• to lengthen or make bigger
• to draw out in time and or space

Diminution
"the presentation of a subject in halved value"

• to reduce in size
• to make smaller in time and/or space

Mirroring
• to do on the other side
• to change the facing

Isolation
• to take one aspect of the phrase and do it, omitting the rest

ex.  do only the focus and head movements of the phrase
--do only the port de bras, but put it on a traveling base

Accumulation
• a sequential repetition. Start at a specific point in the phrase and gradually add the following counts, going back to the starting point each time and accumulating.

ex. 1. 1,2. 1,2,3. 1,2,3,4. etc.

Inversion
"the general meaning of the term is a substitution of higher for lower tones and vice versa. There are two main types of inversion:

harmonic  an interval is inverted by transferring its lower note into the higher octave or its higher note into the lower octave.

melodic  a melody is inverted by changing each ascending interval into the corresponding descending interval, and vice versa. The result is a mirror-like exchange of upward and downward movements, comparable to the contours of a forest and its reflection in a lake."

• to perform the spatial opposite, or counter-direction with the same body part.

ex.  right arm high becomes right arm low
ex.  to do the reverse side (as in a ballet class)

Retrograde
"the term denotes the backward reading of a melody, i.e. beginning with the last note and ending with the first one."

• to go from back to front, as in running a film backwards

performing the momentum or energy of the movement in reverse

Transposition
"the rewriting of the ex tempore performance of a composition at another pitch, i.e., in another key."

• to put the movement of one part of the body on another part; i.e., arms to legs, legs to arms

• to change level of the movement; i.e., all aerial , done on floor

• to change the state of the rotation of body parts; i.e., change from turned out to parallel

Transformation
"the modification of a musical subject or motive made with a view to change its personality."

• change the energy and quality. personality change. meter change (waltz, march, etc)

Development
"An important technique of recent composition which consists in the unfolding of the thematic material... these devices are used in a manner designed to bring about a feeling of evolution and growth, of increased intensity and higher "temperature," of dynamic stress and climax."

• to isolate an aspect and carry it to a new choreographic intention

Embellishment
"Arose as a spontaneous act on the part of the interpreter who, in performing a written melody, enlivened it, expanded it, or varied it through his technique of improvisation."

• to add on top of, or to give a special emphasis to one aspect of the phrase; i.e., adding an elbow movement every 2 counts

Canon
"a polyphonic composition in which all parts have the same melody throughout although starting at different points."

ex. start the port de bras 4 counts later

Splicing or Insertion
"Highlighting what you have by bringing in high contrast."

• to insert or splice in new material