LESSON 4: BALLROOM DANCE

BALLROOM DANCE

● Ballroom dance is a set of partner dance, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around
the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely
enjoyed on stage, film, and television.
● The term ‘ballroom dancing’ is derived from the word “ball”, which in turn originates from the Latin
word ballare which means ‘to dance’.
STANDARD BALLROOM DANCES

● Standard ballroom dances are smooth, flowing ballroom dances that move around the entire dance
floor in a counterclockwise movement.
● The international Standard and International Latin techniques were codified by the Imperial Society
of Teacher of Dance (ISTD) to come up with a unified syllabus for all those interested in learning
ballroom dancing. These includes Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, and Quick Step.
1. FOXTROT
● Was named after an American performer Harry Fox, which was premiered in 1914.

● It is an elegant dance whose objective is to travel smoothly around the dance floor.

● The time signature is 4/4 with the first and third beats accented.
2. WALTZ
● Was introduced in England in 1874 but it was in 1922 that is became as fashionable as Tango.
Waltz’s steps have already undergone change and improvements as well and as a result of this, many
more variations became possible. It is also considered by some as “mother of present-day dances”
and the “backbone dance” of the ballroom.
● It is a smooth, progressive dance that travels around the line of dance, characterized by its “rise and
fall” action.
● The time signature is ¾ with the first beat accented.
3. TANGO
● Was first danced in Europe before World War I. The word “tango” may be an African term for
“closed space” or reserved ground.” Or it may be from the Latin verb tanguere which mean “to
touch”.
● It originated from Buenos Aires (Argentina) where it was first danced in “Barrio de Las Rama”, the
ghetto of Buenos Aires.
● It is a sensual ballroom dance that originated in South America during the early 20th century.

● The time signature is 2/4 with both beats accented.

4. QUICK STEP
● Was developed during World War I in New York and became popular in ballrooms. It has a
common origin as that of the Foxtrot.
 ● It is an up and down, rise and fall swinging motion performed at a fast pace. Music used is usually
jazz or swing with a brisk tempo. It is little faster than brisk walking, although it seems much faster
for beginners.
● The time signature is 4/4 with the first and third beats accented.

LATIN BALLROOM DANCE

● Latin ballroom dances are energetic dances which reflect the shift in rhythm of the music being
danced to. Latin dance has a rich cultural history rooted in the traditional dances of native peoples of
Latin America. Formal Latin dances includes Cha-cha-cha, Jive, Samba and Rumba.
1. CHA-CHA-CHA
● Is a newcomer in Latin American dances with origin only in the fifties and became popular shortly
after mambo was introduced.
● It is passionate, energetic, lively and a flirtatious dance.
2. JIVE
● Was developed from the dance “jitterbug” from America. After the origination of the jive dance in
the United States, it slowly spread to the European countries and in the United Kingdom.
● A lively style of dance popular especially in the 1940s and 1950s, performed to swing music or rock
and roll.
3. SAMBA
● It is one of the five international Latin dances developed in Brazil during the 19th century.

● The basic footwork features fast, three-step weight changes with a slight knee lift, led with
alternating feet. The basic rhythm is “quick”, quick, slow, and repeat.
4. RUMBA
● It originates primarily from Cuba in the sixteenth century, which has its roots in African rhythms
brought to America by the slaves.
● Considered as the sexiest of the ballroom dances which tells the story of love and passion between a
strong man and a testing woman.
Fundamental Characteristics that makes Ballroom as a Dance Style/Dance Sports
POSTURE- enables a dancer to stand out on the floor, which shows sophistication ad confidence.
TIMING- dancing on time with the music.
LINE- the stretching of the body.
HOLD- the correct position of the body with the partner in closed position.
POISE- the stretch of the woman’s body upwards and outwards and leftwards into the man’s right arm to
achieve balance and connection with his frame, as well as to project outwards to the audience.
TOGETHERNESS- dancing of two people as one on the dance floor.
MUSICALITY AND EXPRESSION- the basic characterization of the dance with the particular music
being played and the choreographic adherence to musical phrasings and accents.
PRESENTATION- how the couple presents their dancing to the audience as well as the proper
costuming and grooming.
POWER- the energy that is controlled and not wild.
FOOT AND LEG ACTION- the use of lower extremities that creates balance, beauty and strength.
SHAPE- the combination of turn and sway to create a look or a position.
LEAD AND FOLLOW- the non-verbal communication of the man and lady through shape, visual and
body weight.
FLOORCRAFT- the ability to avoid bumping into other couples and continue dancing without pause
when boxed in.
INTANGIBLES- how a couple “look” together in performing their dances.
Health Opportunities through Physical Education (HOPE)
Hydration and Overexertion in Dancing

