 What is Dance?

 History of Dance (Origin) (From Early Civilization to Modern Times)

 Characteristics of a Good Dance
 Elements of Dance

- Choreographer

Dance

- came from the German word “Damson” which means “to stretch” or to “drag”

- The beginnings of music have been traced to the dance. For these reasons it has been called mother of
the arts.

- is a performing art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement that is
performed in a rhythmically coordinated manner

- These movements have aesthetic and symbolic value, and is acknowledged as dance by performers
and observers within a particular culture

- it is a powerful impulse, but the art of dance is that impulse channeled by skillful performers into
something that becomes intensely expressive and that may delight spectators who feel no wish to dance
themselves.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD DANCE

Like any superb tasting dish, a dance will only be considered good if it has the right ingredients. Whether
it has a meaning or may be presented abstractly, it must contain certain qualities that make the
choreography effective.

Characteristics of a good dance

I. Unity

II. Continuity and Development

III. Variety and Contrast

IV. Transition

V. Repetition

VI. Climax
1. Unity - The interconnected phrases of the dance are coherent and flow smoothly together. The
movements fit together and each plays an important role that contributes to the entirety of the dance.

2. Continuity and development - the phrases of the dance that are organized progressively, making
each movement phrase move naturally into the next.

3. Variety and contrast- making one or several variations that highlight the facet of the motif. This
provides variety within the development of the dance.it introduces new material, which is noticeably
different from anything so far seen in the dance.

4. Transition - this is the link between movement’s phrases and sections of the dance. It makes the
logical progression of the dance flow smoothly. It is vital because it keeps the unity and continuity of the
dance.

5. Repetition - it emphasizes movements and phrase that are important to dance and gives a feeling of
closure to a work

6. CLIMAX - This is where the apex of energy in the dance is reached.

HISTORY OF DANCE

The Primitive Period

- There is evidence of dance that dates back to the Paleolithic period, seen through rock paintings
depicting dance.
- “In these primitive cultures people used dance as a means of communication and as a way of
life.”
- In many primitive societies, rituals involving dance are performed at births, marriages, and
deaths. Some of the most significant rituals are those performed for means of fertility such as
food and children.
- Our ancestors asked, for rain, sun, harvest, and healthy children.
- Many of these movements mimicked the nearby animals, the crazy forces of mother nature, and
the hypothesized immortal lives of the Gods.
- Some of these rituals lasted many hours, even days

The Ancient Period

- The dances of the ancient civilizations began to acknowledge the aesthetic purposes of the art.
- They began to question the way the dance looked and its meaning; what the movements
represented and how they may be interpreted.
- Many used dances for religious purposes, and all required skill, grace, and stamina.

The Ancient Egypt

 - Dance became full-blown and was richly recorded in ancient Egypt as reflected in their wall
paintings, reliefs, and in the literary record in hieroglyphics.
- In the Old Kingdom the dances tended to be formal and restrained. The dances were usually
performed by women or young girls. Some dancers performed in the nude and had unique ball-
shaped hair styles. Pair dances, featuring men and women holding hands, are associated most
with funerals.
- In the Middle Kingdom leaps and stamping were introduced. Middle Kingdom dances included
acrobatic Hathor dances in which dancers laid on their stomachs are reached backs until their
heads touched their feet; erotic danced by skirted quartets of young girls representing the union
of the Sun god Ra with Hathor (“the mistresses of the sky”); large group dances with many men
and women held in conjunction with funeral processions.
In the New Kingdom dancing became more graceful and fluid. In the New Kingdom period dance
scene show up frequently in banquet scenes and depict dance as much more joyous endeavor. It
was also here that acrobatic dances featured cartwheels and forward flips.

The Ancient Greece

- For ancient Greeks, who thought highly of Dance, it was closely linked with other kinds of
experiences such as an aid to military education among the boys in Athens and Sparta, as well as
a form of entertainment and display.
- The Greek also used to aid education in general as philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and
Socrates strongly supported this art as an integration of the body and soul.
- Ancient Greece furthered the theatrical history of dance by using dance in dramas and Greek
theatre.
- Participation in dance and drama festival was a religious exercise not merely an amusement
- There were more than 200 Greek dances designed for every mood and purpose

The Ancient Rome

- Gave less importance to dancing as the nation grew wealthy and powerful
- It became brutal and sensationalized as their entertainers were slaves and captives from many
nationalities
- Dance was used more often for gruesome purposes
- It eventually became an integral part of the corruption in the latter days of the Roman Empire,
resulting in the condemnation of dance by the early Christians.
- Romans were influenced by Grecian models, putting the most emphasis on the spectacle and
mime to the extent that dancing itself almost disappeared

The Ancient Philippines

- The traditional dances of the Filipinos are vibrant and colorful, capturing the history of the
archipelago.
 - The history of Philippine folk dancing incorporates influences from immigrants and conquerors
while at the same time maintaining distinctly Filipino roots. Philippine folk dancing is a true
reflection of daily life in past centuries while enchanting modern audiences at the same time.

