Summary

All dance forms share foundational concepts known as the Elements of Dance. The Elements of Dance are overarching concepts and terminology that are useful when observing, creating, analyzing, and discussing dance. Dance can be broken down into its primary elements : body, Energy, space, and Time. It can be easily recalled through the acronym B.E.S.T.

The body is the mobile instrument of the dancer and helps inform us what is moving. The body category includes shapes, actions, whole body, and part body movements. Energy is how the body moves. When speaking about Energy, we can refer to effort or movement qualities. space is where movement occurs and includes personal and general space, levels, directions, pathways, and floor patterns, various sizes of movements, range of movement, and relationships. Time is when the dancers move. The Time category includes pulse, speed, rhythmic patterns, natural rhythm, and syncopation.

As an observer of dance, it can be easy to allow our biases to influence how we perceive dance. By using dance vocabulary and stating what we observe, we can be more objective in our discussions of dance. Using the Elements of Dance, we can view dance through an unbiased lens to consider its structural elements to deepen our understanding and appreciation of dance as an art form.