DANCE

OF
ART
 01 ELEMENTS OF DANCE
CONTENTS
02 LABANOTATION

03 COMPOSITIONAL PRINCIPLES

04 JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

Dance's origin is unclear, but it is likely that
music and dance arose together. Evidence
of dance can be found in cave paintings
from the Paleolithic Era, as well as in
ancient Greek dances mentioned by Plato,
Aristotle, Plutarch, and Lucian. The Bible
has over 30 distinct dance terms, and
incidents of dancing are mentioned in
biblical stories.
In India, the figure of the god of destruction and
renewal, Shiva, appears in the Ellora Caves and
Badami Caves. Shiva in the form of Nataraja
performs the Ananda Tandava, symbolizing creation
and upliftment. The dance of the Samal of Simunul,
Tawi-tawi, involves a woman on bamboo poles, with
one or two men dancing the langka. Dances have a
beginning, middle, and end, and duration, with time
being the fourth element. Dances with a storyline,
such as the mimetic dance of the Samal-Tausug,
last as long as needed to tell the story.
 ELEMENTS OF DANCE 🩰
1. Body: Refers to the physical instrument used to create
movement in dance. It includes the dancer's body structure,
alignment, and capabilities, such as strength, flexibility, and
control.

2. Movement: Encompasses the actions, gestures, and

locomotion performed by the body in dance. Movements
can vary in quality, style, range, and dynamics, contributing
to the expressive and aesthetic elements of the dance piece.
3. Space: The area or environment in which the dance occurs. It refers
to the three-dimensional space around the dancer and can be utilized
through levels, directions, shapes, pathways, and use of stage or
performance area.

4. Time: The rhythmic and temporal aspect of dance. It includes the

duration, tempo, and rhythm of movements. Dancers often manipulate
different speeds, accents, and pauses within their choreography to
create dynamic timing variations.

5. Energy: Refers to the force, dynamics, and intensity of movement in

dance. It involves the level of energy exerted by the dancer, including
movements that are explosive, sustained, sharp, smooth, or flowing.
Energy influences the overall mood, emotion, and impact of the dance
piece.
 RODULF VON LABAN
commonly known as Rudolf Laban, was a prominent
dance theorist and choreographer who lived from
1879 to 1958. He was born in Hungary and made
significant contributions to the field of dance and
movement analysis. Laban developed Laban
Movement Analysis (LMA), a system for
understanding and interpreting human movement.
LMA examines movement qualities, effort dynamics,
spatial relationships, and body actions, providing a
framework for analyzing and describing movement in
dance and other physical activities. Laban's teachings
and methodologies have had a lasting impact on
modern dance and movement education.
 LABANOTATION
1. Direction and level of movement.
Using arrow symbols, the notation shows the 26
directions of space. Movement starts at the body's
center and ends at the distal points or the tips of arms,
limbs, and head. The symbol's direction indicates
where the limbs should incline or should go.
Shading specifies the movement's level of which there
are three: high, middle, and low or deep. According to
Laban, dancers or movers who leap and spring from
the ground are moving on a high level. In the middle or
central level, the body leads the movement. The low
or deep levels are for earthbound movements;
2. Part of the body doing the movement. The notation
invented symbols for the different body joints like the
neck, shoulder, wrist, and fingers because joints make
it possible to move and were the pivots of movement;

3. Duration of the movement which is linked to a

musical score.

