HEALTH OPTIMIZNG THROUGH PHYSICAL EDUCATION (H.O.P.E.

3)
Grade 12- Dance

ELEMENTS OF DANCE

1. SPACE - this is the area the performers occupy and where they move. It can be divided into four different
aspects, also known as spatial elements.
a. Direction- dance movements can travel in any direction. The performers can go forward, side, backward,
diagonal, circular, and so on. They can also face any direction while executing a single movement or several
phases.
b. Size- movements can be varied doing larger and smaller actions.
c. Level- movements can be done in a high, medium, and low level.
d. 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 beat, known as beat or pulse.
3. DANCE ENERGIES – the movements here propelled by, energy or force. A force can either initiate or stop an
action. Dance uses different energies and varied use of these minimizes the monotony of the movements in
a performance.

There are six qualities of dance energies presented below:

a. Sustained- movements are done smoothly, continuously, and with flow and control. It does not have clear
beginning and ending.
b. 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.
c. Vibratory- movements consist of trembling and shaking. A faster version of percussive movements that
produces a jittery effect (Minton 2007).
d. 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.
e. Suspended- movements are perched in space or hanging on air. Holding a raised leg in any direction is an
example suspended movement.
f. 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 in a downward direction
(Minton, 2007).
4. BODILY SHAPES- it refers to how the entire body is molded in space or the configuration of body parts. The
can be rounded, angular, or a combination of two. Other body shapes can be from wide to narrow and from
high to low. They can be symmetrical and asymmetrical.
a. Symmetrical- balanced shape; movements are practically identical or similar on both sides.
b. Asymmetrical- unbalanced shape; movements of two side of the body do not match or completely different
from each other.
5. GROUP SHAPES- in this element, a group of dancers perform movements in different group shapes. They 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 (Minton, 2007).

DANCE APPRECIATION AND COMPOSITION

What makes a good dance?

1. 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 factor of any work of dance composition (Lockhart, 1982).
2. PHRASE- when you combine one movement with several others, they form a unit. When units are pieced
together, they make up a section in the choreography and the sections together form a whole dance.
Therefore, “a phrase is the smallest unit the whole dance” (Blom and Chaplin, 1988).
3. MOTIF- a single movement or a short phrase of movements that embodies the style and intention of the
dance. 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 movement of an itik (duckling).