Choreographers shape dance using the elements of dance (body, space, time, dynamics, relationships) alongside choreographic devices — deliberate techniques for developing and varying movement material. Repetition repeats a movement phrase to reinforce it. Retrograde performs a movement sequence in reverse order. Canon has dancers perform the same movement phrase starting at staggered times, creating an overlapping, rippling effect. Unison has multiple dancers move in perfect synchronisation. Using these devices, a choreographer can take a single short movement idea and develop it into a much richer, more varied piece, rather than needing constant new material.
Example
A choreographer with a single 8-count movement phrase might use canon (dancers starting the phrase one after another, two counts apart) to create a rippling, cascading effect across the group, then switch to unison for the final repeat, bringing everyone together in synchronised movement for a powerful, unified ending.
Key terms
Choreographic device:
A deliberate technique (like repetition or canon) used to develop and vary movement material.
Canon:
A choreographic device where dancers perform the same phrase starting at staggered times.
Questions
1. A choreographic device is:
A deliberate technique used to develop and vary movement material
A type of musical instrument
Something unrelated to choreography
A costume design choice only
2. Repetition in choreography means:
Repeating a movement phrase to reinforce it
Never repeating any movement
Only used in music, never dance
Removing all movement from a piece
3. Retrograde means performing a movement sequence:
In reverse order
Faster than normal only
Exactly the same way every time
With no dancers at all
4. Canon involves dancers:
Performing the same phrase starting at staggered times
All standing completely still
Performing in perfect synchronisation only
Leaving the stage entirely
5. Unison means dancers:
Move in perfect synchronisation
Never move together
Perform entirely different movements
Leave the stage one by one
6. Choreographic devices help a choreographer:
Develop a single movement idea into a richer, varied piece
Avoid using any movement material at all
Make every dance look identical
Remove the need for any dancers
7. The elements of dance include body, space, time, dynamics and:
Relationships
Costume colour only
Ticket price
Stage lighting only
8. Why might a choreographer use canon rather than unison to create a "rippling" effect across a group of dancers?
Staggering when each dancer starts the same phrase creates a visual wave effect, unlike everyone moving together at once
Canon and unison always create exactly the same visual effect
Canon means dancers never actually perform the same movement
A rippling effect can only be created through repetition, never canon
9. Why might a choreographer use retrograde on a movement phrase toward the end of a piece?
It can create a sense of closure or reflection by revisiting earlier material in reverse
Retrograde has no relationship to the original movement phrase
Retrograde can only ever be used at the very start of a piece
Reversing a phrase always looks identical to performing it forwards
10. Why might switching from canon to unison partway through a piece feel like a powerful moment for an audience?
The shift from staggered, overlapping movement to unified synchronisation can create a strong sense of coming together
Switching between devices never has any noticeable effect on an audience
Unison and canon always look and feel exactly the same to a viewer
Choreographic device changes are only noticeable to the dancers, never the audience
11. Why might repetition of a movement phrase help an audience recognise and remember a piece's central idea?
Repeated exposure to the same movement material reinforces it as a recognisable, memorable motif
Repetition always makes a movement phrase harder to notice or remember
Audiences never notice or remember repeated movement material
Repetition has no connection to how memorable choreography is
12. Why might a choreographer combine multiple devices (like canon AND retrograde) within a single piece?
Combining devices allows for more complex, varied and interesting development of the same core movement material
Only one choreographic device can ever be used in a single dance piece
Combining devices always makes a piece confusing with no benefit
Using multiple devices removes the need for any core movement material
13. Why is it more efficient for a choreographer to develop one strong movement phrase using several devices, rather than creating entirely new movement for every section?
Devices let a choreographer explore and vary a single strong idea in multiple ways, rather than needing constant new material
Creating constant new material is always more efficient than developing existing ideas
Choreographic devices never actually help vary or develop movement
A piece with no repeated or varied material is always considered stronger choreography
14. Why might a choreographer deliberately break unison (having one dancer move differently from the group) at a key moment in a piece?
Disrupting an established pattern can draw attention to that single dancer or moment, creating contrast and meaning
Breaking unison always looks identical to maintaining it
A choreographer should never deliberately vary from established unison
Contrast in movement patterns has no effect on how meaning is communicated
15. Why might analysing a professional dance piece for its use of choreographic devices deepen a student's own choreographic practice?