4. Dynamic quality of the movement. Laban broke

down the components of movement into four
subcategories of the category effort, with two opposite
polarities expressed in the table below.
Laban's notation system, although
not widely used, demonstrates the
complexity of human movement
and dance. It reminds dancers of
the possibilities of movement and
can be applied to theater,
particularly for actors practicing
on stage. Laban's theories were
introduced in the Philippines by
the Philippine Educational Theater
Association (PETA) in the 1970s,
and are still used in the Integrated
Arts Workshop.
COMPOSITIONAL PRINCIPLES
The principles of visual arts, architecture, and music can be
applied to dance, focusing on balance, rhythm, emphasis,
unity, and variety. These principles are evident in theatrical
and narrative dances like ballets and musical theater, as well
as contest-based dances like ballroom dancing and hip-hop.
Recreational dances, like disco dancing, may have minimal
emphasis and variety but maintain unity within their
repetitive movements. These compositional principles apply
to different dance genres, but not equally.
 THE HUMAN BODY AS MEDIUM ART
Dance consists of the human body, motion, time,
space, and energy. Rudolf von Laban's notation of
dance is useful in understanding and enriching
performance. Dance with narrative content
demonstrates principles similar to visual arts,
architecture, and music. Dance with narrative content
demonstrates these principles more clearly than
participatory and recreational dance.
 SUBJECT MATTER AND DANCE FORM
Dance is a form of art that involves the body in motion, often
telling a narrative. Ballet, rock and roll, and hip-hop are
examples of dance types that do not have a story but are
composed of repetitive patterns. Dance can be classified as
participatory or theatrical, with ballet being the most
traditional theatrical dance. Some dances, like hip-hop and
tango, can be both participatory and theatrical, with
competitions and fan following. Dance forms can be further
distinguished by their use and context.
BALLET 🩰 💃🕺
ROCK AND ROLL
DANCE 🪩👯♀👯♂
HIP HOP DANCE
PARTICIPATORY
DANCES
Ancient participatory dances are sacred rituals or dances
associated with religious ceremonies, involving both ethnic and
lowland Christian communities. These dances are directed by
religious functionaries to contacting spirits for blessings, health,
harvest, and vow fulfillment. Catholic-influenced dances include
the subli, sinulog, sayaw sa Obando, and turumba Subli. The
subli dance uses a tugtugan percussion instrument and
bamboo castanets to create an illusion of water current. The
sinulog, associated with the Santo Niño patron of Cebu, involves
two steps and percussions. Sayaw sa Obando is a street dance
in Obando, Bulacan, honoring patrons. Turumba, a healing dance,
imitates the movements of the maimed and crippled.
 ETHNIC
AND
FOLK DANCE
Ethnic dances in the Philippines are influenced by ethnolinguistic
communities and folk dances, with various forms including balitaw,
courtship and wedding dances, European-inspired dances, game
dances, Kumintang, Kuradang, Langka, Lunsay, martial dances, mimetic
dances, and song dances. Balitaw is a song and dance form where a
man and woman exchange love poems, while courtship and wedding
dances show a man courting a woman. European-inspired dances
include the indigenized minuet alcamfor, habasinan, and kuratsa. Game
dances follow prescribed rules and structures, while martial dances
imitate warriors in stylized battles. Mimetic dances imitate movements
from nature, such as birds in flight and doves. Song dances, such as the
andardi of the Tagbanua of Palawan and the lunsay in Jolo, Sulu, are
acted out to the accompaniment of a song.
HISPANIC -
INFLUENCE
DANCE
Spanish colonialism in the Philippines has influenced the
Philippine dance repertoire for over three centuries. Dance
names often hint at their origins, such as Balse, Escotis,
Habanera, Jota, Kuratsa, Lanceros, Mascota, Mazurka,
Pandanggo, Paseo, Paso doble, Pateado, Polka, Rigodon de
honor, Surtido, and Surtido.Theatrical dances, such as ballet,
Tango, and Flamenco, are public performances meant for an
audience. Balse, a highly systematized and codified dance
style, evolved from the formal dances of European courts.
Ballet schools were established in Manila in the early 20th
century, and Tango is a popular ballroom and theatrical dance
from Latin America. Flamenco is a Spanish dance with quick
and fiery steps danced with castanets and guitar.
MODERN
DANCE
 Modern dance, originating in the 20th century, is a
theatrical form of dance that originated in the Philippines
in 1900. Variation show dances, such as Bodabil,
introduced popular dances from the US, such as tap
dancing, charleston, cakewalk, tango, and big apple. Other
popular dances include conga, pachanga, mambo, bossa
nova, and cha-cha. Television introduced in the 1950s,
attracting dancers from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Jazz, originating from African-American and Caribbean
dances, is a popular form of aerobic exercise in the
Philippines. Polynesian and Tahitian dances are Philippine
adaptations of ethnic dances from Oceania.
 Tap dance, a theatrical dance, originated in the US
and became popular in the Philippines after the
1930s movies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
Aerobic dance is a physical exercise that uses
various dance forms and music. Ballroom dancing is
a form of recreation and exercise. Cheerdancing is a
relatively new dance form associated with basketball
competitions. Street dancing is an essential feature
of Philippine fiestas, with themes such as flowers
and seafood. Television broadcasts and popularizes
dance trends worldwide.
RENAISSANCE
In the 1400s, European culture experienced a surge of renewal in
culture, society, and finance after the Black Death, a bubonic plague
that killed millions of people in Europe. The epidemic, which originated
in Central Asia and reached its peak in 1346, led to new opportunities
