PE AND HEALTH •encourages
interpersonal relationship in a group •contributes to
WHAT IS DANCE?
In its purest, most basic form, dance is art, the art of
body movement.
NATURE AND HISTORY OF DANCE
Nature of dance Dance differs from athletics and other
daily activities because it focuses primarily on an
aesthetic or even entertaining experience
Why do people dance?
I.To please the gods
II. To please others
III.To please themselves or self expression
IV. To build community
Brief history of dance
It is said that the first use of dance was as a gesture in
order to communicate.
● as a means of religious expression ANCIENT EGYPT
● as an aid to military education ANCIENT GREECE
Ancient Greeks believed that a man’s grace in dance
equaled his prowess in battle, therefore dance was
incorporated in their basic education.
● way of expressing tribal unity PHILIPPINES
● as an approach for courtship PHILIPPINES
BENEFITS OF DANCE
PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF DANCE
•develops muscular and cardiovascular endurance
•improves flexibility, coordination, balance, and body
composition
•enables joint mobility
•helps prevent osteoporosis
•lowers risk of cardiovascular diseases
MENTAL/EMOTIONAL BENEFITS OF DANCE
•helps keep the brain sharp
•decreases risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
•decreases depressive symptoms
•increases self-esteem and improves body image
•aids in releasing emotional tension
SOCIAL BENEFITS OF DANCE
•gives sense of togetherness within a group
positive social interaction and
the individual’s potential for self-actualization in
society
CULTURAL BENEFITS OF DANCE
•promotes cultural values
ELEMENTS OF DANCE:
SPACE - the area that the dance performers occupy
and where they move - can be divided into four different
aspects, also known as spatial elements
● Direction - The performers can go forward,
backward, diagonal, circular, and so on.
● Size - Movements can be varied by doing smaller
or larger actions.
● Level - Movements can be done in a high,
medium, and low level.
● Focus - Performers may change their focus by
looking at different directions .
● Movement Difference: Sizes and Levels
Similarity: Movement Difference: Focus and Levels
TIMING - The movements in timing can be executed in
varying tempo (speed). Performers move with tempo of
an underlying sound known as beat or pulse.
DANCE ENERGIES - Movements are propelled by
energy or force. This force can either initiate or stop an
action. Dance uses different energies. Varied use of
these minimizes the monotony of the movements in the
performance.
SIX QUALITIES OF DANCE ENERGIES
I. Sustained II. Percussive III. Vibratory IV.
Swinging V. Suspended VI. Collapsing
1. SUSTAINED - Movements are done smoothly,
continuously, and with flow and control. It does not
have a clear beginning and ending.
2. PERCUSSIVE - Movements are explosive or
sharp in contrast with sustained movements. They
are accented with thrust of energy. They have a
clear beginning and ending.
3. VIBRATORY - Movements consist of trembling
or shaking. A faster version of percussive
movements that produces a jittery effect.
4. SWINGING - Movements trace a curved line or
an arc in space. The movements are relaxed and
giving in to gravity on the downward part of the
motion, followed by an upward application of
energy.
 5. SUSPENDED - Movements are perched in space
or hanging on air. Holding a raised leg in any
direction is an example of a suspended movement.
6. COLLAPSING - Movements are released in
tension and gradually or abruptly giving in to gravity,
letting the body descend to the floor. A slow
collapse can be described as a melting or oozing
action in a downward direction.
BODILY SHAPES - It refers to how the entire body is
molded in space or the confifiguration of body parts. The
body can be rounded, angular, or the combination of the
two. Other body shapes can be from wide to narrow and
from high to low. They can be symmetrical and
asymmetrical.
 Symmetrical bodily shapes Balanced shape;
movements are practically identical or similar on
both sides.
 Asymmetrical bodily shapes Unbalanced shape;
movements of two sides of the body do not match
or are completely different from each other.
 GROUP SHAPES In this element, a group of
dancers perform movements in different group
shapes/they are arranges in ways that are wide,
narrow, rounded, angular, symmetrical, or
asymmetrical, and are viewed together as a total
picture or arrangement.
BODILY SHAPES Symmetrical, narrow group
shape
BODILY SHAPES Asymmetrical, rounded group
shape
DANCE APPRECIATION AND COMPOSITION
What makes a good dance? It displays a significant
meaning or conveys a message lifts and transports the
audience from their seats has a beginning, middle, and
end / conclusion must have a shape or form for an
effective choreography
 Form is the instrument by which ideas and elements
are arranged or combined into a logical sequence
which results in unity and consistency. It is the
organizing factor of any dance composition.
 A phrase is the smallest unit of form in the whole
dance. It can be related to a sentence in writing
compositions.
 Motif. A single movement or a short phrase of
movement that embodies the style and intention of the
dance is called a motif. A good dance contains this in
order to be able to convey its meaning or intention to
the audience.
Characteristics of a good dance
I. Unity II. Continuity and Development III.Variety and
Contrast IV.Transition V. Repetition VI.Climax
 UNITY The interconnected phrases of the dance are
coherent and flflow smoothly together. The
movements fit together and each plays an important
role that contributes to the entirety of a dance.
 CONTINUITY AND DEVELOPMENT The structure of
the dance are organized progressively, making each
movement phrase move naturally into the next. There
is a continuous development of the movement phrase
and the audience is swept along to the end.
 VARIETY AND CONTRAST Variety and contrast in
movement phrases add excitement and flavor to the
dance. Changing the direction, use of energy, timing
of a movement phrase, and avoiding repeating them
in the exact way are ways to add variety to the dance.
 TRANSITION This is the link between movements,
phrases, and sections of the dance. It makes the
logical progression of the dance flow smoothly. Also, it
is vital because it keeps the unity and continuity of the
dance.
 REPETITION Some phrases need to be repeated in
choreography so that the audience can see those
movements again and identify its signifificance.
Usually, when a certain phrase or a section of
choreography is repeated, it is the main message of
the dance.
 CLIMAX This is where the apex of energy in the
dance is reached. It is similar to the climax in a story
where a series of events culminates. The climax may
be a fast and enraged blast of energy action, or it
could fade away to a gentle and quiet exit that marks
the end of a particular story. The music will often
assist both the choreographer and the audience when
determining this point of development.
CHOREOGRAPHIC FORMS IN DANCE
I. Sequential II.Contrapuntal III.Episodic IV.Other
compositional forms
 SEQUENTIAL FORMS These forms contain
themes/motif which progress in a specifific order.
I. AB (two-part) form
II. ABA (three-part) form
III. Rondo Form (ABACA)
IV. Themes and variations form
 CONTRAPUNTAL FORMS - Several themes are
woven together in choreography to form a complex
structure. The main theme is seen against itself or
against one or more other themes.
I. Ground bass
II. Round or Canon
III. Fugue or Accumulation
IV. Suite
 EPISODIC FORMS - are not musical forms; instead,
they are found in literature. They tell a story through
connected and progressive sections called episodes.
Narrative form is an episodic form that tells a story or
conveys an idea and the sequence of the story
determines the structure of the dance
 OTHER COMPOSITIONAL FORMS

