This study explores how bodily movement in contemporary dance extends through interaction with the external environment, and in particular aims to examine, from the perspective of the creative process, the influence of artificial structures—external...
This study explores how bodily movement in contemporary dance extends through interaction with the external environment, and in particular aims to examine, from the perspective of the creative process, the influence of artificial structures—external elements—on the generation of movement and choreographic composition. Contemporary dance has developed as an art form that produces meaning primarily through the body, and external elements such as stage sets or objects function not merely as auxiliary devices but as important mediators that broaden the quality of movement and the range of interpretation. Nevertheless, practice-based creative research that treats artificial structures as a central component of choreography remains limited, and discussions that explore the complex relationship between the body and artificial structures through creative practice are still insufficient.
Based on this awareness, the present study presents the creative process and its significance centered on the choreographic work Gap, created by the researcher. Gap investigates “distance” emerging in human relationships and the subtle fissures of the interior through movement; in this work, the researcher introduced artificial structures onstage to visualize, both physically and spatially, shifts in gap, boundary, and balance. To this end, the physical and functional characteristics of the artificial structures were considered as a conceptual framework, and their relationship with bodily movement was realized through creative experimentation and choreographic composition.
Through this creative process, artificial structures were found to function as active creative elements that altered dancers’ bodily awareness and movement patterns. Features of the structures—such as inclines, level differences, and surface configurations—led dancers to experience new senses of balance and pathways, enabling three-dimensional bodily expression that departs from ground-centered traditional movement. In addition, the artificial structures reinforced the thematic meaning of the work and generated emotional and spatial tension, thereby functioning as both generators of movement and expressive devices within the choreography.
This study suggests that artificial structures can be core creative components that induce and reconfigure bodily movement rather than mere stage props. By expanding the relationship between the body and the environment in contemporary dance creation, this study demonstrates the creative potential of artificial structures through a concrete choreographic example and is expected to serve as foundational material for future practice-based creative research in dance.