● Dehydration, overexertion, hypo-and hyperthermia maybe experienced during participation to

moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
● Dancers sweat as they generate heat during training, rehearsal, and performance. This is how the
body cools itself. This loss of fluid, however, can lead to dehydration, resulting in dizziness, lack of
energy, inability to concentrate, sore muscles, and lackluster performance. This loose of fluid,
however can lead to dehydration which may lead to hypothermia and hyperthermia where there is an
increase or decrease of heat production of body temperature.
● Pushing yourself too hard during physical activity may also cause overexertion leading dizziness,
feeling faint and lightheadedness.
● These may affect your dancing performance and your over-all health status will be at stake.
Observing some safety protocols can help avoid dehydration, overexertion, hypo and hyperthermia.
● Physical activity therefore results in increased water requirements that parallel sweat losses. If these
hydration needs for exercise are not met, the body can enter a state of dehydration.
● Dehydration during physical activity is recognized as having a detrimental effect. Staying well
hydrated: before, during, and after exercise is very important.
Dehydration and Hydration

● Dehydration is caused by not drinking enough fluid or by losing more fluid than you take in.
Fluid is lost through sweat, tears, vomiting, urine, or diarrhea. The severity of dehydration can
depend on a number of factors, such as climate, level of physical activity and diet.
● Consider the following safety protocols to avoid dehydration:
o Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Drinking enough water each day is crucial for
many reasons:
1. To regulate body temperature
2. To keep lubricated
3. To prevent infection
4. To deliver nutrients to cells; and
5. To keep organs functioning properly.
 o Eat foods with high amounts of water like fruits and vegetables.
o Avoid or limit with caffeine like coffee, teas, and soft drinks.
o Avoid or limit drinks with alcohol.
Overexertion

● Overexertion occurs when people push themselves too hard during physical activity. Signs of
overexertion includes dizziness and feeling faint. Feeling dizzy after a moderate to vigorous physical
activity is a common occurrence.
● Considering safety protocols in order to avoid dizziness as a result to overexertion is to:
o cool down and rest for a few minutes;
o sit down and place the head between the knees to increases blood flow to the brain;
o practice deep breathing for several minutes, making sure to inhale and exhale slowly;
o stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after physical activity:
o eat something (a snack) of complex carbohydrates and lean proteins (an hour or so before a
workout is advisable);
o increase the intensity of workouts gradually and avoid pushing the body too hard;
o quit smoking.
Hyperthermia and Hypothermia

● Hyperthermia and Hypothermia are both conditions that may occur when the body can no longer
release enough of its heat to maintain a normal temperature.
● The body has different coping mechanisms to get rid of excess body heat, largely breathing,
sweating, and increasing blood flow to the surface of the skin. Hyperthermia differs from fever to
which the body's temperature set point remains unchanged.
● The opposite is hypothermia, which occurs when the temperature drops below that required to
maintain normal metabolism.
● Heat exhaustion is one of the more serious stages of hyperthermia. Any activity that involves
exercise in warm, and humid environments increases the risk of this condition
● Some safety protocols may help prevent this condition such as:
o getting out of the cold, wind, or rain if possible,
o adding warm layers of clothing;
o wearing loose clothing in multiple layers. To prevent yourself from sweating and cooling
down too much, remove a layer if you get hot. Looser clothing retains heat well, but your
sleeves should fit snugly at the wrists.
o eating enough food with enough source of carbohydrates;
o drinking fluids:
o moving your body to help warm your core;
o preventing more serious problems,
o take action as soon as you notice early signs of the condition;
LESSON 5: CHEER DANCE
Brief History of Cheer Dance
 ● Cheer dance is a physical activity with a combination of different dance genre and gymnastics skills
such as tumbling, pyramids, tosses and stunts. The routines usually range anywhere from one to three
minutes and they are done to direct spectators to cheer for sports teams or participate in cheer dance
competition.
● Cheer dance is relatively new in the field of sports and dance as it has only emerged during the 1990s
as part of the cheerleading events. Cheerleading history is linked closely to the United States history
of sports, its sporting venues, as well as the historical development of over-all crowd participation at
many athletic events.
● However, its origins can be traced as back as the late 19th century where in 1860s, students from
Great Britain began to cheer and chant in unison for their favorite athletes at sporting events.
● This event eventually reached and influenced America. Cheerleading for the first 25 years was an all-
male activity. It was only during the 1920s when women cheerleaders participated in cheerleading.
Nature and Characteristics

