Floorwork

In dance, floorwork refers to movements performed on the floor. Floorwork is used extensively in modern dance, particularly Graham technique, Hawkins technique, and breakdancing.[1] Some dance training practices, notably Floor-Barre, consist entirely of floorwork.[2]

Floorwork changes the body's relationship with gravity, and requires dancers to navigate between higher and lower levels ("going in and out of the floor"). These features are central to the use of floorwork in choreography, and also affect its role in technique classes.[2] Executing floorwork smoothly requires flexible joints, a relaxed body, and attention to the kinesthetic feedback provided by the floor.[3]

The "low" or floorwork level is one of three principal spatial levels dancers may occupy, along with the middle or bipedestrian (upright) and the high or aerial (jumping) levels.[4]

  1. ^ Franklin, Eric N. (2013). Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance (2nd ed.). Human Kinetics. pp. 131 et seqq. ISBN 9780873229432. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b Erkert, J. (2003). Harnessing the Wind: The Art of Teaching Modern Dance. Human Kinetics. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-7360-4487-5.
  3. ^ Whittenburg, Zachary (30 June 2016). "Friends with the Floor". Dance Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  4. ^ Castaño, Marta (2009). "Identifying and analyzing motor skill responses in body movement and dance" (PDF). Behavior Research Methods. 41 (3): 857–867. doi:10.3758/brm.41.3.857. PMID 19587202.