CHAPTER 1: BRIEF HISTORY AND NATURE
OF DANCE
“Before man can do anything, he must draw
breath, he must move. Movement is the source
and condition of life. To dance is to be out of
yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful.
This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours
for the taking” – Agnes de Mille (1963)
DANCE
“Dance is an activity which can take many
forms and fill many different needs. It can be
recreation, entertainment, education, therapy,
and religion. In its purest and most basic form,
dance is art, the art of body movement.” -
Barbara Mettler (American dancer, dance
educator, author, and film and video producer)
“Unlike athletics or other daily activities, dance
focuses primarily on “an aesthetic or even
entertaining experience” - Myers, 2005
REASONS OF PEOPLE FOR DANCING
1. To please the gods
2. To please others
3. To please themselves (self-expression)
4. To build community within an ethnic
group (social interaction)
BRIEF HISTORY OF DANCES
 People from the prehistoric era
performed ways they hoped would
appease the forces of nature or give
them new powers of their own.
 It was only during the pre-Christian era
that the real knowledge of dance came
about within the great Mediterranean
and Middle Eastern civilizations.
 Dance became full-blown and was richly
recorded in ancient Egypt as reflected in
their wall paintings, reliefs, and in the
literary record in hieroglyphs.
 For ancient Greeks, who thought highly
of dance, it was closely linked with other
kinds of experiences such as an aid to
military education among the boys in
Athens and Sparta, as well as a form of
entertainment and display.
 As Kraus and Gaufman (1981) said,
“Man danced originally to supplicate the
gods on all important occasions of life”.
 The Greek also used dance to aid
education in general as philosophers
such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates
strongly supported this art as an
integration of the body and soul.
 The ancient Rome gave less
importance to dancing as the nation
grew wealthy and powerful.
• It became brutal and
sensationalized as their
entertainers were slaves and
captives from many nationalities.
• It was used more often for
gruesome purposes.
• It eventually became an integral
part of the corruption in the latter
days of the Roman Empire,
resulting in the condemnation of
dance by the early Christians.
 In fact, Plato himself immensely gave
importance to dance in education as
stated in his elucidation on the Laws.
He highlighted the two kinds of dance
and music: the noble (fine and
honorable) and the ignoble (imitating
what is mean or ugly).
 After the fall of Rome, the history of
dance transformed following the
development of the Catholic Church,
which was by then the sole custodian of
learning and education as well as the
source of morals. During this time,
theatrical entertainment was prohibited
and dance was performed only during
worships, church services, and religious
ceremonies.
 Although the Church had condemned
dance as entertainment, some singers,
dancers, poets, actors, musicians, and
jugglers continued to wander in village
squares to perform during the Dark and
early Middle Ages
• These performers were
eventually welcomed in the
castles and chateaus of feudal
lords.
• The common people also
amused themselves by doing
dances that were social in
character, marking the beginning
of social dancing.
 The peasants performed two basic
types of dancing: the round dance and
the couple dance. In round dance,
dancers hold each other by hand,
forming a long chain and move about in
an open or closed circle, or in an
extended line. Couple dance, at that
time, was not as popular as round
dance as it was considered scandalous
when first seen.
 Nobility soon followed the peasants’
lead in dancing but in a more refined
and courtly form as court dances
emerged as part of the chivalric way of
life.
 During the Renaissance, dance, and art
in general, was wholly accepted and
gained impetus.
• The old restraints were loosened
and clerical ideas and purposes
no longer dominate all creative
expressions of the human spirit.
• The entertainers now became
valuable appendage to the
courts of Italy and France.
 In the 15th and 16th centuries, new court
dances in Europe performed by the
nobility came about at about the same
time as the rise of the art of ballet in
Italy and France. From then on, several
other dance forms continued to sprout
and spread across several countries.
 After the pinnacle of ballet prominence,
contemporary dances that were stylistic
variations of ballet emerged and • Aids in releasing emotional and physical
evolved in Europe. Other dance forms tension
also came to light and have been widely
SOCIAL
recognized worldwide.
