7.1 Explain the following music elements and how they influence your musicality and dance performance: 7.1.1 Tempo: Tempo refers to the speed of the music at which you will dance - NSC Dance Studies - Question 7 - 2016 - Paper 1

Timbre involves the quality of sound produced by different instruments. Each instrument carries its unique texture, which can evoke various emotional responses during a performance. For example, a piano can create a gentle atmosphere, while drums may invoke intensity and vigor, thus influencing the corresponding dance style.

Dynamics refer to the range of loudness and intensity in music. They profoundly impact the quality of dance movements, allowing for contrast between soft and powerful expressions. Dancers utilize variations in dynamics to enhance storytelling through choreography, enabling movements to reflect emotional depth.

Activity Overview

Select the ‘props’ stimulus for this improvisation activity.

1. Begin with Exploration: Each dancer starts by selecting a prop (e.g., a chair). They should consider other uses for the prop beyond its conventional function.
2. Movement Development: Encourage dancers to explore high, medium, and low movements while manipulating the prop, developing their understanding of how to embody the symbolism.
3. Improvisational Pairs: Pair dancers to share and develop the movements they've created with the prop, focusing on how their movements can tell a story.
4. Incorporate Motifs: Ask dancers to introduce motifs into their sequences, experimenting with ideas like patterning or canon.
5. Composition Phase: Conclude with the group adding a defined beginning and ending to their improvised sequences, linking the motif to the overall narrative of their composition.
6. Transitions for Presentation: Finally, compile and structure the sequences to formalize the dance for presentation, including smooth transitions that align with the motifs utilized.