HEALTH OPTIMIZING PHYSICAL OPTIMIZING 3

HAND-OUT #2: DANCE FITNESS GOALS

Setting FITT Goals

Designing a fitness plan for dancing is challenging. Engaging physical activities such as dancing is one way of maintaining our
body to be physically fit. After assessing your fitness status and identifying the barriers to physical activities, you will be able to set
your fitness goals based on training principles to achieve and maintain health-related fitness (HRF).

Designing Personal Fitness Program

Everyone desires to be fit, free from diseases, and can move freely. Fitness program will take effect if the activities are carefully
planned and fit to the needs of an individual. Dancing is a form of physical activity with simple to complex steps. Engaging physical
activities such as dancing can help improve health-related fitness components such as cardiovascular endurance, flexibility,
muscular strength and endurance, and body composition. It is suggested that dance fitness routine should come alternately using
the FITT Principle (frequency, intensity, time and type of activity).

How to Start a Dance Fitness Program?

1.Setting goals – Setting and achieving goals is the most effective way to stay motivated about the activity. Goals and objectives
should be attainable, adjustable, and allow for individual need.
2.Assessing fitness needs – Current fitness level is determined through the assessment result of the health-related fitness
components.
3.Choosing the right activities for the program
4.Planning for the program – Consider the principles of physical training and FITT principle as guides.

*Getting medical clearance – It is advisable to secure medical certification from the physician before starting physical activities,
especially if a person has a trace of medical history.

The Principles of Physical Training

1.Principle of overload states that your muscles adapt to a higher workload over a period, thus an additional increase in workload.
2.Principle of progression states that the overload must be done gradually so as giving time for the body to adjust.
3.Principle of specificity refers to a particular activity that has to be performed to bring about specific adaptations.
4.Principle of reversibility states that any gains received through regular physical activity will stop if no longer active in
performing the fitness program.
5.Principle of individuality gives the idea that all people are different from one another, and fitness programs must be designed
according to his need.
6.Principle of recovery reminds us that our bodies take the time to adjust to the physical stress of being active, allow adequate
time for adaptation to occur.

The FITT Principle

1.Frequency refers to number of times a physical activity is done in each week. According to the American College of Sports
Medicine guidelines, it is recommended to exercise 3-5 days per week and for more optimal results, exercise can be done in most
days of the week with a combination of light- moderate-vigorous activity.
2.Intensity refers to how much effort has been exerted during the physical activity. It describes how easy or how hard a person has
to work in a certain activity, and it varies from one person to another. The determination of intensity depends on some individual
factors such as exercise experience, relative level of fitness, and needs of fitness.

The intensity level target may be determined by computing the target heart rate (THR) range based on the
results of an exercise stress test, considering the resting and exercise heart rate, with 60% to 80% intensity
level (Karvonen’s Formula).
For our example, a dancer, 21 years old, wants to get his target heart rate.
He has a resting heart rate of 70 bpm.

The following are the easy steps to determine the intensity of the physical activity:
1. Get the maximum heart rate.
MHR = 220 – age MHR = 220 – 21 MHR = 199
2. Count resting heart rate (RHR) in one minute.
In our example, the dancer has a resting heart rate of 70 bpm.
 RHR = 70 bpm
3. Determine the heart rate reserve (HRR). HRR = MHR – RHR
HRR = 199 – 70 = 129
4. Take 60% and 80% of the HRR.
a) HRR x 60%
129 × 0.6 = 77 (4.a)
b) HRR x 80%
129 × 0.8 = 103 (4.b)
5. Add each HRR% to RHR to obtain the target heart rate (THR) range.
a) (4.a) + RHR = 77 + 70 = 147 bpm (5.a)
b) (4.b) + RHR = 103 + 70 = 173 bpm (5.b)
Therefore, the target heart rate range is 147 to 173 beats per minute (bpm).

3.Type of activity determines the kind of activity a person should settle to achieve a fitness goal. It is determined by following
the principle of progression and specificity. To attain a higher level of fitness, select the type of physical activity that
challenges the body to accept an increase of work and that answers your need.
4.Time refers to the duration or the length of session of a physical activity. It is inversely related to intensity for the more intense a
work is done, the shorter time it is performed. That is, if intensity is increased, time and frequency should be decreased, vice
versa.

TYPES OF DANCES
A.Traditional (Folk and Ethnic)
Traditional dances are dances of indigenous communities that show cultural traits of people in specific time
and place. Customs and traditions through dance steps and costumes are preserved in traditional dance.
These dances are handed down from generation to generation, with fixed sets or patterns.
Ethnic dances are classified into two major categories. First, the dances of the Non-Christian Filipinos are
made up to the pagan groups and the Muslim groups. Second, there are the dances of the Christian and
the lowland Filipinos, some of which are comprised of savage and vigorous or light-hearted. Other forms
have neither music nor melodic accompaniment.
Folk dances are classified according to geographical locations: can be national (dances with common
basic movements, with slight variations) or local/regional (dances that are unique to certain localities only);
and according to the nature of the dance: occupational dances, religious or ceremonial dances; courtship
dances; wedding dances; festival dances; war dances; comic dances; game dances; and social dances.

Fundamental Dance Positions

There are five fundamental or basic positions in dance that are commonly termed as 1st position, 2nd
position, 3rd position, 4th position, and 5th position of the feet and arms.

First Position
Feet: Heels close together, toes apart with an angle of about 45 degrees.
Arms: Both arms raised in a circle in front of chest (lower) with the finger tips about an inch apart.
Second Position
Feet: Feet apart sideward of about a pace distance.
Arms: Both raised sideward with a graceful curve at shoulder level 3rd position.

