EFA definitions Flashcards
Address
When a person or body part or object moves towards another person or body part without actually touching. For instance, when a ballet dancer brings her arms up over her head to make a circle, but her hands don’t actually touch.
Contact (dance)
When a person or body part or object touches another person or body part. An example would be when doing the Macarena, you put a hand on your hip.
Support (dance)
When a person or body part or object completely bears the weight of another person or body part. In the African dance we saw in class, where the man was throwing the little girl up in the air, when he was holding her, they were in a relationship of support.
Grasping (dance)
When a person or body part or object is connected with another person or body part through a holding, gripping action. A simple example would be two people holding hands while dancing.
Interlacing (dance)
When a person or body part or object is connected with another person or body part through an interlocking action. Holding hands with the fingers interlaced would be a simple example.
Breath (dance)
The action of both exhaling and inhaling which affects dance movement. An example would be the Korean dance that Amy learned where it was specified when she breathed in and out.
Core-distal (dance)
The action of any of the six distal elements (2 legs, 2 arms, head, tail) either leaving or returning to the core (the belly button area). An example would be kicking out during a dance.
Homolateral (dance)
The action of both arm and leg on the same side doing similar movements. An example would be swinging both your right leg and right arm around your body while the left arm and leg remain basically static.
Contralateral (dance)
The action of the arm and leg of opposite sides doing similar movements. Walking would be the simplest example of this.
Homologous (dance)
The action of the waist bending to bring the upper and lower halves of the body together. An example of this would be in many Native American dances when the dancers will bend over and come back up as they dance.
Head-tail (dance)
Any action of the spine. An example would be in hip-hop when the dancer sends an imaginary wave up his spine, ending with a sort of head flick.
High/low dimension (dance)
Motions that pull the body toward the sky or toward the ground. An example would be doing the “cherry picker” when you reach straight up with your arm and then return your arm to its resting position by your side.
Left/right dimension (dance)
Motions that move the body to the left or right. An example would be strongly “head-tail” head movement, where the head moves right or left suddenly and the spine follows with a right or left wave.
Front/back dimension (dance)
Motions that move the body frontwards or backwards. An example would be kicks out to the front in Ukrainian dancing.
Door plane (dance)
The vertical plane that pulls the body to the sides as well as up and down (covering up left, up right, down left, and down right). An example would be if you were simply doing jumping jacks.
Table plane (dance)
The horizontal plane that pulls the body both to the left and right as well as to the front and back (covering front right, front left, back right, and back left). An example would be in Ukrainian dancing when one dancer holds his arm out (at about 45 degrees, but still level) to acknowledge another dancer.
Wheel plane (dance)
The saggital plane that pulls the body both to the front and back as well as up and down (covering up front, up back, down front, and down back). An example would be a cartwheel.
Diagonals (dance)
All of the movements that pull in all three dimensions (up left front, up right front, up left back, up right back, down left front, down right front, down left back, down right back). An example would be if dancer was to hold one arm out to towards the up left front while balancing by sticking one leg out towards the down right back.
Even (dance)
Unchanging energy from beginning to end. An example is a walk where the intensity remains the same.
Increasing (dance)
Energy builds from beginning to end. An example would be a dancer who spins with increasing speed.
Impact (dance)
An accent at the conclusion of an increasing section. An example would be a big final leap after a run.
Decreasing (dance)
Energy wanes from beginning to end. An example would be a spin that starts quickly and then slows down
Impulse (dance)
An accent at the beginning of a decreasing section. An example is a kick on the ground that starts a spin.
Increase-decrease (dance)
Energy builds and then wanes from beginning to end. An example would be when two dancers increase speed as they run at each other, hit their swords together and then slow back down.
Decrease-increase (dance)
Energy begins high, wanes, and then builds back up to high. An example would be a gliding motion of the arm that starts with a flick, followed by a glide that slows almost to a stop and then speeds up again, ending with another flick.
Accented (dance)
Punctuated energy release, not necessarily connected to the release of energy before or after. An example would be the stomping in South African gumboot dances.
Vibratory (dance)
Very small, quick releases of energy in a regular pattern, like shaking. An example would be the quick shaking of lower legs in Ugandan dancers.
Elastic (dance)
Rebounding, springing energy where the focus is on both the up and down. An example in Ukrainian dance is when the girls come skipping out with the sheaves of wheat after the harvest.
Bouyant (dance)
Light, bouncy energy where the focus is primarily on upward or floating motion. An example would a dancer gliding, appearing to have no weight.
Weighty (dance)
A bogged down energy, connected to the ground or floor. An example would be the Masai dance where a high jump is followed by a heavy landing, bent knees, and a slight pause before launching again.
Direct space (dance)
When a motion is very purposeful and pointed. An example would be kicking a vending machine.
Indirect space (dance)
When a motion is meandering or drifting. An example would be hand twirling in Balinese dance.
Strong weight (dance)
When a motion exhibits a solid resistance to gravity. An example would be a foot sharply slapping a hand in line dancing.
Light weight (dance)
When a motion exhibits little resistance to gravity. An example would be pointing the toe very lightly and with little effort.
Sustained time (dance)
When a motion exhibits continuous movement. An example would be a swinging of the arms back and forth with gradual, graceful moves.
Sudden time (dance)
When a motion exhibits abrupt movement. An example would be mule kicks in Ukrainian dance.
presentational (drama)
a type of drama
representational
drama -
non-matrixed performers
drama - (Kirby 1972)
When Kirby says “non-matrixed” he is referring to “those performers who do not do anything to reinforce the information or identification. When the performer… is merely him-self and is not imbedded, as it were, in matrices
authorial / directorial / performer / audience intent
drama
climactic
drama
episodic
drama
realistic acting
drama
Brechtian acting
drama (Schechner 2006)
German poet and playwright who developed a politicized form of theater he called “epic drama,” a style that relies on the audience’s reflective detachment rather than emotional involvement. His works include The Threepenny Opera (1928) and The Caucasian Chalk Circle (1948).
codified acting
drama (Schechner 2006)
acting – a complex system of movement, facial expressions, and gestures that are set by tradition and handed down from teacher to student, often for generations
improvization
drama
register / accent / paralinguistic features
drama
text / sub-text
drama
dramatic premise / message / main idea
drama
frame (narrative rules / cultural mindset)
drama
archetype
drama
stereotype
drama
plot malleability
drama
