DANCE – performing art form consisting of
purposefully selected sequences of human
environment. Has aesthetic and symbolic value
and is acknowledged as dance by performers and
observers within a particular culture. Can be
categorized and described by its choreography,
repertoire of movements, its historical period or
place of origin.
ELEMENTS OF DANCE – foundational concepts
and vocabulary that help students develop
movement skills and understand dance as an
artistic practice. (BASTE)
 Body
 Action
 Space
 Time
 Energy
BODY- mobile figure or shape, felt by the dancer,
seen by others. Sometimes relatively still and
sometimes changing as the dancer moves in
place or travels through the dance area.
ACTION- any human movement included in the
act of dancing---- it can include dance steps,
facial movements, partner lifts, gestures, and
even everyday movements. Also refers to pauses
and moments of relative stillness.
SPACE- area the dancers occupies during
execution of movements. Includes the distance
they travel within the performance.
 General Space
 Personal Space
TIME- rhythmic patterns may be metered or free
rhythm. May also show different timing
relationships such as simultaneous or sequential
timing, brief to long duration, fast to slow speed,
or accents in predictable or unpredictable
intervals.
ENERGY- how the movement happens. May
change in an instant, and several types of energy
may be concurrently in play.
Choices about energy:
 Variations in movement flow and the
use of force,
 Tension,
 Weight
TYPES OF DANCES
 Folk dance
 Ballet
 Modern and contemporary dance
 Hip-hop (or street dance)
 Latin, ballroom and social dance
FOLK DANCE- dance that reflects the life of the
people of a certain country or region. Oldest
form of dance and one of the earliest form of
communications. Today’s folk dance are
adaptations of the Old Native Dances.
MRS. FRANCISCA REYES TOLENTINO- known
today as Mrs. Francisca Reyes Aquino,
considered the mother of Philippine Folk Dances
DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF DANCES
 Cordillera Dances
 Western Influence Dance
 Rural Dances
 Muslim and Non-muslim Dances
CORDILLERA DANCES- an expression of
community life that animates the various rituals
and ceremonies. They dance to appease their
ancestors and gods to cure ailments, to ensure
success war, or to ward off bad luck or natural
calamities.
Sample Dances:
 Banga (Kalinga Tribe)
 Bendayan (Benguet Province)
 Manmanok (Bago Tribe)
 Ragragsakan (Kalinga Tribe)
 Turayen (Gaddang Tribe)
 Tarektek (Benguet Tribe)
 Uyaoy/Uyauy (Ifugao Tribe)
WESTERN INFLUENCE DANCE (MARIA CLARA)  Sagayan
- merged Spanish court style (and its stylized  Karasaguyon
courtship conventions) with Philippine  Asik
exuberance. Pure and noble heroine of a novel  Udol
who represents the finest qualities of Filipino
womanhood. The dancers were European 16th- FUNDAMENTAL DANCE POSITIONS
century dress but to move the sounds of bamboo 1ST POSITION
castanets.
Feet: heels close together, toes apart with an
Sample Dances: angle of about 45 degrees.
 Jota Intramureña Arm: both raised forward in a circle in front of
 Engañosa chest with the fingertips about an inch apart.
 La Jota Manileña
 Jota Paragua 2ND POSITION
 Polkabal Feet: a stride sideward about pace or a foot
 Putritos distance.
 Baston
 Timawa Arm: both raised sideward with a graceful curve
at shoulder level.
RURAL DANCES- also known as countryside
dance. Best known and closest to the Filipino 3RD POSITION
heart are the dances from the rural Christian Feet: heel of one foot close to in-step of other
lowlands: a country blessed with so much foot.
beauty. These dances illustrate the fiesta spirit
and demonstrate a love of life. Arm: one arm raised sideward as in 2nd position;
other is raised upward.
Sample Dances:
4TH POSITION:
 Tinikling- Leyte
 Itik-itik- Surigao del Sur Feet: one foot in front of the other foot of a pace
 Maglalatik- Biñan, Laguna distance.
 Binasuan- Pangasinan Arm: one raised in front as in 1st position; other
 Kappa Malong-Malong- Maranao in arm raised over head.
Mindanao
 Cariñosa- Panay Island 5TH POSITION