● As a dance technique, some squad prefer contemporary dance techniques, while others incorporate
several techniques such as jazz, hip-hop, modern dance, contemporary ballet and ethnic of folk.
Emphasis is on the placement, sharpness and synchronicity of the movements.
● There must be cheers which are coordination of organized words and movements relating to an
athletic event. These are used during a sport event when play has been stopped on the field or court.
● Cheer motions are also used to lead the crowd and emphasize words for crowd response. These are
made up of hand, arm, and body positions.
FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENTS
Starting Position Illustration Description
1. Beginning Stance Feet together, hands down by
the side in blades
2. Cheer Stance Feet more than shoulder
width apart, hands down by
the side in blades
9. Tabletop Arms bent at elbow, fists in
front of shoulders

10. High V Arms extended up forming a

"V", relax the shoulders

Arms extended down

forming a "V"
11. Low V

12. Touchdown Arms extended straight

upward and parallel to each
 other, fist facing in

13. T-Motion Both arms extended straight

out to the side and parallel to
the ground, relax the
shoulders

14. Diagonal One arm extended in a high

"V" and the other arm
extended in a low "V" (Right
Diagonal shown)

16. Overhead Clasp Arms are straight, above the

head in a clasp and slightly
in front of the face

17. Front Lounge Lead leg bent with the knee

over the ankle, back leg
straight feet perpendicular to
each other

18. Side Lounge Lead leg bent with the knee

over the ankle, feet
 perpendicular to each other.
19. Feet Apart In stride position, both feet
away each other. Hands can
be on the waist or clasp in
front

20. Jogging The ball and the toes should

not be parallel when hitting
the ground. The ball should
touch the ground lightly first
while the toes point
downward

LESSON 6: HIP-HOP AND OTHER STREET DANCE

Brief History of HipHop
● The word hip-hop was derived from the word "hep", an African-American vernacular English language since
1904 which means "current". It was apparently invented by a New York rapper Kevin Donovan, (known as
Afrika Bambaataa), who was dubbed as the Grandfather of Hip-hop.
● The dancing style of Hip-Hop developed from the music style that was first introduced during the 1970s in
New York City among young Hispanic and African-American communities and was made popular in the
1980s by media's exposure of several hip-hop dance groups in America.
● These group of young people were looking for a creative outlet to vent their frustrations and disappointments
with society. It started with funky beats reverberating at house or basement parties and the streets of New
York.
● Hip-hop evolved as a street dance which was a cultural dance variation in the United States and is generally a
form of entertainment where technical and teachable dance aspects replaced the cultural symbolism and
message of the true essence of African-American hip-hop dance.
● The word street dance arrived in the Philippines from the United States during the 1980s but only gained
unparalleled popularity during the 1990s. There are various street dance battles held locally across the country
as well as hip-hop dance competitions internationally.
● The first Philippine Team who won the World Hip Hop Dance Championships is the Philippine All Stars.
One of the pioneers of street dance in the Philippines is Jungee Marcelo. Marcelo started the
● first formal street dance class in the Philippines after arriving from US in 1991. After almost 11 years of living
in a community dominated by African-Americans in Los Angeles, he brought with him his knowledge of
urban dance in the country.
Nature and Characteristics:
- The movement of hip-hop dance contains an assertive angularity of body posture and an insistent virtuosic
rhythmicity.
- It is freestyle in nature and maybe practiced in either a dance studio or in an open space outdoor.
 - It consists of four fundamental characteristics such as rapping (MCing) Disc jockeying (DJing Break
dancing (B-boying) and Graffiti Art (Aerosol Art!
- Can also be described by elements such as bounce or recoil, tightening of the body, agility and coordination,
and fun.
- It has several styles that comprise two main categories, the Old school (breaking, popping, and locking) and
the New school (house, krumping. street jazz)

Fundamental Movements

Term Illustration Description

1. Breaking (break dance) Executes several explosive,

acrobatic movements with brooks
at freezes in between acts.

Hold the position of the movement

for a few seconds before continuing
or shifting to the next movement.

2. Popping A quick contraction and relaxation

of muscles to producing jerking of
various joints.

