Dance is movement that is
physical, cultural, social and psychological. It has always been an essential
part of human life that is used to express meaning or to communicate a message.
It is a part of celebrations and ceremonies and is a non-verbal expression that
communicates with people. Dance as a discipline shares similar creative aspects
with architecture. They both use and define space. Dance is movement of the
human body through space over time and architectural spatial qualities are
experienced by the human body through movement over time (Huang, 1991) .
“Time in dance establishes rhythm. Time in
dance gives order to motion. Dance may be perceived as ephemeral at its time of
performance, but it is through its making, conceptualization, process, medium,
and product that it becomes temporal. Dance transcends time through experience
and memory.” (Huang, 1991)
“Time in architecture reveals spatial
qualities. Time in architecture allows for generosity and growth. Architecture transcends
time through the collection of memories that deposits itself in archetypal
spaces.” (Huang, 1991)
Although similar, dance and
architecture seem to be in contrast with each other. Dance is about movement
while architecture is more about being static. Dance has qualities of rhythm,
dynamism, liveliness and can appeal to the emotional side of the observer. Both architecture and
dance require movement, time and space (Huang, 1991) . Both these
disciplines have evolved over time and moved away from old concepts of space
and form. Architecture now embraces dynamism and rhythm, while dance embraces
the chaotic and the random (Christov-Bakargiev, 2013) .
By exploring how people move
through the site over time and linking each space to the qualities associated
with dance and also providing opportunities for different kinds of experiences will
give a link between the two disciplines. Observing the creation of dance, and
importing choreography into architecture allows for the creation of programme
that, like dance, uses chance and unpredictability (Huang, 1991) . This will allow the
architecture to in-cooperate energy, intent, suspense and direction.
‘Architecture designed via space frees the
building of formal considerations; it is through the negative element, the
space, that the architectonic form becomes meaningful and defined (Chang, 1981) .
Dance can be private for the
individual or can be done for an audience. Playing on the issues of
transparency immerses the observer in the art of performance and these will be
tested in the performing arts theatre and school. The project will explore
informal performance spaces for the public. The performing arts theatre and
school will provide an opportunity to employ spatial concepts used in dance to
develop and design the architectural space. Through doing this, this can open a
new dimension in architecture. This will in turn allow the performances to
define the space.
Elements of dance
Rudolf von Laban was a very
influential dance instructor and theorist of the twentieth century who believed
that dance was not subordinate to music. He identified the principles inherent
in movement which led to the development of a system known as the Laban
Movement Analysis.
He classified the characteristics
of choreography into elements that can lend themselves to the process of
designing buildings within their context. Elements such as shape, space, timing
and dynamics can be played upon to open up the dialogue and breaking through
traditional design process to provide richer experiences that enhance the
performance.
Shape is connected with how the
body is flexible and responsive. It can be about straight, curved, jagged or
angular lines. Levels, symmetry, asymmetry and scale are key concepts that will
be incorporated in the design of the theatre and school. Space deals with the
geometric forms of the body and these include horizontal and vertical patterns.
Timing will be used to determine the rate at which people move through the site
and the key experiences they will go through. Dynamics in dance is the quality
of movement, uniqueness, richness and power. It brings together all the
elements such as weight, time, space and flow to achieve it. The quality of the
spaces in the theatre will play an important role and the transition between
these spaces creating a unique experience in each space. Capturing views of the
site and aspects of the performance from official productions to private
rehearsal.
References
Chang, A., 1981. The
tao of architecture. 1 ed. New Jersey : Princeton .
Christov-Bakargiev, C., 2013. Dance and
Architecture. [Accessed 29 September 2013]
Available at: http://thinking-in-practice.com/dance-and-architecture
[Accessed 12 September 2013].
Available at: http://thinking-in-practice.com/dance-and-architecture
[Accessed 12 September 2013].
Hanna, J., 1987. To dance is human. 2 ed. Austin
: University of Texas press .
Huang, E., 1991. Body in space: The sensual
experience of architecture and dance, Melbourne: Massachusetts Institute of
technology.
Moeller, M., 2006-7. National building museum, the
stories of architecture, engineering and design. [Accessed 2 October 2013]
Available at: http://www.nbm.org/about-us/publications/blueprints/architecture-dance.html
[Accessed 2 october 2013].
Available at: http://www.nbm.org/about-us/publications/blueprints/architecture-dance.html
[Accessed 2 october 2013].
Morell-Perea, D., 2006. Architizer. [Accessed 2
October 2013]
Available at: http://stat2.architizer.com/en_us/projects/view/uiuc-graduate-dance-laboratory-i/24017/#.UlJLXYanofg
[Accessed 6 October 2013].
Available at: http://stat2.architizer.com/en_us/projects/view/uiuc-graduate-dance-laboratory-i/24017/#.UlJLXYanofg
[Accessed 6 October 2013].
Springer, 2010. Architecture linked. [Accessed 2
October 2013]
Available at: http://architecturelinked.com/profiles/blogs/calatrava-and-the-nyc-ballet
[Accessed 6 October 2013].
Available at: http://architecturelinked.com/profiles/blogs/calatrava-and-the-nyc-ballet
[Accessed 6 October 2013].
Image References
02_ Image from http://c-monster.net/2011/06/10/roof-piece//,
accessed 01.10.2013
03_ Image from http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/jun/24/shobana-jeyasingh-toomortal-architecture-dance/,
accessed 01.10.2013
.jpg)