• Gives sense of togetherness within a
BENEFITS OF DANCE AND CREATIVE
group
MOVEMENT
• Encourages positive social interaction
PHYSICAL
and interpersonal relationship in a group
• Develops cardiovascular and muscular
• Contributes to the individual’s potential
endurance
for self-actualization in society
• Improves coordination, balance,
CULTURAL
flexibility, and body composition
• Promotes cultural values
• Lowers risk of cardiovascular diseases
CHAPTER 2:
• Lowers body mass index
Elements of Dance
• Lowers resting heart rate
“Existence is movement. Action is
• Improves lipid metabolism movement. Existence is defined by the
rhythm of forces in natural balance” - Rudolf
• Enables joint mobility (hip motion and
Von Laban
spine flexibility)
ELEMENTS OF DANCE
• Helps improve and maintain bone
density, thus helping prevent 1. SPACE
osteoporosis
- the area the performers occupy and where
• Helps recover coordination and they move
neuromuscular skills after injury
 Direction
MENTAL/EMOTIONAL
Dance movements can travel in any
• Helps keep the brain sharp direction. The performers can go forward,
side, backward, diagonal, circular, and so
• Decreases incidence of dementia and
on. They may also face any direction while
Alzheimer’s disease
executing a single movement or several
• Decreases depressive symptoms phrases.
• Increases self-esteem and improves
body image
  Size
Movements can be varied by doing larger or
smaller actions.
 Level
Movements can be done in a high, medium,
or low level.
 Focus
Performers may change their focus by
looking at different directions.
2. TIMING
- The movements in timing may be
executed in varying tempo (speed).
- Performers move with the tempo of an
underlying sound, known as beat or
pulse.
- The timing can be varied by moving
faster or slower than the normal beat.
- When a sequence of a movement or
group of phrases is done in varying
tempos, they generate rhythmic
patterns.
- The addition of silences or pauses also
adds to rhythmic patterns.
SIX QUALITIES OF DANCE ENERGIES
 Sustained
Movements are done smoothly, continuously,
and with flow and control. It does not have a
clear beginning and ending.
 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.
 Vibratory
Movements consist of trembling or shaking—
faster version of percussive movements that
produces a jittery effect.
 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.
 Suspended
Movements are perched in space or hanging
on air. Holding a raised leg in any direction is
an example of a suspended movement.
 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.
3. BODILY SHAPE
- Bodily shape refers to how the entire
body is molded in space or the
configuration of body parts.
- The body can be rounded, angular,
or a combination of two.
- Other bodily shapes can be from
wide to narrow and from high to low.
- Bodily shapes can also either be
symmetrical or asymmetrical.
4. GROUP SHAPE
- In this element, a group of dancers
performs movements in different
group shapes.
- Members of the group are arranged
in ways that are wide, narrow,
rounded, angular, symmetrical, or
asymmetrical and are viewed
together as a total picture or
arrangement within a picture frame.
CHAPTER 3:
Dance Appreciation and Composition
WHAT MAKES A GOOD DANCE?
 A good dance displays a significant
meaning or conveys a message, at
times portraying life experiences.
 A good dance lifts and transports the
audience from their seats during the
performance.
 A good dance has a:
1. Beginning ‒ may come in a form
of shape, a pose, or an entrance;
2. Middle ‒ consists of a
development or the exploration of
the main idea; and
3. End/Conclusion ‒ should be
clear and may be in a form of a
shape, a pose, or an exit.
  A good dance must have a shape or
form for its choreography to be effective.
FORM
 It 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 factor of any work or
dance composition.
 It should progress through time from the
beginning to the end of the
choreography.
Phrase
 It is “the smallest unit of form in the
whole dance”.
 Commonly, a single phrase consists of
eight counts, with which it is easier for
building routines and choreographic
combinations.