Recognising how experienced choreographers develop and vary material provides models and ideas to apply in original work
Analysing professional works never provides any useful insight for a student choreographer
Choreographic devices used by professionals are always completely different from those available to students
Studying existing choreography has no connection to developing new choreographic skills
16. Why might a canon with a very short time delay between dancers create a different effect than a canon with a longer delay?
A shorter delay creates a tighter, more rapid overlapping effect, while a longer delay creates a more spread-out, gradual rippling effect
The length of delay in a canon never has any effect on how it looks
All canons look and feel identical regardless of timing
Canon timing only affects the music, not the visual choreography
17. Why might a choreographic device like retrograde be considered more sophisticated than simply performing a phrase once and stopping?
It requires deliberately manipulating existing material into a new form, extending and enriching the choreography beyond a single simple performance
Retrograde always makes a piece less sophisticated than performing a phrase only once
There is no meaningful difference in choreographic sophistication between these two approaches
Retrograde removes the original movement phrase entirely, adding no complexity
18. Why might understanding choreographic devices help a dancer, not just a choreographer, perform more effectively within a group piece?
A dancer who understands the intended device (like canon or unison) can more precisely execute timing and relationships with other dancers
Choreographic devices are only ever relevant to the person creating the choreography, never the performers
Dancers never need to understand the structural devices behind a piece to perform it well
Understanding choreographic devices has no bearing on performance accuracy
19. A choreographer wants to represent a group slowly losing, then regaining, coordination during a piece about teamwork. Which combination of devices might best achieve this arc?
Starting in unison, breaking into staggered canon or scattered timing, then returning to unison
Using retrograde only, since it is the only device that shows change over time
Repetition alone, since repeating the same movement always shows change
No device is capable of representing this kind of change
20. A dance critic reviewing a piece notes that the choreographer "used canon to visually represent the ripple effect of a rumour spreading through a community." What does this critique demonstrate about analysing choreography?
It connects a specific choreographic device to a deliberate conceptual meaning, showing how structure and idea work together
Choreographic devices can never be connected to a broader conceptual meaning in a piece
This kind of analysis has no real basis, since devices are always used with no meaning attached
A critic's interpretation is always identical regardless of which device is used
21. Understanding dance elements and choreographic devices mainly helps you to:
Analyse and apply techniques choreographers use to develop and vary movement material meaningfully
Assume every dance piece uses movement in an identical way
Avoid ever developing a single movement idea further
Treat choreographic devices as irrelevant to how a dance is understood
Answer key (parent copy)
1. A deliberate technique used to develop and vary movement material
2. Repeating a movement phrase to reinforce it
3. In reverse order
4. Performing the same phrase starting at staggered times
5. Move in perfect synchronisation
6. Develop a single movement idea into a richer, varied piece
7. Relationships
8. Staggering when each dancer starts the same phrase creates a visual wave effect, unlike everyone moving together at once
9. It can create a sense of closure or reflection by revisiting earlier material in reverse
10. The shift from staggered, overlapping movement to unified synchronisation can create a strong sense of coming together
11. Repeated exposure to the same movement material reinforces it as a recognisable, memorable motif
12. Combining devices allows for more complex, varied and interesting development of the same core movement material
13. Devices let a choreographer explore and vary a single strong idea in multiple ways, rather than needing constant new material
14. Disrupting an established pattern can draw attention to that single dancer or moment, creating contrast and meaning
15. Recognising how experienced choreographers develop and vary material provides models and ideas to apply in original work
16. A shorter delay creates a tighter, more rapid overlapping effect, while a longer delay creates a more spread-out, gradual rippling effect
17. It requires deliberately manipulating existing material into a new form, extending and enriching the choreography beyond a single simple performance
18. A dancer who understands the intended device (like canon or unison) can more precisely execute timing and relationships with other dancers
19. Starting in unison, breaking into staggered canon or scattered timing, then returning to unison
20. It connects a specific choreographic device to a deliberate conceptual meaning, showing how structure and idea work together
21. Analyse and apply techniques choreographers use to develop and vary movement material meaningfully