Where do choreographers get their inspiration?

Ever wonder how a dance is created? Students at PS 176 have been working hard on creating their own dances with inspiration coming from...

Music-

Kindergarten and first grade are exploring movement invention based on the excitement of music. From the tempo to the rhythm and mood, students are finding ways to create their own movement to match the music!

Stories-

Second graders are creating movement sentences with a partner to tell the story of Gerald from the book Giraffes Can't Dance. We found lots of action words and emotions throughout the story to use as inspiration!


Other Choreographers-

Third graders are studying the elements of dance like pathways, directions and formations. Their inspiration is from the choreographer Paul Taylor. They are busy making plans for a group dance based on his famous piece Esplanade.


The Elements-

Fourth graders are taking their inspiration from nature and the four elements of Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. We took some time to study each element to see how they move, how they feel and what they do to come up with action words. Next, we added some efforts/qualities to really communicate the element through movement. 

Famous Dances-

Fifth graders are looking at the famous dance created by Alvin Ailey, Revelations. Through observation and exploration, students create movement related to themes seen throughout Revelations. From wanting to fly away to wading in the water, students will analyze how choreographers communicate emotional and abstract themes through use of space, shape, movement qualities, color, and sound.