OSAT Dance (178) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Contraction (Graham)

A modern dance action in which the torso curves inward, initiated by the pelvis and lower abdominals, then lengthened in release; central to Martha Graham's technique.

Turnout

An external rotation of the legs that originates at the hip joint, allowing the knees and feet to face outward; foundational to ballet technique and safe only when supported by alignment.

Plié

A bending of the knees performed with turnout and the heels remaining on the floor in demi-plié, or lifting in grand plié; used to cushion landings and build strength.

Downstage

The area of a proscenium stage nearest the audience. Upstage is the opposite direction, and stage right and left are determined from the performer's view facing the audience.

Effort (Laban)

One of Laban's movement categories, describing the quality of an action through weight (strong/light), time (sudden/sustained), space (direct/indirect), and flow (bound/free).

Spotting

A turning technique in which the dancer fixes the eyes on a single point and whips the head around to refocus, reducing dizziness and maintaining balance during pirouettes.

Relevé and elevé

Relevé rises from a plié through the foot onto the ball or toes; elevé rises with straight legs. Both demand ankle strength and correct alignment to avoid injury.

Musicality

The dancer's ability to interpret and express the rhythm, phrasing, accents, and mood of music through movement, including moving on or against the beat.

Motif

A short, memorable movement phrase or idea that is repeated and developed throughout a dance, serving as the seed of a composition.

Retrograde

A choreographic device in which a movement sequence is performed backward, from the last action to the first, creating a mirror-like reversal of the original phrase.

Canon

A compositional form in which the same movement phrase is performed by dancers starting at staggered times, creating overlapping lines like a musical round.

ABA form

A three-part compositional structure in which an opening section is followed by contrasting material, then a return to the first section, balancing unity and variety.

Chance choreography

A method in which decisions about order, spacing, or timing are determined by random processes such as coin tosses, dice, or the I Ching, associated with Merce Cunningham.

Contact improvisation

A partner form based on sharing weight, rolling, and following points of contact and momentum; developed by Steve Paxton and colleagues in the early 1970s.

Augmentation

A choreographic device that enlarges a movement by making it longer, bigger, or more elaborate, as opposed to diminution, which shrinks or simplifies it.

Floor pattern

The path a dancer travels on stage, such as a straight line, circle, diagonal, or zigzag; it shapes spatial design and directs audience focus.

Académie Royale de Danse

The first formal ballet academy, founded in Paris in 1661 under Louis XIV, which codified ballet technique and established professional standards for dance.

Ballets Russes

A groundbreaking company directed by Serge Diaghilev from 1909 to 1929, collaborating with Nijinsky, Stravinsky, Picasso, and Massine; it reshaped 20th-century ballet.

Romantic ballet

An early 19th-century style emphasizing ethereal themes, pointe work, and white tutus; key works include La Sylphide (1832) and Giselle (1841).

Denishawn

The school and company founded by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn, which trained many pioneers of American modern dance, including Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey.

Fall and recovery

Doris Humphrey's principle describing the body's cycle of losing balance and regaining it; the basis of her technique and her book The Art of Making Dances.

Judson Dance Theater

A 1960s New York collective that rejected narrative and virtuosity, embracing pedestrian movement and improvisation; Yvonne Rainer's 1965 No Manifesto stated its aims.

Tanztheater

A German form combining dance, speech, and acting to explore psychological and social themes, developed by Pina Bausch and associated with the Wuppertal company.

Bharatanatyam

A classical dance form from Tamil Nadu, India, characterized by geometric poses, expressive hand gestures (mudras), and rhythmic footwork accompanied by Carnatic music.

Formative assessment

Ongoing evaluation during instruction, such as observation, questioning, or exit tickets, used to adjust teaching and give students feedback before final grading.

Summative assessment

Evaluation at the end of a unit or course, such as a performance exam or written test, that measures achievement against standards for reporting or grading.

Rubric

A scoring guide listing criteria and levels of performance, used to make assessment of dance technique, composition, or performance consistent and transparent.

Cognitive stage

The first stage of motor learning, in which learners rely on verbal cues and conscious thought, making frequent errors and needing clear demonstrations and feedback.

Differentiated instruction

Adapting content, process, product, or environment to learners' readiness, interests, and profiles, such as offering varied tempos, levels, or roles in a dance class.

Intrinsic feedback

Information a learner receives from their own senses, such as balance or proprioception, as opposed to extrinsic feedback from a teacher, mirror, or video.

National Core Arts Standards

Standards organized around four artistic processes-Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting-that guide curriculum and assessment in dance and other arts.

Class structure

A typical dance class sequence: warm-up, center or barre work, across-the-floor progressions, a culminating combination, and a cool-down with stretching.