This website is designed based on Dr. Li Lei’s Ph.D. dissertation, The Relevance of Newton’s Laws and Selected Principles of Physics to Dance techniques: Theory and Application (Copyright © 1999 Li Lei). The purpose of this website is to help dance educators, dancers, and dance spectators understand the intrinsic relationship between dance and physics, and benefit from this understanding. Dance is an art. Physics is a science. Some people may think that it is impossible to unite dance and physics because they are very different in their intentions, methods, and standards of evaluation. However, when we consider them from a new perspective, the relationship between dance and physics becomes clear. Dance movements are governed by the laws of motion; a part of physics is to study how things move. The intrinsic relationship between dance and physics has always existed.
In her dissertation, Dr. Li Lei classifies all dance techniques, excluding partnering techniques, into eight categories:
1. Balance on One Foot
2. Turn on One Foot
3. Standing Jump/Hop/Leap
4. Standing Jump/Hop/Leap with Turn
5. Traveling Leap/Jump/Hop
6. Traveling Leap/Jump/Hop with Turn
7. Traveling Turn
8. Special Skill
After classifying dance techniques into eight categories, she then creates an analytic model, the PED Model©, for analyzing each of the eight categories. PED stands for Physics of Expressive Dance. The PED Model includes three components:
1. Physics Analysis
2. Intention Analysis
3. Efficiency Evaluation
The physics laws and principles applied in the component of physics analysis include Newton’s Laws of Motion, The Law of Conservation of Linear Momentum, The Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum, The Law of Rotation, and The Definition of Center of Mass.
Through physics-based analyses, by applying the PED Model, the instructions and illustrations for executing dance techniques are derived. General instructions for each of the eight categories are developed. Sample movements are given for demonstrating how to apply the general instructions to specific movements.
This website provides a sample presentation to demonstrate how the scientific teaching/learning method benefits dancers by learning dance techniques rationally, efficiently and proficiently, and preventing injuries. The scientific teaching/learning method also allows dance professionals to balance the development of the artistry of dance with physical laws. The sample presentation includes the following parts:
1. Introduction to physics of dance
2. Methods of physics analysis
3. General instructions for one of the eight categories, Balance on One Foot
4. Two examples of movements from Balance on One Foot category
5. Discussion of the benefits of applying the scientific instructions
6. Conclusion