Choreographic Devices Flashcards
What is the acronym for the choreographic devices?
RAAM RAAT RIDE
RAAM
R: repitition
A: augmentation
A: accumulation
M: motif
RAAT
R: retrograde
A: abstraction
A: addition
T: transportation
RIDE
R: rearrangement
I: inversion
D: distortion
E: embellishment
Repetition
Repetition is a movement or phrase repeated in exactly the same way.
Augmemtation
Augmentation is to make a movement or phrase larger in size.
Accumulation
Accumulation is when you add movements onto a phrase. You begin with one move ‘A’ and then you repeat the ‘A’ and add another movement ‘B’ so the movement would be ‘A,B’ and then that continues, always going back to the beginning of the phrase and accumulating movements as you go.
Example: A, AB, ABC, ABCD
Motif
A single movement or short movement phrase which is repeated and manipulated throughout a dance to emphasise or assist in the communication of the intention.
Retrograde
Retrograde is where a movement or phrase is reversed.
Example: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Abstraction
Abstraction is the ‘essence of the idea or feeling rather than the literal image.’
All dance is abstract in a sense. For example, a gesture such as waving to someone could be ‘abstracted’ as a hand that is shot up quickly in the air and moved in a way like a windscreen wiper.
Addition
Addition is when you perform a distinctive action and add another body action to it: the original movement category must have been clearly seen on its own to establish that something has been added to it.
Transportation
Transportation is where a movement is transferred to a different body part.
Example: circular shapes made with the pelvis, next transported to the neck to create circular head rolls.
Rearrangement
Rearrangement is where movement is taken apart and reorganised into a different order.
Example:
(Existing): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
(Rearranged): 1.2.3, 1.2.3, 6.7.8, 5.6
Inversion
Inversion is the reverse position of the body, like a mirror image.
Distortion
To distort a shape is to bend or change the shape of the movement making it appear twisted out of shape, angular and deformed.