An Exploration of the Interaction Mechanism Between the Dancing Body and the Environment from the Perspective of Ecological Perception

Abstract

This study employs ecological perception theory to examine its application and significance in dance improvisation and choreography. The theory emphasizes the direct coupling of perception and action, whereby movement emerges dynamically through the dancer–environment interaction. Three dimensions are highlighted: affordances, referring to how dancers perceive physical and spatial properties as potential movement possibilities; the perception–action loop, underscoring the ongoing refinement and extension of movement through embodied experience; and body–environment coupling, which conceptualizes dance not as an isolated creative act but as a process of co-construction with the environment. Case analyses from natural sites, urban spaces, and multimedia stages demonstrate how environmental features operate as sources of choreographic inspiration. The paper concludes that adopting an ecological perception perspective can enhance the openness of improvisation, support site-specific experimentation, and foster the development of interdisciplinary approaches in dance education and creative practice.