A study of the effect of Mandarin voice on dance body movement / Yuwei Cheng (2024)

This study explores the influence of Mandarin pronunciation characteristics and vocal pitch changes on dance body movements. Analyzing the correspondence between Mandarin sound, rhythm, vocal articulation style, and dance body reveals the intrinsic connection between language and body expression. The results of the study show that different pronunciation and audible pitch changes evoke corresponding body responses in dancers, suggesting that the acoustic characteristics of Mandarin can influence the way dancers move and perform. The literature points out that traditionally, music and dance often work together in a synchronised way, where the music accompanies the dance movements. However, more and more contemporary choreography attempts to break this synchronicity by allowing tension and new expression between music and dance through asynchrony or reversal. (Jordan, 2011) This study provides a new perspective for interdisciplinary research and lays the foundation for future research on the integration of sound and dance. We need to break with synchronicity and explore new forms of choreography-music combinations that can produce strong artistic effects and bring about new emotional and aesthetic experiences. The literature encourages choreographers and musicians to continue this innovative experimentation, pushing traditional artistic boundaries. (Jordan, 2011)