Choreographic Intent and Meaning in the Set Works
What a choreographer wants a dance to say and how they say it: choreographic intent, the stimulus behind it, and the movement, motifs and production features that carry meaning across the six anthology set works.
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What is the dance saying?
Every professional dance is trying to say something. The choreographic intent is the idea or message the choreographer wants the audience to receive. This module looks at how a starting idea becomes an intent, and how movement, motifs and production features work together to communicate meaning across the six set works.
Words for meaning
Learn these four terms before you study choreographic intent.
Intent vs interpretation
Keep these two apart: one belongs to the choreographer, the other to the audience.
Link the choice to the idea
To reach the top grades, do not just state a choreographer intent; explain how a chosen feature communicates it. Link a movement, a costume or a lighting choice to the idea it expresses. Naming the intent on its own will not lift the mark.
Match the theme
- Within Her Eyes
- A Linha Curva
- Infra
- Artificial Things
- the love and loss between two people
- the energy and playfulness of Brazilian culture
- the hidden emotions of people in a busy city
- difference and belonging
What carries meaning?
- lighting
- costume
- aural setting
- set
- creates mood and directs the eye
- suggests who a character is
- adds emotion and atmosphere through sound
- shows where the dance takes place
Define the intent
What does choreographic intent mean?
- The message or idea the choreographer sets out to communicate.
- The name of the company that performs the dance.
- The number of dancers on the stage.
- The clothes the dancers wear.
How is intent shown?
Select the TWO ways a choreographer communicates their intent.
- Through the movement and motifs the dancers perform.
- Through production features such as lighting and costume.
- By printing the meaning on the ticket.
- By asking the audience to vote on it.
From idea to audience
Put these stages of communicating intent in order, earliest first.
- The choreographer starts from a stimulus or idea
- The choreographer decides on the intent
- Movement and design features are chosen to express it
- The audience watches and interprets the meaning
Complete the facts
A _____ is the starting idea that inspires a dance. The choreographic _____ is what the choreographer wants to communicate. A repeated movement that carries meaning is called a _____. The audience forms its own _____ of what the dance means. Meaning can also be shaped by lighting, costume and the _____ setting.
Works left to study
The anthology has six set works. If you have studied the choreographic intent of two of them, how many set works are left to study?
Find what carries meaning
Tap the TWO things a choreographer can use to communicate meaning.
- the motifs
- the costume
- the ticket price
- the seat numbers
Read the intent
Read each choreographic choice and choose the intent it best communicates.
- The dancers move together in unison with big, bright, bouncing steps
- A single dancer is left alone on a dark, empty stage
- Two dancers push and pull against each other with sharp, tense movements
Explain the intent
Choose one set work from the anthology. Explain its choreographic intent and describe one way the choreographer communicates that intent to the audience.
- Name the set work and state its choreographic intent
- Describe one movement or production feature the choreographer uses
- Explain how that choice communicates the intent to the audience