PHYSICAL EDUCATION 2

INTRODUCTION
 
Rhythmic activities reinforce and help improve basic skills of the students to ensure quality
learning outcomes in movement education.  As such, these activities are designed to promote the
development of skill and health-related components of fitness.  This program also provides  a
venue for students to integrate creativity to their performances, develop wholesome relationship
with others and cultivate positive traits and values such as confidence, respect, discipline and
collaboration.
 
RELATED TERMINOLOGIES
 
Dance – inner impulse of man to rhythm or music expressing his feelings of joy, moods,
sentiments or any human experience.
 
Rhythm – regular pattern of sound and or movement
 
Rhythms – movement activities with musical accompaniment.
 
Rhythmic Activities – rhythmic movements using the body as a means of expressing a
communication. Can be either being through fundamental rhythms using locomotor or axial
movements or in higher form of dance.
 
 
IMPORTANCE OF DANCE
 
1. Dancing is a key to good health 
 
2. Dancing is a fun social activity
 
3. Dancing is a skill that can be always used
4. Dancing is a natural stress reliever
5. Dancing is a great confidence booster
We humans are natural dancers. Dances can be performed during celebrations, or for praise, or
for an audience – or just a simple act of letting the rhythm move your body. Dancers can
communicate ideas, preserve cultural identities, strengthen social bonds, or just have a lot of fun.
 
 
BASIC LOCOMOTOR MOVEMENT
 
The fundamental rhythm program sets the basis for the rhythmic movements in all forms of
dance activities through its stress on fundamental skills done in rhythm.
 
A. Locomotor Movements – are movements through space that bring the body from one place to
another
 
1. Walk    – a series of steps where on foot is always in contact with the floor and the feet move
alternately.
 
2. Run     – is a fast walk. To move more rapidly in such a manner that for a brief moment both
feet are off the ground
 
3. Hop     – is a spring from one foot landing on the same foot.
 
4. Jump   – a spring from one or both feet, landing on both.
 
5. Skip     – is a series of fast step-hops done with alternate feet.
 
6. Slide    -  a glide followed by a close.
 
7. Leap   – a spring on one foot landing on the other foot.
 
8. Gallop – a series of stepping and cutting movements done either sideward or forward with one
foot always leading
 
The locomotor movements are classified into:
 
1. Even     – walking, running, jumping, hopping, and leaping
 
2. Uneven – skipping, galloping, and sliding
 
B. Non-locomotor or Axial Movements – are movements done in place, with one part of the body
serving as an axis or base around which
     other parts move.
 
1. Bending or Flexing – a movement around a joint, either forward, backward or sideward
 
2. Stretching  – a full extension of the arms, legs, or trunk in any direction
 
3. Swinging –  the arms, legs, head, trunk are moved in an arc alternating the directions, or in a
full circle around a stationary center.
 
4. Twisting  – the rotation of one part of the body around the base of support.
 
5. Turning – the rotation of the body around the base of support in a continuous line of direction
 
6. Swaying  – the weight is transferred from one base of support to another with a rocking
motion.
 
Resistive actions
 
1. Pushing – an effort to move an object, real or imaginary, in space away from the body against
resistance
 
2. Pulling  – an effort to bring an object, real or imaginary, in space toward the body against
resistance.
 
3. Lifting – change of body level or any part of the body or an object, real or imaginary, from a
lower to a higher level.
 
 
ELEMENTS OF DANCE MOVEMENTS
 
1. ENERGY - As applied to dance, energy describes an exertion which initiates, controls, and
stops movement. The quality of a dance
     movement is determined by the way energy was used.
 
    1.1. Intensity – when a dancer moves, he can exert effort more or less intensity, ranging from
almost imperceptible tension to a violent
               burst of energy.
      1.2. Accent – occurs when some stress of either greater or lesser force is displayed.
          
    1.3. Quality – Dance movement quality is determined by the way energy is used.
 
           1.3.1. Swinging Movement – the force of energy is applied at the beginning of the
movement as a small impetus to an uncontrolled
                       follow-through which results in a relaxed movement. 
 
           1.3.2. Percussive Movement – it has obvious start and stop pattern, with no continuity. It
repeats jabs of energy with marked
                       accents.
 
           1.3.3.Sustained movement – it appears to flow, with no obvious beginning or ending.
 
           1.3.4. Vibratory Movement – it consists of a continuum of percussive movements, a
repetition of individual start-and-stop patterns
                       with little space and time between repetitions.
 