The Dark and Early Middle Ages

- Some singers, dancers, poets, actors, musicians, and jugglers continued to wander in village
squares to perform although the Church had condemned dance as form of entertainment.
- These performers were eventually welcomed in the castles and chateaus of feudal lords.
- Doing dances that were social in character, marked the beginning of “Social Dancing”
- Nobility soon followed the peasant’s lead in dancing but in a more refined and courtly form as
court dances emerged as part of the chivalric way of life

The Medieval Period/Middle Ages (500 AD)

- Dance was prevalent in the medieval era

- The Islamic culture had a heavy influence in the interesting outcomes of dance. It was then that
the familiar art of belly dancing came into play.
- The way life during the Medieval period was strongly influenced by three key elements: death,
the devil, and the fool.
- Slowly the church became an influence and dance was quickly banned as it began to be seen as
pagan activity. The ideals that the body was evil and one should strive for purity in thy soul
redefined dance and its purpose. Religious followers believed the idea that heaven is above and
earth is below, and we should be celebrating the ethereal heavens not the earthly body.
- Sensuality also quickly became associated with dance, and any form of worship that approved
dance was opposed to by the Christians of the medieval era.
- At this time the black plague (Bubonic) wiped out part of the population and created an
association with witchcraft. Soon the society connected dancing to witches and witches to the
Plague and dance became known as the “Dance of Death” or the “Danse Macabre”.
- Soon theatrical performances returned and dance was reborn.

The Renaissance Period (1300-1550)

- Dance was revived through folk dancing, court dancing, and the accompaniment of music. –
- Here, dance was beginning to be seen as an actual art as opposed to a cultural pastime or
ritualistic necessity.
- While folk dancing remained a popular expression among the working class, the high society
combined these folk routines with their aristocratic steps of nobility creating the majestic court
dances.
- Although, the “Court Dances” began as a symbolic gesture of royalty, dance soon revolutionized
into what we know today as “Ballet”, an aesthetic genre of dance that originated from music,
literature, paintings, and sculptures. Before long, ballet became a professional art form and
institutions were created to ensure proper aesthetic training.
The 15th and 16th Century

- In this era, new court dances in Europe performed by the nobility came about at about the same
time as the rise of Ballet Italy and France.

The Baroque Period (1600-1750)

- The Baroque Period is best known for being highly ornamented and grandiose. “Court ballet” is a
beautiful reflection of the culture during the Baroque period.
- The characteristics of Court ballet reflect the same ideals for beauty as the visual arts at this
time. These extravagant dances were consciously created to show the monarch’s point of view.

The Classic Period

- During the middle 17th century, ballet became a spectacle in every court
- Public ballet performances involved more tthan just dancing because they were a mixture of
poetry, music, dialogue, and elaborate dance. Such ballet performance was known as “Ballets a
entrees”

The Contemporary Period

- Eastern countries continued traditional performances while the Western civilizations developed
new, invigorating genres.
- Contemporary and classical Ballet thrived and modern, tap, jazz, classic ballet and the newly
popular genre of hip hop shortly infiltrated life as we know it. The 20 th century not only
introduced science and technology but dance as entertainment and some of the greatest artists
known to man.
- Throughout the centuries dance went through drastic metamorphic changes from traditional
rituals, to banned pagan activity; noble pastimes to a working- class voice; beauty and poise to
an outlet for social and political messages. The history of dance is a rich explanation of the
history of life.

ELEMENTS OF DANCE

ELEMENTS OF DANCE

The Elements of Dance are tools that allow choreographers and performers to bring their visions to
fruition.

Body

Space
Time

Energy

BODY

- the instrument of dance.

- Just as a painter paints with a brush, in dance it is through the body that movements appear.

* Locomotor- traveling. Includes walk, run, hop, leap, skip, gallop, slide, etc.

*Non-Locomotor- not travelling. Includes balance, bend, stretch, push, swing and sway, sit

1. Whole Body

2. Body parts—head, arms, knees, etc.

3. Body zones—body areas of front, back, left side, and right side

4. Body bases—whatever supports the rest of the body; for example, when kneeling the base is the
knees

ENERGY

- Energy in dance describes the emotion or how much force is used to create a movement

- dance uses energy to help communicate a feeling or purpose of a dance move

- You can tell WHY a dance move exists by HOW much energy a dancer uses to create it

1. Weight- Heavy or Light

2. Flow- Free (energy is released freely) or Bound (energy released is controlled), Sharp or Smooth,
Tense or Relaxed

3. Space- Direct or Indirect

4. Time- Quick or Sustained

SPACE

- The area of space occupied by the dancer’s body

1. Direction- which way a dancer faces or moves; e.g., forward, backward, sideways, up and down

2. Size- magnitude of a body shape or movement; from small to large movements

3. Pathways- patterns made as a dancer moves through the air or on the floor (straight, vertical,
horizontal, zig-zag, circles, figure-eights, etc.); can be made with locomotor or non-locomotor
movements, separately or in combination.

4. Levels- the vertical distance from the floor. Movements take place on 3 levels: High, Middle, or Low
and Deep.

5. Shapes- the form created by the body position in space. Aspects of shape are open /closed,
symmetrical/asymmetrical, angular and curved

6. Focus- is where the eyes are directed

7. Personal Space- is also called “Kinesphere”. Personal space is reached while stationary.

8. General Space- is the space shared by all. It reaches beyond personal space.

TIME

- The relationship of one movement or part of a movement to another

1. Pulse- the ongoing underlying beat

2. Tempo- the speed with which a movement is performed

3. Duration- the length of time a movement lasts: a long time, short time or something in between

4. Rhythm- a flow of sound or movement having regular accented beats; a movement or activity in
which some action repeats regularly; patterns made by arranging long and short sounds or strong and
light sounds

5. Syncopation- a temporary accenting of a normally weak beat in music to vary the rhythm

6. Phrasing- a grouping and articulation of a group of notes

7. Accent- a movement or shape performed in such a way as to give emphasis