Arts Toolkit: Dance Handout

Cinquain Dance Instructions

Creating a Movement Sequence

1. Create a dance using the following cinquain as your inspiration:
   
   Force
   Sharp/smooth
   Swirling, slashing, swaying
   We can dart through space
   Energy
   
   (Adapted from Gilbert, 1992, p. 201)
   


2. Think of each line in the cinquain as a “sentence” in your dance. If the line is short, your sentence is short. If the line is long, your sentence is longer.
   


3. Decide for each line
   • whether you will all do the exact same movement/shape.
   • whether you will do similar movements/shapes, but in your own ways.
   • where you will be in space for each line or word.


4. Be sure your movement truly depicts the word you are portraying. Make sure you have contrasts in the use of space, time, and force in your dance, particularly in sharp and smooth. Once you have decided on what you will do for each line, practice until you can perform it well.

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