Motif
 It is a single movement or a short
phrase of movement that embodies the
style and intention of the dance.
 It is used in a good dance to be able to
convey its meaning or intention to the
audience since a dance without
meaning makes it harder for the
audience to understand; thus, making it
superficial and easy to forget.
 It is used in a good dance in which the
movements are repeated, varied, and
developed by manipulating the
movement components or elements.
 One good example of a dance with
motif is the Itik-Itik Philippine folkdance.
It is easy to identify the motif of this
dance as it simply portrays the
movements of an itik (duckling).
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD DANCE
• UNITY
The interconnected phrases of the dance are
coherent and flow smoothly together.
• CONTINUITY AND DEVELOPMENT
The phrases 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
This means making one or several variations
that highlight the facet of the motif to provide
variety within the development of a dance and
to introduce new material.
• TRANSITION
This is the link between movements, phrases,
and sections of the dance to make the logical
progression of the dance flow smoothly and to
keep 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.
• CLIMAX
It 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 a particular
story.
CHOREOGRAPHIC FORMS IN DANCE
 SEQUENTIAL FORMS
- These forms contain themes/motifs
which progress in a specific order.
a. AB (two-part) Form
o It is the simplest of the
sequential forms and is
similar to a verse and a
chorus of a song.
o It is a binary form with two
contrasting sections
consisting of a beginning
section (A) followed by a
second section (B).
o This form is commonly used
in many folk dances and
songs.
b. ABA (three-part) Form
o It is composed of an introductory
theme (A), a contrasting theme
(B), and a restatement of the
original theme (A), which is the
 unifying theme and the center of
interest.
o Most popular songs use this
form where there is chorus (A), a
verse (B), and a repetition of the
chorus (A), which is often
somewhat elaborated to
highlight the idea of the song.
c. Rondo Form (ABACA)
o In this form, the unifying theme
(A) returns after each
contrasting theme and appears
after every contrasting section at
least three times, but it can itself
be varied.
o It can be described as
ABACADAEAFA development of
movement idea.
d. Theme and Variations Form
o The motif is a series of
movements to which variations
are added throughout the
development of the entire
choreography.
o The motif/theme can be a single
phrase or several movement
phrases placed together in a
sequence.
o The order of the movements is
kept the same all throughout the
variations. It can take the form of
subtle adjustments in dynamics,
space, style, mood, and tempo.
 CONTRAPUNTAL FORMS
- Here, 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.
a. Ground Bass
o Single theme starts the
dance and is repeated all the
way through the dance while
other contrasting themes are
simultaneously performed
with it.
o This form is best done in a
group working either in
contrast to each other or
against a soloist.
b. Round or Canon
o It consists of two or more
movement phrases or
themes in which the main
movement phrases are
imitated exactly and
completely by the successive
movements, but done in
staggered manner.
c. Fugue or Accumulation
o It is a choreographic form
that is constructed by adding
on different movement or
dance phrases in every
repetition of the main
movement theme.
o The movement phrases or
the motif can be developed
by reversing, inverting,
augmenting, or diminishing
throughout the dance.
d. Suite
o Every section of the dance
(beginning, middle, and end)
use different tempos and
qualities.
o Commonly, it has a
moderate beginning, a slow
middle section, and a fast
and lively end section.
 EPISODIC FORMS
- They 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.
- As in all good soap operas, each
section or chapter reveals more of the
plot and has its own interest, variations,
and contrast.
- Classical ballet often uses these forms.
4. OTHER COMPOSITIONAL FORMS
a. Natural Structures
They mostly come from natural structures such
as the seasons, life cycles, and everyday life
experiences all of which present rich materials
for organic dance structure.
b. Collage
- It 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”.
- The overall form remains a whole even
though the content may be illogical.
c. Tableau
- In this form, different movement
phrases are performed by different
dancers simultaneously in the same
space wherein the dancers may
execute it at a different location on the
stage and connect transitional
movements for each scene to produce
a progression of moving snapshots.
d. Chance
- The movement phrases are
performed in random order and
spatial placing.
