ELEMENTS OF PERFORMING ARTS

Elements of Performing Arts

Welcome to the second module of the course on Philippine Contemporary Art from the Regions.
For this chapter, we will continue with our overview of art appreciation, this time discussing
performing arts.

In this overview, we will discuss the elements of the performing arts. It is important that you will
be able to classify other art forms found in the Philippines and be able to evaluate contemporary
performing art forms based on the elements that you will learn so that you know the basics of these
different art forms and you can appreciate them better.

Music
Music is the art of arranging sounds in rhythmic succession and generally in combination.
Melody results from this sequence, and harmony from the combinations. Music is both a creative
and a performing art. The common forms are song, march, fugue, sonata, suite, fantasy, concerto,
and symphony.

Music is the organization of sound through a musical composition, sometimes aided by

musical instruments

Music is an important part of our lives, and has been an important part of every civilization
known to man.

Sound is the first input we receive at birth. A child quickly learns to relate certain sounds to
specific occurrences. For example, he learns to recognize his mother's voice and associate it with
warmth, nourishment and nurture, even if he is still ignorant of words.

Music has been identified as the second category of sound a child relates to, after the voices
of the parents. Throughout time, music has been an important means of displaying the ideas,
experiences, and feelings of different societies and cultures. Our joys, sadness, triumphs, love,
failures can be expressed through music.

Elements of Music

Melody
Melody is that element of music which makes the most direct appeal. It
is generally what we remember, or whistle, or hum. By melody, we mean an

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orderly succession of tones or musical sounds. It consists of a series of pitches

and duration.

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Pitch
The term pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a tonal sound. It is a
physical principle that the faster vibrations are, the higher the pitch will be, and
the slower the vibrations, the lower the pitch.

(https://playnotes.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/156.jpg)

Tonality
Tonality is the key or tonal center. Here, one particular pitch receives
more emphasis than the others. In almost any melody, one tone can be found
which seems more important, more final, than any of the others used in making
the melody.

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Duration
The duration of a tone is determined by the length of time the vibration
is sustained. This property of tone becomes one of the bases of rhythm.

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Tempo
This is an Italian word which literally means “time”. In music, it
determines the speed of the beats in the measure, their duration in actual time.
Music may move at a fast, moderate, or slow speed, and in varying degrees.

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(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-
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Harmony
It is the simultaneous sounding of two or more tones.

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(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/72/e0/15/72e0159a137c91a007287039c3af51a3.jpg)

Dance
Simply speaking, dance is the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, which usually has
music. Dance can be for expressing ideas or emotions, releasing energy or just taking delight in
the movement. It is a powerful impulse. But for dance to become art, it needs to have 2 concepts.
One is the powerful impulse and the other is that impulse to be channeled into a skillfully
choreographed set of movements.

Elements of Dance
Not every movement can be qualified as dance. A movement must have certain basic
elements to be considered dance and as a performing art.

Theme
It is the content or the main ingredient of the dance. It tells us what a
dance is trying to convey. It is the message of the dance.

Design
Planned organization or pattern of movement in time and space. Pattern
in time, as provided by rhythm, groups the unaccented beats of movements into

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measures. Pattern in space is created by floor pattern (the path traced by

dancers’ travelling feet in planes), the levels on which one moves.

Movement
Movement is the action of dancers as they use their bodies to create
organized patterns. Body movement can be divided into steps, gestures of arms
and hands, and facial expression.

Technique
This is skill in executing movement. A technically proficient dancer has
complete control over the muscles of his or her body.

Music
It is something melodic and harmonious usually used as an
accompaniment. Music motivate the movement of the dancers. Most of the
time, music serves a s background music that further captivates the spectators.

Costume and Properties

The visual elements of costumes and properties also contribute to dance.
The type of dance performed and the costumes worn, at any stage of history
relate closely to the customs, beliefs, and environment of the people.

(https://www.facebook.com/balletphilippines)

Choreography
The organization of dance following steps and movement. A vital
element of dance that would make the performance and execution as cohesive
and artistic to further the audience’s appreciation and involvement. It also
serves as a tool for the dancers to convey a message for the easy, quick
understanding from the viewers.
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Scenery
The setting or background establishing the place of action of any dance
is important to make the dance more realistic and beautiful.

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good-for-longevity)

Theater or Drama
Theater is the art or profession of producing plays. Drama is the written work that tells a
story through action and speech and is acted out in a theater or play.

Basic Elements of Drama

Thought/Theme/Ideas
The theme contains the meaning of the play. This is mostly the abstract
issues and feelings that grow out of the dramatic action of the characters.
Sometimes, this is straightforwardly stated in the title or it may be inserted into
the dialogue of a character. The theme may also be less obvious and would only
emerge after some study or thought.
Action/Plot
Action/plot is the arrangement of action and movement in the play. The
action and movement in the play begin from the initial complication, through
rising action, climax, and falling action to resolution.

