What is Momentum:
The amount of motion a dancer has is their momentum. Formulaically speaking momentum is equal to a dancer’s weight, times the amount they’ve moved, over the change in time.
The purpose of Momentum:
By creating and interacting with momentum a dancer generates movement through space. The momentum of a dancer can also be interacted with by another dancer to cocreate movement through space, and/or to transfer movement (kinetic energy) from one dancer to another.
A dancer’s momentum can be influenced by another dancer in the following ways:
a. A full (direct) transfer: A 100% transfer of the movement (kinetic) energy from one dancer to another, causing the dancer with the initial momentum to come to a complete stop.
b. A partial transfer: A percentage of kinetic energy (less than 100%) is transferred from one dancer to another, causing the dancer with the initial momentum to change speed or direction.
c. Absorbing to Redirect: Absorbing kinetic energy and sending it in a new direction.
d. Absorbing to Grounding: Absorbing kinetic energy and sending it into the floor through the tone in your legs and core. A return to 1st Partner.
e. Absorbing to Connection: Absorbing momentum energy with a gradual stopping force through a connection point is one way to create compression. If each dancer provides equal energy into the connection, it creates a compression to temporarily store energy into the shared musculature. This enables a gradual change in directional motion or speed over time.
Why Momentum Matters:
Because dance is a movement based artform, momentum is essential for dance. By creating and interacting with momentum, dancers move through space to express themselves and connect with their partners (gravity, each other, and music).
Momentum continues in a line unless acted on by an outside force. Partner dance has two kinds of momentum.
Directional Momentum This momentum continues in a line unless acted on by an outside force. This line conforms to the curvature of space created by the gravity well of the earth and any other bodies you consider relevant.
Rotational Momentum This momentum is created when components of an attached body have differing momentums. This causes both components to orbit around eachother as both directional momentums are maintained but translate through the connection between.
Friction In partner dance there is friction in the atmosphere, the floor, Body Mechanics, Lag, and Validation through Confidence. Dancers try to keep friction predictable. This often means counteracting friction.
Concepts for further exploration within Momentum include:
- Waves and moving energy inside your own body
- Generating your own Momentum
- Safely catching & Redirecting partner’s momentum
- Different Connection Points
- Safe angles of applied pressure and Catches
- Transferring and absorbing momentum
- Storing momentum into potential energy and shaping
- Momentum and Rotation
- Rise and Fall
- Impetus (the force that moves the body - a construct of momentum, shaping, and other factors)
- Using Impetus to safely lead shared Issolations and percussive movements
- Using Impetus for Redirection and Styling
- Impetus based leads