Third Position
Feet: Heel of one foot close to in-step of other foot.
Arms: One arm raised in front as in 2nd position; other arm raised upward.

Fourth Position
Feet: One foot in front of other foot of a pace distance.
Arms: One arm raised in front as in 1st position; other arm raised overhead.

Fifth Position
Feet: Heel of front foot close to big toe of rear foot. Arms: Both arms
raised overhead

*You can do the basic dance positions on right and left arm and foot.
Dance Steps in 2
Time Signature
4
Touch step – Point R foot in fourth position in front (ct. 1), step R close to L in first position (ct. 2). This is
commonly done in front.

Close step – Step R foot in fourth position in front (ct. 1), close L to R foot in third or first position in rear
(ct. 2). This may be executed in any directions.

Change Step- Step R foot in fourth position in front (ct. 1), step L close to R foot in third or first position in
rear (ct. and), step R foot quickly in fourth position in front (ct. 2). This may be executed in any directions.

Step-Point – Step R foot in fourth position in front (ct. 1), point L foot in fourth position in front (ct. 2) This
step is executed in all directions.

Plain Polka – Step L foot in fourth position in front (ct.1), step R close to left foot in third position in rear (ct.
and), step L in fourth position in front (ct.2), pause (ct. and).

Dance Steps in 3
Time Signature
4

Touch step – Point R foot in fourth position in front (ct. 1) or (cts. 1, 2), step R close to L in first position (ct.
2, 3) or (ct. 3). This is commonly done in front.

Step-point – Step R foot in fourth position in front (ct. 1) or (cts. 1, 2), point L foot in fourth position in front
(ct. 2, 3) or (ct. 3). This step is executed in all directions.

Step-swing – Step R foot in second position (ct. 1) or (cts. 1,2), swing the L across the R in front (cts.
2, 3) or (ct. 3).

Close step – Step R foot in fourth position in front (ct. 1) or (cts. 1, 2), close L to R foot in third or first
position in rear (ct. 2, 3) or (ct. 3). This may be executed in any directions.

Native waltz – Step R foot in fourth position in front (ct.1), step L close to R in first or third position in rear
(ct.2), step R in fourth position in front (ct.3). This may be executed in all directions.

Three-step turn – step R in second position (ct. 1) turn R about and step L to second position (ct. 2); turn R
about and step R to second position to face front (ct. 3). Close L foot to R foot (ct. 1), pause (cts. 2, 3).

B.Modern and Contemporary Dance

Modern dance is a specific style of dance that is free form and stems from the core, or torso, of the body
and uses elements like contract-release floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation.
Contemporary dance referred to the movement of new dancers who did not want to follow strict classical
ballet and lyrical dance forms; it doesn’t use fixed moves and instead try to develop totally new forms and
dynamics, such as quick oppositional moves, shifting alignments, expressions of raw emotions, systematic
breathing, dancing moves performed in non-standing positions (e.i. lying on the floor) and in general trying
to find the absolute limits of our human form and physique.
Contemporary dance is a collaborative style that includes modern, jazz ballet, and hip-hop elements.

C.Ballroom Dances
Ballroom dances comprise of a number of different dances. There are two categories: In American style,
the categories are called Smooth and Rhythm and in international style they are called Standard and Latin.
For the most part, the Standard and Smooth categories contain the same dances and the Latin and
Rhythm categories contain basically the same dances. These are listed in the order that they are danced
in competitions. These are the waltz, the polka, the tango, the foxtrot, the swing, the rumba, the quick step,
the paso doble, the samba, the mambo, the cha-cha, and the jive.

D.Cheer Dance
As the name implies, cheer dance is a combination of cheering and dancing. Components include the
mandatory cheer as well as a number of gymnastic or acrobatic moves such as cartwheels and back hand
springs. The purpose of cheer dance is usually to motivate sports teams, entertain audience, or the actual
competition.

Basic Elements of Cheer Dancing

A. Arms/Hand Motion C. Leap
- Broken “T” - Front Leap
- Diagonal Right/left - Side Leap
- two-high
- Dogger D. Pyramids Composition
- “T” and half “T” positions Flyer Base Spotter
- Clasp, clap, overhead clasp, low clasp - One-and-a-half high
- Touchdown, low touchdown - Two-and-a-half high
- High “V” and low “V”
Jumps
B. Legs/feet positions - Strait jump
- Front/side Kick - Star jump
- Full/half/ Split - Tuck jump
- Feet Together/apart - Pike jump
- Dig - Hurdle/ hurkey
- Hitch, Liberty, and Scale - Toe touch/ straddle
- Lunge (front and side)
- Knees and Hips position

Steps in Executing a Pyramid

• Setting up (Preparing to lift)
• Load (Actual lift)
• Hit (Striking for a final pause)
• Dismount (To move down by the flyer)

E.Hip-Hop / Street Dance

Hip hop or street dance has its roots traced to New York, from the African American and Latino American
communities. It is usually associated with rap music, a form of chanting or poetry delivered at the speed of
16-bar measures (time frame). The term hip-hop refers to a complex culture compromising four
elements: deejaying or “turntabling”; rapping, also known as “MCing” or “rhyming”; graffiti painting, also
known as “graf” or “writing”; and “B-boying,” which encompasses hip-hop dance, style, and attitude, along
with the sort of virile body language that Cornel West described as “postural semantics.” (A fifth element,
“knowledge of self/consciousness,” is sometimes added to the list of hip-hop elements, particularly by
socially conscious hip-hop artists and scholars.)

F. Festival Dance
Festival dances are seen during celebrations or fiestas. Usually, festival dances celebrate good harvest
or good fortune. An event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic
aspect of that community and its religion or cultures.