Like an exhilarating ride on a rollercoaster, or if you prefer, a wave, as dancers we ascend and descend, sink, scoop, and rise, following or leaving a pathway in space. It can be quite a thrill even at a low level of risk!
Our clarity about the described pathway in space, whether it be an scooping undercurve or arcing overcurve, affects our accuracy in performing dance steps and the impression given by choreographic expression. Here in episode 56, we’ll delve into two specific pathways that we often travel in space, so-called undercurves and overcurves.
“Undercurve” and “Overcurve” are terms mostly used in movement description (i.e. Laban Movement Analysis) and modern dance, but I also use them in teaching ballet technique because they clarify the path the steps travel through space and the concepts are applicable to all movement forms. Whether sliding, stepping, or jumping, every movement that transfers weight, travelling from one place to another, will either remain at the same level or change levels, often following an over-curving or under-curving pathway in space.
As modern dance innovators Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis distinguish in The Nikolais/Louis Dance Technique: "Remember that in the undercurve, the transfer of weight is always in low level. In the overcurve, the transfer is always in high level."
Examples from Ballet
Under-curving Chassé: “to chase,” as in a cat-and-mouse game between the two feet
Over-curving Pas de Chat: "step of the cat," a catlike leap
Further Ballet & Dance practice videos:
I hope you enjoyed exploring the concepts of undercurves and overcurves in ballet and dance today, as well as practicing the steps of Chassé, Pas de Chat, and more. Let me know whether you prefer an under- or over-curving pathway while dancing or observing dance in performance!
Stay tuned on my Blog for the latest ballet-liciousness :)
Blythe Stephens, MFA
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A Blythe Coach:
move through life with balance, grace, & power