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Characters
These are the people presented in the play that are involved in
developing the plot. Each character should have his own distinct personality,
age, appearance, beliefs, socio-economic background, and language.

Language
Language and dialogue delivered by the characters move the plot and
action along. They provide explanation and define the distinct
characters. Each playwright can create their own specific style in relationship
to language choices that they use in establishing character and dialogue.

Music
Music is not a part of every play, but music can be included to mean all
sounds in a production. Music can expand to all sound effects, the actor’s
voices, songs, and instrumental music played as underscore in a play. There is
a need for the composers and lyricists to work hand in hand with the playwright
to strengthen the themes and ideas of the play. This element enables the
characters to relate with the audience through lyrics and music.

Spectacle
The spectacle in the theater involves all the visual elements of the play
- all of the aspects of scenery, costumes, and special effects in a production.
These include the qualities determined by the playwright that create the world
and atmosphere of the play for the audience’s eye.

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Cinema
Film is a story or event recorded by a camera as a set of moving images. Cinema is the
production of films as an art or industry. It is an act presentation in lights that made picture possible

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to appear on a two-dimensional surface. This art form is governed by drama, but unlike theater, it
is not presented in live medium although it is experienced by live audience.

Elements of Cinema
Actors
Actors mean the people who act, portraying a particular role that is
presented in film. Their portrayal of an imaginary character motivated the
audience to be emotionally involved in the story.

Director
This person is the life of the film. He/she is considered the key person
in the film making, and he/she ‘calls the shots.’ He/she is responsible in
bringing out the best and worst from his actors, staff and other members of
his/her staff. Logically, the director has three main jobs: to direct the actors on
how to deliver a particular line with different levels of emotions, to direct the
movements of the limited boundaries of space, and to decide as to what shift
and angle the camera will take.

Script
The script is the very story itself, to be given treatment by the director
and given life by the actors. The subject of the play may also be taken from the
script.

Sound and Voice

In ancient times, silence was an element of the film. It was only when
technology was introduced and used that sound and voice are instruments to
convey the beauty of the film story. For example, the story needs the sound of
the crickets, the barking of a dog, and the like.

The voice in film is the natural voice of the actors captured and
recorded. The voices produced by the actors make the story more convincing.
The audience could readily connect with the story by the voice used by the
actors. The audience could easily visualize the actors as sexy, funny, sad, strict,
or lovely by their voice.

Cinematography
Cinematography is defined as picture in motion. Cinematography turns
the film from a flat surface to a three-dimensional setting because of the
movements the actors make. Anything that is seen on the screen in any given
moment is a part of cinematography.

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(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3D-c4IXKNc)

Camera Shots
The camera is the sole medium to see a film into completion. The
camera is believed to be a means of expressing personal comments and a
definite point of view, by its position, angle movement and even focus.

Redeeming Value
Aside from its aesthetic significance, the purpose of art is to make man
a better person, and refined. From this context, it is not too much to say that
aesthetic value must give way to moral value. It should be emphasized here that
no matter how beautifully and aesthetically done a film is, if it doesn’t inspire
the audience in making them better persons, a film is still a failure.

Music
Music has the power to make the heart of the audience bleed with pity,
leap with joy and shout with anger. The theme song of the film will set the
mood and illusion in a film. Music touches the audience and would make the
spectators cry, laugh with the actors’ antics, hate the villain so much, angry
with the misfortunes of the actors, fall in love with the characters and gain
inspiration from the protagonists. The film may become more memorable and
enjoyable because of its music.

Supplementary Links to Videos and Readings

Videos
• “Elements of Dance | KQED Arts” (4:14)
< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGuD9Geeb2k>
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• “Five Elements of Music” (5:04)

< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svqq1ScbEU4>
• “Elements of Drama” (2:09)
< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx9VLZ6yRno>

Readings
• “Elements of Music” (10:00)
<http://accounts.smccd.edu/mecklerd/MUS250/elements.htm>
• “What is Cinema?” (5:00)
<http://www.elementsofcinema.com/general/what-is-cinema.html>
• “Elements of Drama” (15:00)
<https://macmillanmh.com/ccssreading/imagineit/grade4/ccslh_g4_rl_1_2c_l2.html>

Glossary

playwright writes and produces plays for the theatre. He writes the literary composition
specifically for the stage in play format.

References

Sanchez, Custodiosa, Paz Abad and Loreto Jao. Introduction to the Humanities. Manila: Rex Book
Store Inc. 2002. Print.

"dance". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica

Inc., 2016. Web. 06 Jun. 2016 <http://www.britannica.com/art/dance/Components-of-
thedance>

“theater”. Merriam-Webster. Merriam Webster Dictionary Online. n.p. n.d. Web. 06 June 2016.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theater>

“drama”. Merriam-Webster. Merriam Webster Dictionary Online. n.p. n.d. Web. 06 June 2016.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drama>

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