3. Locking It includes a lot of acrobatics and

physically demanding moves, such
as landing on one's knees and the
spilt

Other famous moves aro waving of

arms, pointing. walking stationary
and grabbing and rotating the cap or
hat

4. Krumping Characterized by unrestrained,

rapid-fire and highly energetic
moves of the limbs and torso

A dance style to release anger

 5. Tutting (tetris) It is a dance style that Imitates the
angular poses seen in ancient
Egyptian art

Used to have a limited set of static

hiera-inspired poses, but they now
create more complex geometric
patterns wherein multiple limbs
interact

6. House Dance Combination of skating, stamping

and shuffling

There is a fast and complex steps

combined with fluid movements of
the torso

Health Opportunities through Physical Education (HOPE) Topic

Basic Training Principles
Three Principles of Training
● Effective training takes time and patience. If one adheres to the proper principles of training, results will
definitely be seen. Performance will be improved, and physiological changes will occur as well. A proper
program of exercise keeps in mind three principles training:
1. Overload Principles
2. Progressive Principles.
3. Specificity Principles
Belarmino the Bikerist
● A cyclist named Belarmino comes to you, a personal trainer, with two fitness goals: to improve his leg
strength and to become a better climber on the hills when he is out on the road. He says he has been doing the
same workout-circuit training with light weights and high repetitions ('reps')- but his legs aren't getting
stronger and his climbing hasn't improved.
● How does Belarmino improve his performance, skill, ability and physical fitness?
1. Overload Principle
- You tell Belarmino that if he wants to develop strength in his legs, he must focus on the principle of overload,
which means that he must work his body, in particular his legs, with a greater workload than normal.
- Belarmino's body is used to his workout of light weights and high reps. If he wants to develop strength in his
legs, he must increase his weights and workload to an intensity that enables him to only be able to complete
three sets of eight reps. Exercises such as leg presses, leg curls, and squats are examples of exercises that can
be used with overload to improve Belarmino's leg strength.
2. Progressive Principle
- As Belarmino's fitness level improves and his workouts become easier, he will need to make more
adjustments to his leg routine. The principle of progression says that he must progressively or gradually
increase the workload for improvement to continue. Now that Belarmino's legs have adapted to his new
workout, he must use the overload principle once again to progress to a new level of fitness. He might add
more weight, increase the number of reps, lengthen the amount of time he does the workout, or try more
difficult exercises.
- Both progression and overload can be achieved by using the FITT approach to guide your changes.
 ● Frequency - how often you train (once or twice per week)
● Intensity - how hard you train (workload, high or low intensity)
● Time - how long you train for (20 min or an hour)
● Type - the kind of training you do (circuit training or cardio)
3. Specificity Principle
- Belarmino's second goal is to become a better climber on hills. You recommend that he apply the principle of
specificity, which means that, through specific practice, his body will adapt to whatever he wants it to do. If
Belarmino wants to become a better climber, he must climb hills. Although the leg exercises will improve
Belarmino's strength, they will not do as much to improve his climbing compared to him jumping on his bike
and practicing climbing.

Other Training Principles

Recovery Principle
- An athlete needs rest and recuperation for the body to adjust properly. Adaptation to physical
activity occurs gradually and naturally, but time must be allowed for the body to regenerate and built.
Reversibility Principle
- All gains due to exercise will be lost if one does not continue the exercise. The body will not be able
to maintain levels of fitness without maintaining exercise.
Variation Principle
- Adaptation can be maximized by varying physical activity. An athlete may hit a plateau with a
constant, unchanging routine. Sometimes, repetitive stress injuries might develop pot of the same
routine performed over and over again
Individualization Principle
- No one person is totally alike. Each individual has a certain unique set of physical characteristics.
Therefore, some training or exercise programs are tailor made for certain individuals, especially for
those with specific needs, strengths, or limitations and conditions.
Maintenance Principle
- Exercise must be regular for fitness to be maintained. By following all the other principles, taking
into consideration the principle of FITT one can maintain a health level of fitness.

LESSON 7: FESTIVAL DANCE

Festival Dance
● Festival dances are cultural dances performed to the strong beats of percussion instruments by a community
of people sharing the same culture usually done in honor of a Patron Saint or in thanksgiving of a bountiful
harvest. Festival dances may be religious or secular in nature.
● But the best thing about festivals is that they add to the merry-making and festivities where they are
celebrated, the reason why they are called festival dances after all. Festival dances draw the people's culture
by portraying the people's ways of life through movements, costumes and implements inherent to their place
of origin.

