1. The Elements of Dance

2. Dance is a way of knowing and communicating
Dance is a way of knowing and communicating. All societies use dance to communicate on both personal and cultural levels and to meet physical and spiritual needs.
Dance, as with all the arts, has its own language. We need to learn this language in order to fully understand and appreciate the world of Dance.

3. Elements: Time, Space and Force
The Language of Dance
Elements: Time, Space and Force
Choreographic Forms: Theme and Variations, Rondo and Narrative
Styles: (characteristics of)
Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Modern

4. Elements
TIME: The relationship of one movement or part of a movement to another. Includes pulse, speed (or tempo), duration, rhythm, and phrases.
Pulse: the ongoing underlying beat
Tempo: The speed with which a movement is performed
Duration: the length of time a movement lasts: a long time, short time or something in between
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
Syncopation: a temporary accenting of a normally weak beat in music to vary the rhythm
Phrasing: a grouping and articulation of a group of notes
Accent: a movement or shape performed in such a way as to give emphasis.

5. Elements
SPACE: the area of space occupied by the dancer’s body; includes direction, size, pathways, levels and shapes.
Direction: which way a dancer faces or moves; e.g., forward, backward, sideways, up and down
Size: magnitude of a body shape or movement; from small to large movements
Pathways: patterns made as a dancer moves through the air or on the floor (straight, vertical, horizontal, zig-zag); can be made with locomotor or non-locomotor movements, separately or in combination.
Levels: the vertical distance from the floor. Movements take place on three levels: high, middle or low and deep.
Shapes: the form created by the body’s position in space. Aspects of shape are open/closed, symmetrical/asymmetrical, angular and curved.

6. Elements
FORCE: (energy) degree of muscular tension and use of energy while moving.
Dynamics: how a movement is done
Flow: continuity of movement (bound/free flowing)
Weight: strength (force) lightness of movement (heavy/light)

7. Choreography is the art of arranging dances
Choreographic Forms
Choreography is the art of arranging dances
Theme: the basic idea of the play, which the author dramatizes through the conflict of characters.
Rondo: a dance structure with three or more themes where one theme is repeated. ABACAD
Narrative: choreographic structure that follows a specific story line to convey specific information through a dance
Variations: contrasts in the use of the dance elements, repetitions.

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

9. All dance movements can be labeled as locomotor or nonlocomotor.
NONLOCOMOTOR-movements that do not change location
LOCOMOTOR-movements that travel
AH-E

10. Locomotor Movements
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.)
AH-E , 1.15, 2.23

11. Non-locomotor Movements
Dancers are using non-locomotor movements when they stay in one place but bend, stretch, twist, or swing their body.

12. Styles (characteristics)
Ballet: a classic form of dance growing out of the French nobility. Its root is court dances.
It is known for its:
standardized dance movements
specialized leaps and lifts
French terminology to describe each standardized movement
Pointe shoes for women
slippers for men
costumes---tights, tutus

13. Styles (characteristics)
Tap: is a percussive dance form in which dancers produce sound by wearing shoes to which metal taps have been added. Tap dance, an American dance form which concentrates on footwork and rhythm, has roots in African, Irish and English clogging traditions. Its roots lie in recreational dance (Irish Step dance, jig and African steps).
It is known for:
An emphasis on rhythm
Tap shoes
Costumes—formal to street wear
Improvisation

14. Styles (characteristics)
Jazz: American music marked by lively rhythms with unusual accents and often including melodies made up by musicians as they play. It’s roots are in social dances and early musical theatre dance.
It’s known for:
Stylized movement
Accents in hands, head, hips and feet
English/French terminology to describe movements
Jazz shoes or boots
Costume related to theme of dance
Improvisation

15. Styles (characteristics)
Modern: a form of dance developed by dancers interested in breaking from ballet traditions and expressing a more liberating form of movement. It expresses complex emotions and abstract ideas.
It is known for:
Freedom of movement
Usually barefoot but can use shoes based on theme
Costume related to dance theme
Improvisation used in the development of choreography

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

17. Dance has 3 main forms ceremonial (religion, celebration, ritual)
recreational (folk, social dancing, aerobic dance)
artistic (ballet, modern, narrative, tap, lyrical).
AH-E

18. 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.

19. 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?
AH-E , A-HI , AH-M

20. 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?
Something to think about…
How are the dances of these time periods related to the politics of the time?
AH-H , AH-H

21. 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!
AH-E , 1.15, 2.23, 2.25

22. 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.
AH-E , 1.15, 2.22

23. 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.
AH-M , AH , AH-E