The Game of Movement
It's not just dance — it's how you play it.
What Does It Mean to Play the Dance?
To dance is to play with space, time, and energy. It's a game where your body is both the player and the playground, where rhythm is the rulebook, and emotion is the score.
When we approach dance as play, we free ourselves from the constraints of perfection. We become explorers in a universe of movement, discovering new ways to express what words cannot.
The game of movement invites you to experiment, to fail, to laugh, and to try again. It asks you to forget what you think dance should be and instead discover what it could be through your unique expression.
Rules of the Game
Not gameplay, but the 'rules' of the inner world of dance.
Rule 1: Feel the Beat
The rhythm is your guide, but not your master. Let it flow through you, become one with it, then play with it. Sometimes follow, sometimes lead, sometimes challenge it. The conversation between your body and the beat is where the magic begins.
Rule 2: Express Freely
There are no wrong moves in the game of movement, only authentic and inauthentic ones. Dance is your body's language—speak it truthfully. Let go of judgment, embrace vulnerability, and allow your emotions to flow through your movement.
Rule 3: Lose Yourself to Win
The paradox of dance: the moment you stop trying to control everything is when you gain true control. Let go of your conscious mind and trust your body's wisdom. When you lose yourself in the movement, you win the game.
Elements of Movement
The fundamental forces that shape all dance forms.
Flow
Flow is the continuous, uninterrupted movement that connects one moment to the next. Like water, it can be gentle and smooth or powerful and dynamic. Flow creates the sensation of effortlessness, even when the movement requires great strength.
Rhythm
Rhythm is the heartbeat of dance, the organizing principle of time. It can be steady and predictable or complex and syncopated. Rhythm creates the framework within which all movement exists, connecting the dancer to music, to other dancers, and to the audience.
Space
Space is the canvas on which dance is painted. It encompasses direction, level, size, and focus. The way a dancer moves through space—expanding to fill it or contracting to create negative space—is fundamental to the visual impact and emotional resonance of the performance.
Energy
Energy is the quality and intensity of movement. It can be sharp or smooth, strong or light, sustained or sudden. The manipulation of energy creates the dynamic range that makes dance compelling, allowing for moments of explosive power and delicate subtlety.
Your Dance Playground
Ways to experiment and play with your movement.
Movement Prompts
Try dancing to unusual prompts: "Move like water," "Dance your name," or "Express a color." These games free you from conventional movement patterns and spark creativity.
Music Roulette
Create a playlist with wildly different genres. Hit shuffle and adapt your movement to whatever plays next. This game builds adaptability and expands your movement vocabulary.
Emotion Translation
Choose an emotion and express it through movement without being literal. How does "curiosity" move? What does "nostalgia" look like in your body? This game deepens your expressive range.
Ready to Play the Game of Movement?
Discover a new way to experience dance through play, exploration, and self-expression.
Begin Your Journey