Nature of Festival Dance

1. Religious - in honor of a certain religious icon.
- RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS IN THE PHILIPPINES
 2. Secular or non-religious - thanksgiving or celebration of peoples industry and bountiful harvest
- SECULAR FESTIVALS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Festival dances draw people's culture by portraying the people's way of life through movements, costumes and
implements inherent to their place of origin.
Why do Filipinos do Festival Dance?
1. To celebrate our unity amidst the diversity of cultures.
2. To celebrate our industry bringing about a bountiful harvest
Other Benefits from doing Festivals
1. Festivals have been a consistent crowd-producing activity leading to up-liftment of a community's economy
due to its tourism and entertainment value.
2. It attracts foreign and domestic tourists to visit a place eventually leading to the elevation of the Filipino's
quality life.

Health Opportunities through Physical Education (HOPE) Topic

Dance Related Careers and Professions
● Professional dancing is a challenging career path, and not everyone is made for it- an injury could bring your
career to a halt, or you may feel drawn to another kind of job.
● Dancers are known to being resourceful, disciplined, creative, and intelligent with a multitude of skills that
can be utilized in many different professions and here are some of the arenas with dance-related jobs that
will quench your thirst to be in the dance industry.
1. Choreographer/Director
- For many dancers who decide to step off the stage, taking the route to run their own dance company or
choreographing for Broadway seems like the natural next choice. Many people find that they enjoy this
creative line and are more suited to creating dances than performing them.
- Search for grant programs in the city to fund your work and scout the local theater groups are often interested
in hiring a choreographer for their plays or musicals as may be large scale entertainment companies who may
need a choreographer for corporate or commercial work.
2. Lighting Designer / Set Designer
- Creating sets for theaters provide dance enthusiasts an alternate career choice where they can bring to life the
sets that form the backdrop to dance performances. If you enjoy painting and are artistic, a set designer job
might reap great dividends.
3. Stage Management / Production Crew
- A good stage manager will have problem-solving skills (a must for crisis situations), excellent attention to
detail and enjoys overseeing the multitude of people involved in a show.
- Being on a production crew can use all those team building skills, and give you an insider view of what
happens backstage, and the technological aspects may make you consider pursuing associated learning
programs.
4. Company Managing / Administration
- Company managers are at the heart of dance companies. From booking gigs to taking care of the accounting
books from organizing international tours to seeking out venues, company managers make many of the critical
decisions that keep the dance companies running successfully.
- In larger dance companies, there may be many specialized roles, such as management, fundraising, etc.
general office marketing,
5. Physical Therapist / Dance Movement Therapist
- The career of a physical therapist can be, and it is highly crucial in the field of dance. The job involves
learning about the body, enjoying science, and working with people to help them achieve the goals they
want.
- Your understanding of what dancers need and go through on a regular basis with their bodies can provide
you with insight and experience that is unmatched. Couple these with the natural empathy and you can be a
compassionate physical therapist who can guide dancers through a healing process that goes beyond just the
body.

6. Graphic Designer / Marketing For Dancers

- Graphic designers work on website design and posters, and other visual merchandise are much required for
dancers to promote their work.
- The work of a full-fledged graphic designer involves designing and maintaining web pages, designing flyers
and other materials, while that of marketing is design promotional API MARKETING about promoting
events through social media, and more.
7. Athletic Coach / Personal Trainer / Group Fitness Instructor
- Dance is an incredibly aerobic activity and has always been associated with fitness. For dancers who have
enjoyed this aspect, some additional training can convert this passion for fitness into a career as a coach, either
for private clients, cheer-leading squads, sports teams, fitness centers or dance studios.
8. Costume Designer
- Designing costumes can be an excellent way to stay connected to the world of dance and performance- you
will be on top of trends and work in collaboration with directors/choreographers and often lighting/set
designers.
9. Photographer / Videographer
- Dancers are in constant need of photos for promotional materials, as well as for personal head-shots and
dance based websites. Choreographers also need video records of their work for both archival and
promotional purposes. So there is a definite market for those who are skilled with a camera and other
avenues apart from dance that you may become keen on exploring.

10. Dance Teacher

- Many college dance programs offer a K-12 certification that will allow you to teach dance in public schools,
as well as other subjects. If you enjoy working with children, this can be a rewarding way to use the creativity
of dance in an educational format."
- Teaching in schools and colleges give you the opportunity to remain creative through choreographing routines
for class and performances regularly. Determine the age group you want to teach, as some will require éxtra
training or college degrees.