Here is a list of over 200 words I have compiled that will assist students of drama and theatre to describe the movement of actors in performance. Often as part of their coursework, students need to analyse the play making process of a piece of their own work or evaluate a performance by themselves or others. Questions about the use of movement by performers can also appear in written examinations.
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| agile | hurry | slither |
| ahead | jab | slouch |
| amble | jog | slow |
| balance | jump | smash |
| barrel | languid | snake |
| behind | lazy | sneak |
| bend | leap | soar |
| bolt | left | south |
| bounce | leisurely | speedy |
| bound | lift | spin |
| brisk | light | sprint |
| burst | linear | sprint |
| careen | loiter | stagger |
| carve | lumber | stalk |
| catch | march | stamp |
| chase | meander | stately |
| chop | measured | step |
| clap | melt | stomp |
| climb | mosey | streak |
| clockwise | move | stretch |
| close | nimble | strike |
| crawl | non-linear | stroll |
| creep | north | strong |
| dance | open | strut |
| dart | over | sudden |
| dash | pass | swagger |
| dawdle | plod | sway |
| deft | pluck | swerve |
| deliberate | plummet | swift |
| dig | plunge | swing |
| direct | poke | swoop |
| dive | pose | tap |
| dodge | prance | throw |
| down | propel | tickle |
| downwind | pull | tiptoe |
| drag | punch | trot |
| drive | quick | trudge |
| drop | race | tumble |
| duck | ram | turn |
| east | right | twirl |
| edge | rise | twist |
| fall | roll | under |
| fast | run | up |
| flap | rush | upwind |
| flee | sail | waddle |
| flip | saunter | walk |
| flounce | scamper | waltz |
| fly | scramble | west |
| free | scuttle | whisk |
| freeze | shake | wiggle |
| gallop | shove | worm |
| glide | shrug | wriggle |
| grab | shuffle | wring |
| hang | skate | zigzag |
| heave | skip | zip |
| homeward | skitter | zoom |
| hop | slide | |
| hurl | slink |
Not sure of the meaning of a word on the list? Look it up in the dictionary.
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September 26, 2019 at 11:58 pm
It would be nice if we could someone enact all of these descriptive words for dance.
January 26, 2017 at 1:39 pm
Hi friends, its impressive post about cultureand entirely
defined, keep it up all the time.
October 22, 2016 at 2:50 pm
List of words now alphabetical by column, repeated words deleted, optimised for mobile view.
July 29, 2015 at 11:22 am
Useful site for teaching elements of drama
July 7, 2015 at 6:19 am
The list is very helpful although some words were repeated. It will be more comprehendible if it were in alphabetical order