Dance Appreciation

and Composition
 What makes a good dance?
A good dance displays a significant meaning or conveys a message.
sometimes , it also portrays life experiences. Dance may be presented
abstractly and symbolically but still convey emotion and meaning. A good
dance lifts and transports the audience from their seats during
performance.

It has a beginning, middle, and end/conclusion. The beginning of a dance

may come in a form of shape, a pose, or an entrance. The middle consists
of a development or the exploration of main idea. The ending/conclusion
should be clear and may be in a form of a shape, a pose, or an exit.
 What is a FORM?
A form is the instrument by which ideas and elements are arranged or
combined into a logical sequence which results in unity and
consistency, and by means of which the content or idea can be
expressed and communicated. It is the organizing factors of any work
or dance composition.
 What is a PHRASE?

A phrase is the smallest unit of form in the whole dance. It can be

related to a sentence in writing compositions. choreographers
and dancers use movement phrasing when working on dances.
 What is a MOTIF?
A good dance contains a theme or a motifs to be able to convey its
meaning or intention to the audience. A dance without meaning makes
it harder for the audience to understand. Thus, making it superficial and
easy.

A single movement or a short phrase of movement that embodies the

style and intention of the dance is called motif. A good dance uses a
motif in which movements are repeated, varied, and developed by
manipulating the movement components or elements.
CHARACTERISTIC
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.
 CONTINUITY and
DEVELOPMENT
The phrases of the dance that are
organized progressively, making each
movement phrase move naturally into
the next. There is a continuous
development of the movement and
phrase and the audience is swept
along to the end.
VARIETY and CONTRAST
Making one or several variations
that highlight the facet of the motif.
This provides variety within the
development of a dance. It
introduces new material, which is
noticeably different from anything so
far seen in 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
It emphasizes movements and
phrases that are important to the
dance and gives a feeling of closure
to a work. Some phrases need to be
repeated in choreography so that the
audience can see those movements
again and identify its significance.
 CLIMAX
This is where the apex of
energy in the dance is reached.
It is similar to a climax in a story
where a series of events
culminates. The climax may be
a fast and enraged blast of
energy and action, or it could
fade away to a gentle and quiet
exit that marks the end of
particular story.
CHOREOGRAPHIC
FORMS IN
 Sequential Form

These forms contain themes/motif which progress in a

specific order. They are arrange accordingly.

1. AB (two-part) form
2. ABA (three-part) form
3. Rondo form (ABACA)
4. Theme 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. There
are four contrapuntal forms of dance.

1. Ground Bass
2. Round Canon
3. Fugue or Accumulation
4. Suite
 Episodic Form
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
The success of any dance performance may depend on who the
evaluators are. Appreciation on the importance of the dance comes from
the points of view of the choreographer, the dancer, or the audience.

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.