for financial and social improvement. In Italy, new wealth emerged as
bankers grew in prominence, allowing for the patronage of artists and
the rise of the entrepreneurial class. The demand for lavishly decorated
buildings and political power led to the demand for new, lavishly
decorated buildings. Intellectually, a secular hunger for discovering
forgotten texts led to the rediscovery of works from the classical era of
Greece and Rome. The influx of Greeks in the mid-1400s set the stage
for the idealization of classical architecture and art, with the Roman
arch becoming a decorative motif in buildings. Hellenic and Hellenistic
statues were the models for Renaissance sculpture, but colors were
not emulated due to the remaining models using different colors.
ARCHITECTURE
Renaissance architects were inspired by classical
architecture found in Greek and Roman ruins, and
learned from ancient writings like Marcus
Vitruvius Pollio's Ten Books on Architecture. They
followed this with Leon Battista Alberti's On
Painting and Sebastiano Serlio's Seven Books of
Architecture, which were practical and popular.
Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola's Canon of the Five
Orders of Architecture and Two Rules of Practical
Perspective were also influential.
Filippo Brunelleschi invented the Italian style
of Renaissance architecture, with his
masterpiece being the ellipsoial dome or
duomo of the cathedral of Florence, Santa
Maria del Fiore. Alberti also designed the
facade of the Church of Santa Maria Novella
in Florence, which featured geometric
symmetry and a central door with a Roman
arch.
 Italian Renaissance architecture
abandoned the massive, fortress-like
Romanesque architecture of the Middle
Ages and the late Middle Ages. Gothic
architecture emerged in Spain, Spain, and
Italy, with the Cathedral of Sienna being
an outstanding expression.
 ART
&
SCULPTURE 🎨🖌
Art and sculpture flourished during the Renaissance, supported by
patrons like the Medici, Pope, and Duke of Sforza. Artists like
Michelangelo, who worked for the Medici, were forced by Pope Julius II
to paint the Sistine Chapel. Painting moved away from the Byzantine
style, which flattened the human image and used a strict geometric
system. Renaissance artists added realism to their subjects and worked
with the traditional tempera of the Byzantine. Early Renaissance artists
mostly worked on panel, while oil painting on canvas was popularized by
Jan Van Eyck. The three acknowledged masters of the High Renaissance
are Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Leonardo da Vinci excelled in
painting but spent time researching and preparing his works.
Michelangelo Buonarotti was more skilled in sculpture due to his training
in this art form. Despite his restless mind, Da Vinci's masterpiece, the
Last Supper, remains a conservator's nightmare.
 🎶🎻
MUSIC
 The 15th and 17th centuries saw a shift
from Gregorian chants to a more
personal style influenced by humanism,
facilitated by the printing press. This
period, known as the Golden Age of vocal
music, ushered in a unifying musical
language and resurgence of research and
exploration.
DANCE 🩰🪩
During the 15th century, two types of dances emerged:
country and court. Country dances were open to
anyone, while court dances were for display and
entertainment. In the Italian court, guests enjoyed a
ball with hours of country dancing. Examples of
country dances include the chiarentana, which
remained popular for two centuries. Dances were
either choreographed or improvised. Dance masters
documented these dances through manuscripts and
printed books, with the earliest printed dance manuals
coming from France and Italy in the 16th century.
THEATER 🎭📽
 Renaissance theater
Renaissance theater in Italy introduced conventions of
modern and contemporary theater, such as the
proscenium arch, painted wings, shutters, and Giacomo
Torelli's chariot-and-pole system. Italian staging used
perspective architecture and painting to create illusions
of depth. Notable structures include the Teatro
Olimpico in Vicenza, the first indoor theater in the world,
and Teatro Farnese in Parma, the prototype for the
modern stage with a proscenium arch.
 English Renaissance theater
English Renaissance theater, introduced during
Elizabeth I's reign, was presentational, using minimal
scenery and visual pageantry in costumes and props.
Actors spoke directly to the audience and used
soliloquies. Theatre companies had a stable body of
performers, with young boys playing women. Acting
was exaggerated and stylized according to rhetorical
traditions. Elizabethan theater companies were
repertories, memorizing roles for specific presentations.
The first dedicated theater in England was built by
James Burbage in 1576.
 🪬🤴
PROTESTANT
MOVEMENT
The Protestant movement emerged during the Renaissance, led by Martin
Luther, an Augustinian friar, professor of theology, composer, writer, and
priest. He was inspired by Dominican Johann Tetzel's peddling of
indulgences, which led to the sale of indulgences and the rise of the
Protestant Church. Luther wrote "The Ninety-five Theses," addressing
abuses and doctrines of the Catholic Church. He preached sola scriptura
and sola fide, stating that Scripture should be the basis of faith, not the
traditions and doctrines of the Church. In 1520, Pope Leo X demanded
Luther renounce his writings, but he refused, leading to his
excommunication in 1521. Protestantism had consequences on medieval
and Renaissance art, leading to the removal of altarpieces, statues, and
church interiors. Protestants preferred simplicity and communal singing
over pageantry, leading to the emergence of hymns and pews. The
Protestant Church's influence on the Renaissance led to a split between
Protestants and the traditional Catholic Church.
RENAISSANCE ⏩BAROQUE
The Renaissance saw artists as
creative thinkers, philosophers,
and guides to higher human
experience. Renaissance art
continued into the Baroque era,
popular in Catholic countries due
to Protestantism.
Thank you for
listening