1. A computer-implemented method of animating a computer-generated display component, comprising: generating one or more display layers for displaying one or more display components on a computer-enabled display surface; drawing a display component on each of the one or more display layers; applying an animation property to each of the one or more display layers; applying one or more animation behaviors to each of the one or more display layers for enabling animations for each of the one or more display layers when changes are made to animation properties applied to each of the one or more display layers; receiving a change to one or more animation properties applied to one or more of the display layers; flattening all display layers that did not receive a change to one or more animation properties into a single non-animating display layer; and animating the one or more display layers for which an animation property change is received according to the one or more animation behaviors applied to the one or more display layers.