           1.3.5. Collapsing Movement – this occurs when there is a release of tension of the
muscles and gravity takes over.
 
           1.3.6. Suspension – this occurs at that point of resistance to gravity where, for an instant-
at the height of a leap or just before a
                       fall- the dancer seems to be suspended in space.
 
           1.3.7.Dynamics, or variations in the force and intensity of movement, plays a great role in
accenting movements to be clearly viewed
                     by beginners in dance movements
 
 
2. SPACE - Movements exist in space; which to a dancer means a potential of position and
dimension.
 
    2.1. Position – includes a dancer’s level in regard to the floor surface and the direction
in which he is moving.
 
    2.2. Dimension – refers to the size of the dancer’s movement. Size is related to the dancer’s
range of  movement both in space and on the
            floor surface.
 
    2.3. Design – refers to the arrangement of the movements according to a pattern.
 
 
3. TIME -Dance movement uses energy to fill space, but it must do so within time.
 
   3.1. Tempo, or speed of dance movement, is determined by the time span in which a given
series of movement is completed, the period in
            which the dancer’s body must accomplish a sequence of actions.
 
   3.2. Rhythm, requires a structuring of movement patterns.
 
   3.3. Focus of the eyes is important in dance movements. Balance is enhanced when the eyes
are focused on a stationary point and the
           communicative aspect of dance is  given emphasis when punctuated by focus.
 
   3.4.Technique, or the degree of body control and mastery of basic steps and positions, is very
much necessary for dance movements to
           clearly show the dancers purpose in moving along with gestures, especially hand
movements.
 
 
DANCE FORMS
 
1.  Creative Rhythms – provide a special area in the rhythmic program where creativity is the
goal and functional movement is secondary.
 
     1.1. Fundamental Motor Rhythms – creativity can be developed through problem-solving
activities involving the incorporation of various
            locomotor movements into varied patterns, changes in direction, changes to other kinds
of activities and the like.
 
     1.2.Expressive Moments – Children can express moods and feelings and show their reaction
to colors and sounds by improvising dances,
           movements which demonstrate different aspects of force, and gestures which depict
different feelings.
 
    1.3. Identification – there are endless sources of subjects for identification and interpretations
with the child in his own mind taking on
           the identity of a familiar character, creature, or object.
 
    1.4. Dramatization
 
           Some ideas useful for dramatic rhythms are:
 
           Celebrating holidays  - like Christmas, Flores de Mayo, Dinagyang, etc
 
           Acting out stories  - which include fairies, firemen, teachers, acrobats, etc
 
           Interpreting familiar stories - like Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, The Three Little
Pigs, etc                                                                                                                                                          
      1.5. Singing movement songs include action songs and singing games.
 
2. Folkdance is a cultural art form handed down from generation to generation.  It communicates
the customs, beliefs, rituals, and
     occupations of the people of a region or country. It is as well as the traditional flavour and
characteristics of the people their feelings
     and sentiments.
 
3. Creative dance- is the highest form of dance for the purpose of entertainment.  It is the end
product of exploration and improvisation        of movements as the dancer or choreographer
expresses his feelings or emotions, ideas, and interpretations.  This is a dance with                 
definite form, beginning and end.  The principles of art are all observed in the  composition of
the dance.
 
4. Classical Ballet- dance of supreme standards learned from academe.  Originated from Italy
from the word “BAL-LO” meaning to dance         and flourished in the royal court of France.
      4.1.  Modern Dance – deviation from the principles of classical ballet.  It is developed by
Isadora Duncan.  She believed in the principle                of naturalness and true expression of the
human body and soul.
 
     4.2. Contemporary dance- combination of ballet and modern dance forms like folk, ethnic or
tribal dance.
 
     4.3. Theatrical Dance – refers to dance perform in theatres or on stage to entertain spectators.
 
             4.3.1. Ethnologic Dance – is a dance resulting from centuries of development within the
traditions of a particular ethnic group.
 
             4.3.2. Ballet – used to be a court dance that developed into a highly stylized theatre art
that is today.
 
             4.3.3. Modern Dance – is often concerned with the communication of emotions or ideas
through the medium of movement.
 
5. Popular Dance - highly recognized as a dance from in television and other dance centres’ like
discotech houses and social gatherings.
 
6. Social Ballroom dance- the setting of this dance is more for formal atmosphere re than the
simple and informal parties in which the             recreational dances are the usual form.
   
7. Classical Dance –
is characterized by grace and precision of movement and by elaborate formal gestures, steps, and 
poses.