Monthly Fundraiser
Thank you CSDA families for showing your support for Latham Centers. Congratulations Lilly Kelsch, you are the winner of the complimentary 2025-26 season registration fee!
April is Autism Acceptance month with World Autism Day being celebrated on April 2nd! If you would like to help raise awareness you can wear blue to class from Wednesday, April 2nd to Tuesday, April 8th.
Our fundraiser for April is the Luv Michael Fundraiser. Did you know that once an autistic person turns 22 they are no longer eligible to participate in state funded education programs? That 90% of autistic adults are underemployed or unemployed? By donating to the Luv Michael Fundraiser you are providing meaningful employment and on the job training for autistic adults. Along with helping support the CSDA' Outreach Team's effort in serving the community.
If you know an Outreach Team member ask them for their donation link!
Telling a Story Through Movement: The Art of Choreography
Choreography is more than just arranging steps and sequences of movement; it’s about telling a story, conveying emotion, and creating a connection with the audience. The power of choreography lies in its ability to communicate without words. It speaks directly to the heart, leaving an emotional imprint that lingers long after the performance is over.
This spring, I’ve had the amazing opportunity of being commissioned by BoSoma Dance Company to set a dance piece for their May 2025 show. Through this piece, I’ve been able to tell my own story of my experience with first time motherhood, as well as navigating this experience having lost my own mother. It’s been extremely cathartic and rewarding to tell this story through dance, and I would love to help share how you too can tell a story through your own choreography.
Let’s explore how choreographers use movement as a storytelling tool, how to design a narrative through dance, and the key elements that make a dance performance compelling.
1. Starting with the Story
Every dance piece begins with an idea. It could be an abstract concept or a clear narrative. Some choreographers choose to start with a storyline—maybe a love story, a historical event, or a personal experience—while others prefer to focus on conveying an emotion or an atmosphere through movement. No matter the approach, the story forms the foundation of the choreography.
When crafting the story, consider the following questions:
- What message do you want to convey?
- Who are the characters, and what motivates them?
- How does the setting influence the narrative?
- What emotions are involved—joy, sorrow, conflict, or triumph?
These answers help to shape the movement vocabulary, musical choices, and staging elements that will communicate the essence of the story.
2. Characterization Through Movement
Just like an actor plays a role on stage, dancers embody characters in a dance. Movement can be used to reflect the personality, intentions, and emotions of each character. A character’s physicality, posture, and gestures tell the audience who they are and what they are feeling.
- Graceful, fluid movements might convey a character’s elegance, vulnerability, or peace.
- Sharp, staccato movements could indicate aggression, tension, or determination.
- Repetitive movements might express obsession, doubt, or longing.
Every gesture in the choreography has the potential to reveal something about the character. Even subtle shifts—such as a raised arm, a tilt of the head, or a slight bend of the knee—can have significant meaning in the storytelling process.
3. Musicality and Rhythm in Storytelling
Music is a powerful companion in storytelling through dance. The rhythm, tempo, and mood of the music help to set the tone of the performance and guide the movements. A slow, sweeping melody might accompany slow, fluid movements, while an upbeat, fast-paced tune could inspire energetic, sharp steps.
Choreographers also use changes in musical phrasing to build tension and release. For example, a sudden pause in the music could mark a dramatic shift or an emotional breakthrough in the story, and an unexpected change in tempo might signal a turning point in the narrative.
Additionally, the relationship between the movement and music can also symbolize the emotional journey of the characters. If the character is struggling, their movements might be disjointed or syncopated, mimicking the chaos in their inner world. If the character experiences a breakthrough or moment of clarity, the dance could become more harmonious and unified.
4. Space and Dynamics
Movement doesn’t only occur in the body; it also exists in the space around the dancers. The way dancers move through space can say a lot about the story. Are they constrained within a small space, or do they explore the entire stage, suggesting freedom? Do they move alone or interact with others, showing connection or separation?
The dynamics of the movement (the quality of movement) play an important role in storytelling. Dancers can express different emotional states by varying their speed, energy, and strength. For example:
- Slow, soft movements may convey sorrow, vulnerability, or contemplation.
- Sharp, quick movements can represent urgency, anger, or conflict.
- Large, expansive movements may indicate joy, freedom, or triumph.
- Small, constrained movements could express tension, confusion, or isolation.
5. Using Partnering and Group Dynamics
In many dance pieces, the interaction between dancers tells a story in itself. Partnering can symbolize relationships—be it romantic, adversarial, or platonic. Through lifts, holds, and shared movements, the connection or lack of connection between the dancers can communicate a variety of emotional states.
- Supportive partnering may symbolize love, trust, or friendship.
- Struggling or breaking away from one another might represent conflict or separation.
- Synchronized movement in a group can convey unity or collective action, while mismatched or chaotic movement can reflect discord or disarray.
The physical proximity or distance between dancers can also symbolize emotional closeness or distance, adding another layer to the story.
6. Creating a Lasting Impact
The goal of any choreographed piece is to leave the audience with an emotional response. A powerful dance performance can make people laugh, cry, or reflect deeply. It can stir up feelings of empathy, inspiration, or nostalgia. Whether the piece is lighthearted or deeply moving, it should evoke a reaction.
To create that lasting impact, the choreography needs to be intentional. Every movement, every pause, every look, and every interaction between dancers should contribute to the overall emotional experience. Choreographers use timing, spacing, and contrasts to build momentum toward the final moments, crafting a performance that feels complete and satisfying.
If telling stories through movement sounds interesting to you, I will be teaching a Choreography workshop this summer at the Sagamore studio at 3:30 on Tuesdays! Check out the Center Stage website to get more information and register.
By: Julia Sykes