a. Natural Structures - mostly come from natural

structures such as the season, life cycles, and
everyday life experiences

b. Collage - consists of a series of movement

phrases that are often unrelated but have been
brought together to create a single dance with a
beginning, a middle, and an end.

c. Tableau - different movement phrases are formed

by different dancers simultaneously in the same
space.

d. Chance - the movement phrases are performed

in random order and spatial placing.

EVALUATING A GOOD DANCE

How is the quality of a dance evaluated? The success of

any dance performance may depend on who the
evaluators are. Appreciation on the importance of dance
comes from the points of view of the choreographer, the
dancer, or the audience.

Evaluators’ roles Choreographer They will evaluate a

part of an ongoing process of developing a personal
style which is both spontaneous and organized. Dancers
They will evaluate according to the specifific demands
that the performance places on them. Motif They will
evaluate according to the particular context of the
dance.

1. Choreographer - they will evaluate a part of an

ongoing process of developing a personal style which is
both spontaneous and organized.

2. Dancer - they will evaluate according to the specific

demands that the performance places on them.

3. Audiences - they will evaluate according to the

particular context of the dance.

Stages in Assessing a Dance

1. Description - involves close observation of all the

element, characteristics, and components of a dance as
described in the previous sections of this worktext.

2. Interpretation - involves an appreciation of the ideas,

content, images, and style contained within the dance.

3. Evaluation - takes into consideration how effectively

the features and the context of the dance have been
utilized in the actual performance of the dancers to
portray the content and the quality of the dance.