Dance

Dance is the art form in which human movement becomes the medium for sensing,
understanding, and communicating ideas, feelings, and experiences. Dance provides a way of
learningone that develops communication abilities, problem solving techniques, and creative
and critical thinking skills along with kinesthetic abilities. At its core, the goal of dance
education is to engage students in artistic experiences through the processes of creation,
performance and response.

Elements of Dance
1. Body - The body is the mobile figure or shape, felt by the dancer, seen by others. The
body is sometimes relatively still and sometimes changing as the dancer moves in place
or travels through the dance area.
2. Action/Movement - Action is any human movement included in the act of dancingit
can include dance steps, facial movements, etc..
3. Space Area surrounding a person in which he/she is able to move.
4. Time - The duration of the movement.
5. Energy - It is about how movement happensit refers to the dynamics of an action and
can mean both the physical and psychic energy that drives and characterizes movement.
Movement - The act of moving your body or a part of your body
Two Types of Movement
a) Locomotor These are skills that when executed, cover distance or movement from one
place to another. Examples are walking running, jumping, leaping.
b) Nonlocomotor Skills that do not cover distance but consist more of axial movements,
like swaying, bending, flexing twisting.
Factors that Affects the Movements
a) Balance: Understand the nature of static and dynamic balance and the role of balance in
movement.
b) Time: Differentiate among speeds and to increase or decrease the speed of movement.
c) Force: To be able to create and modify ones force to meet the demands of the task
d) Flow:To combine movements smoothly and to perform movements within a restricted
time or space.
Social Dance It is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles, where
sociability and socializing are the primary focuses of the dancing.[ Social dances can be danced
with a variety of partners and still be led and followed in a relaxed, easy atmosphere.

Categories of Social Dance

Ceremonial dance
Competitive dance
Erotic dance
Participation dance
Performance dance

Terms and Positions

Arm Styling - Positioning and movement of the arms, reflecting the character of a dance
or style of dancing.
Ball Change - A change of weight from the ball of one foot to the flat of the other foot.
Break - A stop in the music.
Break Step - A step that changes the direction of movement. The Latin break step is a
two step sequence where the first and second steps are taken in opposition. Most Latin
dances use break steps.
Body Rise - The body rises by bracing the leg muscles and stretching the spine then
relaxes to a natural stance.
Balance Step - A step in any direction, followed by a close (no weight) and a hold.
Center - Balance point of the body mass located near the diaphragm.
Change Step (or closed change) - A three step sequence used to change weight from
one foot to the other. Usually these steps are the first three steps of the box step.
Chase - A figure where one partner pursues the other. Popular in cha cha. A visual
what you see is what you do lead
Chasse - A step sequence. The working leg slides out. Place weight on it and draw other
leg along floor to it.
Close - To bring feet together without a change of weight