INTRODUCTION TO RHYTHMIC

DANCE ACTIVITIES
 Objectives:
a. acquire knowledge on the historical views of dance;
b. perform with accurate sense of balance, and develop creativity through rhythmic
workouts; and
c. show appreciation of one’s body by giving emphasis of certain features in its dance
style.
 WHAT IS DANCE?
It is repeated at regular
intervals, forming a regular
pattern or beat.

Dance, the movement of the body in a

rhythmic way, usually to music and within a given
space, for the purpose of expressing an idea or
emotion, releasing energy, or simply taking delight
in the movement itself.
 WHAT IS DANCE?
Is an expression of the body, following rhythmic patterns and is
accompanied by music.

The words "dance" and "dancing" come from an old German word
“DANSON”, which means "to stretch."
 BRIEF HISTORY OF DANCE

Pre-historic Era Ancient Egypt

Ancient Greek Ancient Rome

Dark and Early

Age of Chivalry
Middle Ages Renaissance
 Pre-historic Era
- Dance may have been in the performance
and telling of myths

- One of the methods of passing these stories

from generation to generation.

- Was used as way of expressing and

reinforcing tribal unity and strength,
- As an approach for courtship and
mating
- As means of worship, communication,
and therapeutic experience.
 Ancient Egypt
- Dance is a medium of
religious expression, rites of
passage, ceremonies and
passing one role to another.

- Wall paintings, reliefs, literary

record in “HIEROGLYPHS” (a
stylized picture of an object
representing a word, syllable, or a
sound, as found in ancient Egypt.)
 Ancient Greek

- Dance is aid to military

education among the boys
in Athens and Sparta.

- Not only for religious and

military training but also as
a form entertainment and
display.
 Ancient Rome

- Gave less important to dancing

because of the performers were
slaves and captives.

- Dance became brutal and sensationalized

as their entertainers were slaves and
captives from many nationalities and was
used more often for gruesome purposes.

- Dance became an integral part of the

corruption in the latter days of the Roman
empire, resulting in the condemnation of dance
by the early Christian.
Dark and Middle Ages

- Dance only existed and performed within

the church during religious ceremonies.
- Dance then became part of worships and
church services.
Marked the beginning of social dance:
The round dance
The couple dance
 Age of Chivalry
- Dances emerged as part of the chivalric way
of life because of noblemen’s and women’s
nature of clothing and elaborate accessories.
- Dance steps were limited to gliding,
curtseying, and posing as they were not able
to move freely.
Early Renaissance

- Dance and art gained impetus

Entertainers became valuable
appendage to the courts of Italy and
France and they were to serve the
secular goals of the wealthy and
powerful nobles.
WHY DO PEOPLE DANCE?
WHY DO PEOPLE DANCE?
1.For Enjoyment
2.As a profession
3.As a form of ritual, praise and worship to
God
4.For socialization
Dance Occupation
There are different careers connected with dancing: dancer, dance teacher,
dance sport coach, dance therapist and choreographer.

DANCER
- a person who dances or whose profession is dancing.

- professional dancers are usually employed on contract or

for particular performance/productions.
Dance Teacher
- also called dance instructor and train students in dance,
incorporating elements of technique, performance, and
choreography in their educational approach.

- dance teacher and operators of dance schools rely on

reputation and marketing. Most dance teachers are self
employed.
Dance Sport Coaches
- are tournament dancers or former dance sports
people, and maybe recognized by dance sports
federation.
- is a leader and mentor for competitive dancers,
often with high school, college, or private troupe.
Choreographer
- a person who composes the sequence of steps
and moves for a performance of dance.
- are generally university trained and are typically
employed for particular projects or more rarely may work
on contract as the resident choreographer for a specific
dance company.
Brief History of Dance Education in the
Philippines
 Born: March 9, 1899, Lolomboy,
Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines

Died: November 21, 1983 (aged 84) Manila,

Philippines

Occupation: Folk dancer academic

Notable work: Philippine Folk Dance and

Games (1926)

Francisca Reyes-Aquino Husband: Ramon P. Tolentino Jr.

“Mother of Philippine Folk Dance”

 National Artist for Dance (1973)
Mother of Philippine dancing
Acknowledge as the Folk Dance Pioneer
Republic Award of Merit and the Ramon
Magsaysay Award

Legacy and honors

Francisca died on November 21, 1983 in Manila, Philippines.
Reyes-Aquino received recognition for her works such as the Ramon Magsaysay Award for
Government Service in 1962 and her designation as National Artist of the Philippines for Dance
in 1973.

Francisca was posthumously honored with a Google Doodle designed of her popular traditional
Filipino dance and it was unveiled on March 9, 2019, to celebrate her 120th birth anniversary
and for her very excellent contributions in Filipino dancing.
 WORKS OF FRANCISCA REYES AQUINO

Thesis:
Philippine Folk dances and Games

Books:
Philippine National Dances (1946)
Gymnastics for Girls (1947)
Fundamental Dance Steps and Music (1948)
Foreign Folk Dances (1949)
Dances for all Occasion (1950)
Playground Demonstration (1951)
Philippine Folk Dances, Volumes I to VI
Folk Dances discovered by Francisca Reyes Aquino

Tinikling - Leyte Maglalatik - Biñan, Laguna

Polka sa Nayon - province of Satangas in

the Tagalog Region of the Philippine
Lubi-lubi – Leyte and Samar Islands
In 1949, Mrs. Aquino organized the Philippine Folk dance Society – to
promote the development and the teaching of folk dance.

Philippine Women’s University Dance Group (1954)

Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company – Established in 1957 by

Lucresia Reyes Urtula, director and choreographer)

Barangay Folk Dance Troupe (1946) of Philippine Normal University, UP

mFilipiniana of the University of the Philippines.

Larawan Dance Troupe – Which later changed its name to Ramon Obusan
Folkloric Group (ROFG).