythmic pattern, accent, and metric vs. free rhythm; syncopation places accent on a weak beat.

Force/energy concepts: sharp vs. smooth, heavy vs. light, bound (controlled) vs. free (released) flow, sustained, percussive, swinging, vibratory, and collapsing qualities.

Body concepts: whole-body vs. body-part movement, body shapes (symmetrical/asymmetrical, twisted, angular, curved), and body bases (points of support).

Locomotor skills: walk, run, jump, hop, leap, skip, gallop, slide, and roll - travel from one place to another. Axial/non-locomotor skills stay in place (bend, twist, stretch, swing, turn, rise, fall).

Choreographic devices: repetition, retrograde, inversion, augmentation, diminution, canon, rondo form, theme and variation, abstraction, and chance procedures.

Dance forms: AB, ABA, rondo, narrative, theme and variation, and suite; cumulative and episodic structures are distinguished by whether material returns.

Safe practice: warm-up raises core temperature and increases joint mobility; cool-down restores heart rate; alignment of the pelvis over the support base reduces lumbar strain; turnout originates at the hip, not the knee or ankle.

National Core Arts Standards for dance: Creating (process components), Performing (select, analyze, interpret, rehearse, refine, present), Responding (perceive, analyze, interpret, evaluate), and Connecting.

Laban Movement Analysis categories: Body, Effort (space, weight, time, flow), Shape, and Space (kinesphere, levels, pathways) - used for observation and description.

Bartenieff Fundamentals concepts include breath support, core distal connectivity, and developmental movement patterns used in dance training and somatics.

Improvisation prompts are open-ended problems (e.g., 'explore three levels with a bound-flow phrase') that constrain variables without prescribing a single answer.

Formative assessment tools in dance: video self-assessment, peer observation checklists, exit tickets describing one element used, and rehearsal journals.

Aesthetic response requires description before judgment: identify what is seen (elements), interpret intent, then evaluate using stated criteria.

Cultural context: dance traditions such as Bharatanatyam (India), flamenco (Spain), ballet (European court), West African dance, and hula (Hawai'i) carry specific histories, meanings, and movement vocabularies; avoid treating them as interchangeable styles.

Injury prevention: appropriate flooring (sprung or marley over concrete), adequate hydration, gradual progression of load, and attention to ankle/knee alignment in jumps and turns.

Inclusive practice: adapted movement tasks, seated or non-weight-bearing options, and varied demonstration modes support students with disabilities without lowering the artistic objective.