Moving Motifs
by eden
About Moving Motifs
Moving Motifs is designed to encourage exploration of dance, choreography, and movement. A ‘motif’ is a repeating image, sound, idea, or movement in art that helps communicate ideas, themes, and feelings.
This resource introduces practical movement activities that can be used in the classroom to support incorporating dance into your sessions.
Use this resource to bring movement into your teaching or as a tool to explore emotions and feelings in new and creative different ways.
Tips on how to use it
- Activities are designed to take just a few minutes or to be longer and more developed. Start small – a single motif or "Quick Motifs" exercise (5 mins) can shift the energy of a room before a lesson or as a warm-up
- The resource encourages participants to consider how it feels to be a performer and/or the audience and explores how changing the composition, speed or intensity of a motif can change the whole feeling of a scene or performance
- Use "Movement" instead of "Dance" to open up the exercises to non-dance settings, like drama, music or maths
- Try "Dancing Dice" to add chance choreography into a session – let a dice roll decide the order, direction or mood of a sequence
- Build up to longer exercises like "The Never Ending Duet" (30 mins) or "Making a Choreographic Score" (60 mins) once your group is comfortable.
Who is it for?
- Suitable for all ages.
Benefits
- Introduces new vocabulary and tools (motif, choreographic score, chance choreography) that make movement easier to teach and talk about
- Helps demystify dance and reduce performance anxiety by starting with small, familiar gestures
- Encourages self-expression and embodiment, alongside collaboration and group decision-making
- Flexible across subjects and age groups – from a two-minute energiser to a full lesson built around chance and structure
- Draws on real choreographic practice.
Download or request resources
Request printable PDF
of the PDF version to print in your setting.
Request a physical copy
If your school or setting is based Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, you can of Moving Motifs and Dancing Dice to be sent to you free of charge while stocks last.
Request printable PDF
of the PDF version to print in your setting.
Request a physical copy
If your school or setting is based Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, you can of Moving Motifs and Dancing Dice to be sent to you free of charge while stocks last.
About eden
eden (they/them) is a movement artist based in Bristol.
They are currently interested in reframing how audiences interact with their movement works, alongside presenting dance outside of the traditional theatrical context.
Their practice uses movement, video and writing to make work that is curious about choreographic scores, ritual and the temporary.
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Moving Motifs by eden © owned by 黑料正能量 2025 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
of this license.
This resource was commissioned by 黑料正能量 as part of the Value of Artists project, delivered through the programme. The initiative was made possible with funding from the and .
