IN THIS UNIT

I. Nature and brief history of dance

II. Benefits of dance
III. Elements and characteristics of dance
IV. How to appreciate and evaluate a dance
performance
WHAT IS DANCE?

In its purest, most basic form, dance is art,

the art of body movement.
 CHAPTER I

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.
Brief history of dance
I. as a means of religious expression ANCIENT EGYPT
Brief history of dance
II. 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.
Brief history of dance
III. way of expressing tribal unity PHILIPPINES
Brief history of dance
IV. as an approach for courtship PHILIPPINES
BENEFITS OF DANCE
WHAT IS DANCE FOR?

“Dance is fun! It lifts the spirit, strengthens the

body, and stimulates the mind.” – Wayne Sleep
MAIN BENEFITS OF DANCE
I. Physical
II. Mental/Emotional
III. Social
IV. Cultural
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
• encourages positive social interaction and
interpersonal relationship in a group
• contributes to the individual’s potential for
self-actualization in society
CULTURAL BENEFITS OF DANCE
• promotes cultural values
 CHAPTER II

ELEMENTS OF DANCE
ELEMENTS OF DANCE
I. Space
II. Time
III. Energy
IV. Bodily Shapes
V. Group Shapes
elements of dance

SPACE
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
elements of dance: SPACE

I. Direction
- The performers can go forward,
backward, diagonal, circular, and so on.
elements of dance: SPACE
II. Size
- Movements can be varied by doing
smaller or larger actions.
elements of dance: SPACE
III. Level
- Movements can be done in a high,
medium, and low level.
elements of dance: SPACE
IV. Focus
- Performers may change their focus by
looking at different directions .
 elements of dance: SPACE
Similarity: Similarity:
Movement Movement

Difference: Difference:
Sizes and Levels Focus and Levels
elements of dance

TIMING
elements of dance: 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.
 elements of dance

DANCE ENERGIES
elements of dance: 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
qualities of dance energies: SUSTAINED

Movements are done smoothly, continuously,

and with flow and control. It does not have a clear
beginning and ending.
qualities of dance energies: 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.
qualities of dance energies: VIBRATORY

Movements consist of trembling or shaking. A

faster version of percussive movements that
produces a jittery effect.
qualities of dance energies: 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.
qualities of dance energies: SUSPENDED

Movements are perched in space or hanging on

air. Holding a raised leg in any direction is an
example of a suspended movement.
qualities of dance energies: 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.
 elements of dance

BODILY SHAPES
elements of dance: BODILY SHAPES
It refers to how the entire body is molded in
space or the configuration 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.
elements of dance: BODILY SHAPES

Symmetrical bodily shapes

Balanced shape; movements are practically

identical or similar on both sides.
elements of dance: BODILY SHAPES

Asymmetrical bodily shapes

Unbalanced shape; movements of two

sides of the body do not match or are
completely different from each other.
 elements of dance

GROUP SHAPES
elements of dance: 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.
elements of dance: BODILY SHAPES

Symmetrical, narrow group shape

elements of dance: BODILY SHAPES

Asymmetrical, rounded group shape

 CHAPTER III

DANCE APPRECIATION
AND COMPOSITION
What makes a good dance?
 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
 Terms to understand
Form
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.
Phrase
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.
Motif example
Itik-Itik dance

It is easy to
identify the
motif of this
dance as it
simply portrays
the movements
of an itik
(duckling).
 Like any superb tasting dish, a dance will
only be considered good if it has the right
ingredients. Whether it has a meaning or may be
presented abstractly, it must contain certain
qualities that make the choreography effective.
Characteristics of a good dance
I. Unity
II. Continuity and Development
III. Variety and Contrast
IV. Transition
V. Repetition
VI. Climax
characteristics of a good dance

UNITY
characteristics of a good dance: UNITY
The interconnected phrases of the dance
are coherent and flow smoothly together. The
movements fit together and each plays an
important role that contributes to the entirety of
a dance.
 characteristics of a good dance

CONTINUITY AND DEVELOPMENT

characteristics of a good 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.
 characteristics of a good dance

VARIETY AND CONTRAST

characteristics of a good dance:
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.
characteristics of a good dance

TRANSITION
characteristics of a good 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.
characteristics of a good dance

REPETITION
characteristics of a good dance:
REPETITION
Some phrases need to be repeated in
choreography so that the audience can see those
movements again and identify its significance.
Usually, when a certain phrase or a section of
choreography is repeated, it is the main message of
the dance.
characteristics of a good dance

CLIMAX
characteristics of a good 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
CHOREOGRAPHIC FORMS IN DANCE
I. Sequential
II. Contrapuntal
III. Episodic
IV. Other compositional forms
SEQUENTIAL FORMS
I. AB (two-part) form
II. ABA (three-part) form
III. Rondo Form (ABACA)
IV. Themes and variations form
CONTRAPUNTAL FORMS
I. Ground bass
II. Round or Canon
III. Fugue or Accumulation
IV. Suite
OTHER COMPOSITIONAL FORMS
I. Natural structures
II. Collage
III. Tableau
IV. Chance
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 specific demands that the performance places on
them.
Motif
They will evaluate according to the particular context of the dance.
MAKING A DANCE CRITIQUE
 Stages in assessing a dance
Description
Here, the evaluator / critic notes down the composition of the dance in terms of the elements and
the characteristics of dance Examples of which are noting down the variation, unity, space, time, and so on.

Interpretation
Involves an appreciation of the ideas, content, images, and style contained within the dance.

Evaluation
Takes into consideration how effectively the features and context of the dance have been utilized
in the actual performance of the dancers to portray the content and quality of the dance.
Guide questions
in Evaluating
a Dance
Performance
END