INTRODUCTION TO DANCE

- Dance is an activity which can take many forms and fill many different needs. It can be recreation,
entertainment, education, therapy, and religion. In its purest and most basic form, dance is art, the art of
body movement. – (Barbara Mettler, 1980)
- Dance is an art of rhythmic bodily movements that projects ordered sequence of moving visual patterns of
line, solid shape and color. – (Thomas Munro, 1981)

BENEFITS OF DANCE AND CREATIVE MOVEMENT

PHYSICAL
 Develops cardiovascular and muscular endurance
 Improves coordination, balance, flexibility, and body composition
 Lowers risk of cardiovascular diseases
 Enables joint mobility (hip motion and spine flexibility)

MENTAL
 Helps keep the brain sharp
 Decreases depressive symptoms
 Increases self-esteem and improves body image
 Aids in releasing emotional and physical tension

SOCIAL
 Gives sense of togetherness within a group
 Encourages positive social interaction and interpersonal relationship in a group
 Contributes to the individual’s potential for self-actualization in society

CULTURAL
 Promotes cultural values

ELEMENTS OF DANCE

1. SPACE – this is the area the performers occupy and where they move. It can be divided into four different
aspects, also known as spatial elements.
a. Direction – dance movements can travel in any direction. The performers can go forward,
backward, side, diagonal, circular, and so on.
b. Size – movements can be varied by doing larger or smaller actions.
c. Level – movements can be done a high, medium, or low level.
d. Focus – performers may change their focus by looking at different directions.
2. TIMING – the movements in timing may be executed in varying tempo (speed). Performers move with the
tempo of an underlying sound, known as beat or pulse. The timing can be varied by moving faster
or slower than the normal beat.
3. DANCE ENERGIES – the movements are propelled by energy or force. A force can either initiate or stop an
action.
a. Sustained – movements are done smoothly, continuously, and with flow and control.
b. Percussive – movements are explosive or sharp in contrast with sustained movements.
c. Vibratory – movements consist of trembling or shaking.
d. Swinging – movements trace a curved line or an arc in space.
e. Suspended – movements are perched in space or hanging on air.
f. Collapsing – movements are released in tension and gradually or abruptly giving in to
gravity, letting the body descend to the floor.
4. BODILY SHAPES – refers to how the body is molded in space or the configuration of body parts.
a. Symmetrical – balanced shape; movements are practically identical or similar on both sides.
b. Asymmetrical – unbalanced shape; movements of two sides of the body do not match or
completely different from each other.
 TRADITIONAL DANCES
FOLK DANCE – indigenous dances of any specific “folk” or the common people. Folk dances are related to our
daily lives, such as customs, rituals, and occupations of a specific group of people.
ETHNIC DANCE – are those performed in primitive tribes and have retained their close kinship with religious ritual
and community custom. These dances may require certain level of special performing skills that
are symbolic in meaning.
FUNDAMENTAL FOLK DANCE STEPS
DANCE STEP TIME COUNT STEP PATTERN
SIGNATURE
Waltz 3/4 1, 2, 3 Step-Close-Step
Gallop 2/4 1, ah, 2, ah Step-Cut-Step
Change Step 2/4 1, and, 2 Step-Close-Step
Polka 2/4 1, and, 2, and Step-Close-Step-Pause
Mazurka 3/4 1, 2, 3 Slide-Cut-Hop
Sway Balance 3/4 1, 2, 3 Step-Cross-Step-Close
(2 measures)
Leap 2/4 1, 2 Spring from one foot, Land on the other foot
Touch Step 2/4 1, 2 Point-Close-Hop-Point

MODERN DANCE
- A term to describe contemporary dance
- Is a style of dancing where dancers are free to express their feelings through movements.

BASIC MODERN DANCE SKILLS

1. Dance walk
2. Run
3. Waltz
4. Gallop
5. Chasse’
6. Jumps
7. Leap
8. Falling
9. Rolls
10. Turns

BASIC MODERN DANCE MOVEMENTS

1. Torso/abdominal stretch
2. Contractions
3. Isolated head and torso movements (head, shoulders, rib cage, hips)
4. Arches and spirals (body arching)
5. Stretches for legs and hips (spine elongation, ankle rotations, thigh pulses and extensions)
6. Leg strength and extensions (leg lifts, fan kicks, leg swings)
7. Rolls (forward, backward, log)
8. Thrusts (sitting, kneeling)
9. Falls (side, forward)