DANCE Basics

What are the basics of DANCE? Essential Questions What is DANCE? Why do people DANCE? What are the basics of DANCE?

What is DANCE? DANCE is… the ART of HUMAN MOVEMENT.

People dance for MANY reasons. Why People DANCE? People dance for MANY reasons. Fun Fitness Competition Celebration Performances Religion

All dances can be classified into 3 categories of DANCE. The categories are… Artistic Ceremonial Recreational

Artistic DANCE 3 Categories of DANCE Performed for Entertainment There is a clear separation between the dancers and the audience. Examples include… ballet, modern, tap

Ceremonial DANCE 3 Categories of DANCE Dance performed as part of ritual Examples included… Shakers, celebration, ritual, Native American Eagle Dance, Rain Dance

Recreational DANCE 3 Categories of DANCE Dancing for FUN! A.K.A. Social Dance Examples include… folk, social dancing, aerobic dance

DANCE Basics or ELEMENTS Space Time Force

SPACE Pathways curved lines, straight lines, zigzags, circles, figure-eights, and many more Shape large, small, rounded, and angular Body shapes Level -vertical distance from the floor -high, medium, low or on the floor Direction forward, backwards, diagonally, sideways

TIME TEMPO – The speed of the dance -fast, slow, moderate ACCENT – a movement or shape performed in such a way as to give emphasis DURATION – the length of the dance or a dance phrase BEAT - pulse of the music

FORCE Force is the use of ENERGY while moving. Heavy/Light, Sharp/Smooth, Tension/Relaxation, Bound/Flowing QUALITY -smooth, sharp, round, free, flowing ENERGY -weak, strong WEIGHT -heavy, light, suspended, collapsed

Locomotor Non-Locomotor Movements Motions created moving across SPACE Dancers using locomotor movements may walk, run, skip, hop, jump, slide, leap, or gallop. These movements may be high (possibly indicating joy), medium, or low (possibly indicating sadness.) Non-Locomotor Motions made while staying in one SPACE Dancers using non-locomotor movements may… bend, stretch, twist, or swing their body.

How is a dance created? Dances are created by combining locomotor and nonlocomotor movements. A dance, like a book, it has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Culture and Dance Nearly all cultures incorporate dance in some way. Dance is a major component of many cultures. Dance is often used to communicate or celebrate.

Some more about dance & culture Cultures use dance in ways that are both social and personal. What are some examples of culture and dance you can think of? How do those cultures use dance?

Dance is also representative of time periods What time period do you think of when you hear: *Charleston, *Virginia Reel, *Swing, *Disco, *Break dancing, or *Hip Hop? AH-H-2.3.31, AH-H-2.3.311

Dance in History Dance has played an important function in many cultures throughout history. Dance styles, costumes and music often reflect the political climate of the time. Dances such as the “Locomotion”, “Macarena”, and even the “Chicken Dance” all perform a function in our society – they create a “group” of dancers having fun!

Is there anything else I should know? Dance allows the dancer or choreographer to communicate their ideas, thoughts, and feelings through movement. These movements are structured and repeatable, in that they can be taught to others.

Dance is often used to tell a story Like a story or a book, each dance has a beginning, middle and an end. Dance is made up “movement materials”, connected into “phrases” and put together into a complete dance.