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Circus Elements
Circus elements are fundamental aspects of a circus movement, sequence or performance.
Understanding these elements and how their use affects circus and how it is experienced is crucial to creating strong circus work. This page is meant as a dramaturgical and creative resource for circus artists and anyone who wants to create with their body.
This is an ongoing project, not an exhaustive list. Details may change or be added over time. Deeper explanations are also planned. If you have any questions or suggestions, I'd love to hear them at circus.coach.sol@gmail.com
Overview
Categories
Body
Tension
The level of tension held in the body.
Speed
How quickly the body moves through space.
Precision
How precisely the body is placed or moves in space.
Initiation
Where in the body a movement is initiated from.
Free Body Parts
Which parts of the body are not required for a particular movement.
Space
Position
Where the body is placed in space.
Directness
How directly the body moves in space.
Direction
Which way the body moves in space.
Pathways / Shapes
The pathways or shapes which the body traces in space.
Kinesphere
How much space the body occupies. Similar to someone's personal bubble.
Planes
Imagined flat surfaces in space.
Frontal plane
Sagittal plane
Axial plane
Levels
How high the body is in space.
Time
Rhythm
How moments are relatively accented.
Length
How long something takes to happen.
Pause
A temporary stop in action.
Flow / Staccato
How distinct moments are from each other.
Character
Focus
Where attention is placed.
Expression
What feeling is being expressed by the face and body.
Voice
Use of voice.
Relationships
What relationships are built between artists, audience or objects.
Sound
Tempo
How fast the sound is. E.g. BPM.
Rhythm
What rhythm the sound uses, if at all.
Timbre
The quality of the sound.
Key
What key any musical sound is in.
Volume
How loud the sounds are.
Setting
Stage
Where a performance takes place.
Background
What is visible behind the performance.
Props
What objects are used in the performance.
Costume
What the performers are wearing.
Aesthetic
Colour
The dominant colours.
Shape
The dominant shapes.
Style
What style is associated with the chosen shapes and colours.
Arrangement
Progression
How material and it's corresponding elements change over time.
Contrast
The use of opposite elements. This can be within the same element (e.g. fast and slow) or across elements with particular associations (e.g. fast and small kinesphere).
Extremes
Taking elements to their extremes.
Emptiness
Space or time that is not filled. E.g. little or no movement, sound, connection, etc.
Detail
Small uses of material and elements.
Repetition
Repeating particular material or elements.
Language
The particular material and elements you choose to use, to express yourself.
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