Create a Machine Dance
Creating an ABA-Form Dance
You are going to create a machine dance in ABA form, beginning with the B part of the dance: the “machine” itself. Use the following steps to create the dance.
- Form groups of 5-7.
- One person finds a repetitive sharp or smooth movement to do with a particular body part(s).
- The next person adds on to the first person’s movement with a contrasting movement and a different use of body parts and/or levels.
- Each person adds on as above, until all are part of the machine.
- Now go back and decide how you will create Part A, which is the getting into the machine. Find a method of moving into the machine that is similar to your machine movement. Everyone should find his or her own unique way of solving this dilemma. You might all start frozen on stage in a shape, then, one by one, move into the machine, or you might start off stage. Try to use a locomotor movement to get into the machine that is in the same character as your movement in the machine.
- Part A is repeated at the end, but in this case it is done in retrograde. The machine is operating in Part B, then Part A is done in retrograde to break from the machine and return to the places in which you began the dance.
- Be sure your dance has contrasts in your use of the body, space, time, and force in addition to making your sharp movements sharp and your smooth movements smooth.