MUSLIM AND MINDANAO DANCE- mirror the Feet: heel of front foot close to big toe or rear
people’s expression. Show not only the artistic foot.
ingenuity of the natives, but also their beliefs, Arm: both arms raised over head.
traditions and life are reflected in them. These
dances have for long survived. COMMON DANCE TERMS

Sample Dances: ABRASETE (SPANISH ORIGIN) - girl at the right

side of boy, holds his R arm with her left hand,
 Singkil free hands down at the sides.
 Pangalay
 Dugso ARMS AT SIDE- the arms hang from shoulders at
the side of the body.
ARMS IN “T” POSITION- arms are at side The girl pass by their L shoulders between the
horizontal, elbows bent at right angles, forearms boys. Boys bow to each other when they meet at
parallel to body, facing upward. the middle, then follow the girls to the opposite
place. Partners turn right about upon reaching
ARMS IN LATERAL POSITION- both arms are at
the opposite place; girls stand at partner’s right
one side, either right or left, at shoulder, chest,
side.
or waist level.
CUT- to displace quickly one foot with the other.
ARMS IN REVERSE “T” POSITION- arms are at
side horizontal, elbows bent at right angles, DO-SI-DO (DOS-A-DOS)- partners advance
forearms parallel to head, fists loosely closed. forward pass each other’s right (or left) side,
step across to the right (or left) move backwards
BILAO- hands in front parallel to each other at
without turning around, pass each other left (or
waist level, elbows close to the waists, palms
right) side to proper places.
down. Reverse the position of the hands with
palms up and down alternately. DRAW- free foot is drawn toward the foot, which
supports the body weight by pressing the toes
BLEKING- heel-place, and close
against the floor as the close is made with or
BRUSH- weight on one foot, hit the floor with without transfer of weight.
the ball or heel of the other foot, and lift that
FREE FOOT- foot not bearing in the weight of the
foot from the floor to any direction.
body.
CABECERAS- the couples occupying the width of
FREE HAND- hand not placed anywhere, or not
the hall when dancers are in square formation
doing anything.
(head couples).
GALOP- step R (L) foot forward (sideward) (ct.1),
COSTADOS- the couple occupying the length of
cut the R (L) with the L (R) thus displacing it,
the hall when dancers are in square formation
taking the wright of the body with L (R) (ct. ah)
(side pairs).
HANDS HOLDING SKIRT- arms at the side of the
CHASING- executive successive close steps with
body, fingers holding skirt.
one foot leading (1 step on every count).
HANDS ON WAIST- knuckle of hands are placed
CLOCKWISE- like the motion of the hands of the
at the smallest part of the waist.
clock. R shoulder is toward center of an
imaginary circle. When facing center, movement HAPAY- to flourish or offer a handkerchief, a hat
is toward left. or a glass of wine. This is of Tagalog dance term.
COUNTERCLOCKWISE- reverse direction of INSIDE FOOT- the foot nearer the partner when
clockwise, L shoulders toward center. partners stand side by side.
Movement is toward right when facing center of
INSIDE HAND- the hand nearer the partner
circle.
when partners stand side by side.
CROSSED ARMS- partners facing each other or
JALEO- partners turn around clockwise (with R
standing side by side join their L hands together
elbows almost touching) using walking or any
and the R hands together; either R over L or L
kind of dance step.
over R hands.
JUMP- spring on one foot or both feet landing
CROSS-OVER- two couples are opposite each
on both feet in many direction.
other. Each couple proceeds to opposite place.
KORRITI- with one foot crossed in front of the
other, take as many step as desired.
KUMINTANG- moving the hand from the wrist
either in a clockwise or counterclockwise
direction.
LEAP- a spring from one foot, landing on the
other foot in any direction.
MASIWAK- to turn the hand from the wrist
halfway clockwise then raise and lower wrist