- Every time the dance is
performed, it is done in different
order and therefore has a
different appearance.
- Originally, the dance phrases
were arranged by tossing coins
to decide on choices and the
order of performance, hence,
coming from the word by chance.
Evaluating a Good Dance GUIDE QUESTIONS IN ANALYZING AND
EVALUATING A DANCE PERFORMANCE
CATEGORIES OF EVALUATORS’
ROLES
• Choreographers
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.
SAMPLE DANCE ANALYSIS AND
• Audiences EVALUATION
They will evaluate according to the
particular context of the dance.
STAGES IN ASSESSING A DANCE (DANCE
CRITIQUE)
• Description
It involves close observation of all the elements,
characteristics, and components of a dance.
• Interpretation
It involves an appreciation of the ideas, content,
images, and style contained within the dance. CHAPTER 4:
• Evaluation DANCE AS AN ART
It takes into consideration how effectively the “Dance is an art which deals with the motions
features (i.e., elements, characteristics) and the of human body” – James K. Feibleman, great
context of the dance have been utilized in the philosopher
actual performance of the dancers to portray FOLK DANCES
the content and the quality of the dance.
  Folk dances are the indigenous dances
of any specific “folk” or the common
people.
 They are traditional, customary, or
recreational dance forms of a given
country which have evolved naturally
and have been handed down across
generations.
 Folk dances are related to everything of
importance in our daily lives, such as
customs, rituals, and occupations of a
specific group of people.
 According to Duggan, Schlottmann, and
Rutledge (1948), “folk dance became
the overt expression of emotions and
ideas which were peculiarly significant
or the re-enactment of customs and
events constituting an important part of
their history and patterns of daily living.”
PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCE
It is “a traditional mode of expression that
employs bodily movements of redundant
patterns linked to definitive features of rhythmic
beats or music”.
PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCE SHOULD HAVE
THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS
1. It is traditional.
2. It has an expressive behavior.
3. Simple, basic rhythm dominates the folk
dance and establishes the pattern of
movement.
4. It is created by an unknown
choreographer or by communal efforts.
5. It performs a function in the life of the
(folk) people.
MAJOR REGIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF
PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCES
1. Tribal dances from the Cordilleras
These include non-Christian dances from the
Cordilleras.
2. Lowland Christian dances
Influenced by Hispanic and European cultures,
these are dances coming from places with
Western influences such as that of the
Tagalogs, Ilokanos, Pampangueños,
Pangasinense, Bisayans, and Bicolanos.
3. Muslim dances
Influenced by Arabic and Indo-Malayan cultures,
these are dances from the people of the
Southern Islands of the Philippines such as in
Mindanao and Sulu. These dances are
influenced by Arabic and Indo-Malayan cultures.
PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCES, REGARDLESS
OF THEIR CLASSIFICATIONS, MAY ALSO
BE CATEGORIZED AS…
1. Life-cycle dances
2. Festival dances
3. Occupational dances
4. Ritual and ceremonial dances
5. Game dances
6. Joke and trickster dances
7. Mimetic or drama dances
8. War dances
9. Social amenities dances
BALLET
- Ballet, according to Arnold Haskell
(1965), is a: “combination of the arts of
dancing, poetry, music and painting.
The essential quality of the ballet
dancer is grace that is phrasing, fluidity,
harmony, the making of words into a
poetic whole; bound up with the reaction
to music that goes far deeper than a
purely rhythmic reaction”.
- K. V. Burian (1963) further affirms that:
“Ballet is an artistic, programmatic,
scenic dance accompanied by music. It
is basically a special and generically
unique form, which resulted from the
synthesis, collaboration, and equilibrium
of several different types of art. The art
of gesture and mime interprets, by
specific means of expression, the
thematic and emotional content of the
scenario on which it is based, bringing
the poet’s ideas to life, presenting the
story with all its conflicts, plots, and
solutions”.
