Movement concepts (or elements of movement) explored in the curriculum include body awareness,
spatial awareness, effort awareness, and relationship to/with objects, people and space. Movement
strategies refer to a variety of approaches that will help a player or team to successfully achieve a
movement outcome or goal.
Body awareness is the sense that we have of our own bodies. It helps us know where the body parts
are, how they move and work, and even how they feel. Body awareness develops as gross motor and
fine motor development occur. Balance is also important in the development of body awareness.
Spatial awareness refers to being aware of your surroundings and your position relative to them. It's
important for a number of reasons, including knowing about location, distance, and personal space.
Effort awareness is the ability to develop a conscious recognition of one's body movements while
performing various physical activities
There are three components that are required within Effort Awareness: Time, Force, and Control.
ELEMENTS OF SPACE
1. DIRECTION
- this refers to the movement forward, backward, upward, downward, sideways right and left, circular
and combination of all these.
2. LEVEL
- As the body moves in horizontal plane it creates movement identified as high, medium/middle and
low. It may be represented in relative heights while standing, sitting, lying and kneeling.
3. RANGE
3 kinds:
• High level
• Middle level
• Low level
The maximum reach of an individual or sometimes referred to as personal space of the size of
movement.
4. PATHWAYS OR SPACE DE SIGN
- The line of design created in space as one move. Example an arm circling (circle design is created) or a
line drawn from running to the first base in softball.
5. FOCUS
- This is referred to as movement in space in relation to an object or a person's attention or direction.
Movement quality
The identifying attributes created by the release, follow-through, and termination of energy, which are
key to making movement become dance; typical terms denoting qualities include sustained, swing,
percussive, collapse, and vibratory and effort combinations such as float, dab, punch, and glide.
Force How lightly or strongly a movement is performed.
Time How quickly or slowly a movement is performed.
Flow How smooth or choppy a movement is performed.
