Through the years theorists have attempted to categorize movement properties for studying, teaching, and analyzing dance. Dance takes place in space. Therefore, a knowledge of the basic space elements is a necessary part of the education of the modern dancer. Force is concerned with concepts such as strength, manifested in downward movements, and lightness, shown in upward movements. This movement property, also described as weight, includes such descriptions as weak heavy, weighty, and resilient.
Time refers to the speed of movements.
Usually quick and sudden movements are made in a backward direction, while slow and sustained motions are correleated with reaching forward. Flow involves such aspects of movement as rigidity, stability, flexibility, and fluency.