BALLET IN THE PHILIPPINES
• In 1915, distinguished ballet dancer
Paul Nijinsky performed classical ballet
at the Manila Hotel Roof Garden.
 • In 1927, dancer, teacher, and
choreographer Luva Adameit came to
the Philippines and started a ballet
school named Cosmopolitan Ballet and
Dancing School.
• From then on, ballet has thrived in the
country and brought a number of foreign
teachers and performers to perform and
teach as well. It paved the way for “a
receptive outlook towards the artistic
values of the art form”.
BASIC DANCE POSITIONS IN BALLET
- since ballet dancers do not use
verbal communication in dance,
they make use of mime to tell a
story. The movements are done
in a way that makes them visible
to understand. Most ballet
performances (both in the past
and the present) use mime to tell
a story.
MODERN DANCE
- a term to describe contemporary
dance, is a style of dancing
where dancers are free to
express their feelings through
movements without adhering to
any rules in dance particularly
those of ballet.
- It is actually a rebellion against
the confining nature of classical
ballet.
- While ballet mostly emphasizes
beauty and ethereal qualities of
the human situation, modern
dance portrays the actual human
situation as it is.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN DANCE
• Technique
 This teaches the dancer to
control his/her body and making
it an instrument.
 This also provides the skills of
BASIC MODERN DANCE SKILLS
dance movement to make the
body move efficiently and with
precision.
 Famous techniques in modern
dance are Graham Technique,
Humphrey-Weidman Technique,
Limón Technique, Cunningham
Technique, Hawkins Technique,
Horton Technique, and
Nikolais/Louis Technique.
• Improvisation
 This refers to the spontaneous
movement performed by
dancers in response to
suggestions by the
choreographer.
 Various images, ideas, feelings,
or other stimulating events may
be used as motivations.
• Choreography
 Modern dance allows
choreographic freedom.
 The form in this dance mostly
represents the personal and
emotional experiences of its
creators.
 The intent and style of the dance
choreography are not limited to
certain areas or subject matters,
giving the choreographers
freedom to choose their own.
• Dance Walk
 An even rhythm pattern in which
an alternate transfer of weight
occurs from one foot to the other
 Directions: forward, backward,
sideward (grapevine action)
• Run
 An even rhythm pattern in which
there is an alternate
transference of weight from one
foot to the other
 Faster than a walk and requires
more energy
  Uses include covering distance,  Emphasis placed on the gliding • Turns
changing direction, gaining action of the leading foot,
 Three step turn
momentum for another following foot cuts under, body
movement or gaining height weight is lifted sharply as this  Cross over turn (Soutenu/ turn)
takes place in either through
• Triplet (plié, relevé, relevé)  Chainé
third position or fourth position
 Basic modern dance experience  Grapevine
• Jumps
performed in an even ¾ meter
with each step requiring a  Basic (Sauté)  Coupé turn
complete change of weight  Pas de Bourrée turn
 Échappé
 Consists of one step with a slight  Pique turn
 Sissone
flexion of ankle, knee and hip
(plié), followed by two steps on • Leap  Pirouette
half-toe (relevé)
 Jet
 Done with alternate feet (R L L /
L R R)  Prance

• Waltz • Falling

 Even rhythm with counts 1 2 3/ 1 2  Simple side fall

3/  Simple forward fall
• Gallop  Overcurves (Glissade)
 Two steps performed in uneven  Tombé
rhythm 1 & 2/ 1 & 2/, long-short,
long-short  Front falls ‒ simple, Swedish fall,
front sliding fall
 One foot always maintains the
lead  Back fall

• Chassé/Slide  Spiral fall

 Uneven rhythm with counts 1 & / • Rolls

2 &/ with one foot maintaining
 Leg roll
the lead
 Forward roll
 Smoother in quality than gallop
 Backward roll