once or twice. This is an Ybanag dance term.
MINCING- with feet in 5th position and heels
raised, take as many tiny steps sideward (1 step
on every count).
OUTSIDE FOOT- the foot away from one’s
partner, when partners stand side by side.
OUTSIDE HAND- hand away from one’s partner,
when partners stand side by side.
OPPOSITE- person standing in the opposite
across the set.
PANADYAK- to bend the head down so that the
forehead touches the R (L) forearm or the hook
of the R (L) hand. Usually done with the R (L) foot
pond lightly bent. This is an Ilocano dance term.
PIVOT- to turn with the ball, hell or whole foot
on a fixed place or point.
PLACE- to put in a certain position without
putting weight on it; the sole of the foot rests on
the floor.
POINT- touch the floor lightly with the toes of
one foot, weight of the body on the other foot.
ROCKING STEP- fall onto R (L) foot incline body
slight forward, raise L (R) in rear (ct.1), fall into L
(R) foot in rear, incline body backward, raise R (L)
forward (ct.2). May be taken in place, forward
and backward or from side to side.
SALOK (A) - swinging the arm downward-
upward passing in front of the body as if
scooping; the trunk is bent forward following the
movement of the arm doing the salok.
SALOK (B) - to scoop or swing the arm
downward, upward in front of the body, the
trunk following the movement of the scooping
arm. Free hand in fifth position or holding skirt.
This is a Tagalog term.
SALUDO- partners with feet together bow each
other to the audience, opposite dancers or the
neighbors. Make a three step turn and bow to
partner or audience.
SAROK (A) – cross the R (or L) foot in front of the
L (or R), bend the body slightly forward and cross
the hands down in front R (or L) hand over L (or
R).
SAROK (B) – cross the R (L) foot in front of the L
(R) foot, bend the body slightly forward and cross
the hands down in front R (L) over L (R). This is a
Visayan term.
SET- dance formation like a square or a unit
formation composed of two or more pairs.
SHUFFLE/SHUFFLING- to step right (L) foot in
place count left foot in place ah step right (L) foot
in place count ah and step left foot in place count
ah./ with both feet flat on floor, make tiny slide
steps forward (1 small slide on every ct.)
SKIP STEP- step R (L) in 4th in front (ct.1), hop on
R (L) in place (ct. ah). This is executed in any
direction.
SLIDE- to glide foot smoothly along the floor.
STAMP- to bring the foot forcibly and noisily on
the floor.
STEP- to advance or recede by moving one foot
to another resting place with a complete
transfer of weight from one foot to another.
SUPPORTING FOOT- the foot that bears the
weight of the body.
TAP- to rap slightly with the ball or toe of the  Step-swing (both)
free foot keeping weight of the body on the  Step-swing-hop (both)
other foot. There is no transfer of weight.  Step brush swing-hop
 Mazurka
TOUCH- the same with point.
 Waltz step
WHIRL- to make fast turns by executing small  Cross waltz
steps in place, to right, or to left.  Waltz balance
BASIC DANCE STEPS, STEP PATTERN IN 2/4 TIME  Redoba
 Brush step (both)
 Touch step (both)  Chasing steps (both)
 Bleking step (both)  Engano with a waltz
 Close step (both)  Engano with a close
 Cross step (both)
BASIC DANCE STEPS, STEP PATTERN IN 4/4 TIME
 Hop step
 Brush step (both)  Schottische
 Slide step (both)  Escotis
 Swing step (both)  Chotis
 Change step
 Hell and toe change step
 Chotis Note: kung may (both) na word, it means
 Cut step pwede sa 2/4 or 3/4 na time.
 Rocking step
 Step hop (both)
 Skip step
 Gallop
 Touch step (both)
 Contraganza
 Mincing step (both)
 Shuffling (both)
 Cross change step
 Changing step
 Habanera step
 Plain polka
 Hop polka
 Heel and toe polka

BASIC DANCE STEPS, STEP PATTERN IN 3/4 TIME

 Sway balance with a point

 Sway balance with a raise
 Sway balance with a hop
 Sway balance with a brush
 Sway balance with a close
 Double sway balance
 Sway balance with a waltz