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Here is a list of over 200 words I have compiled that will assist drama and theatre students 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 performance by themselves or others. Questions about the use of movement by performers can also appear in written examinations.
| 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.
Thx for all the answers
It would be nice if we could someone enact all of these descriptive words for dance.
Hi friends, its impressive post about cultureand entirely
defined, keep it up all the time.
List of words now alphabetical by column, repeated words deleted, optimised for mobile view.
Useful site for teaching elements of drama
The list is very helpful although some words were repeated. It will be more comprehendible if it were in alphabetical order