POINTERS FOR P.E. & HEALTH GR.

12

WHAT IS DANCE?

HISTORY OF DANCE

ESSENTIAL BENEFITS OF DANCE

CATEGORIES & ELEMENTS OF

DANCE

DANCE APPRECIATION &

COMPOSITION

NOTE: (PLS REFER TO THE

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION- PLS
ASK COPY OF THE PRESENTATION
TO KATE AND LESLIE & THE
NOTES).
 DANCE BASICS or ELEMENTS
Dance - entails a lot of movements, it uses the very same elements SPACE,
TIME/TIMING, ENERGY or FORCE and RELATIONSHIP. These elements are
beneficial to anyone who is interested in recognizing, analyzing or creating movement.
Time:

 SPACE - refers to the space through which the dancer’s body moves (general or
personal space/shape, level, size, direction, pathway, focus).

PATHWAYS - curved lines, straight lines, zigzags, circles, figure-eight, can go

forward, side, backward and so on.
SHAPE - large, small, rounded, and angular
Body shapes
SIZE – movement can be varied by doing larger or smaller actions.
FOCUS – performers may change their focus by looking at different
directions.
LEVEL – movements can be done
-vertical distance from the floor
-high, medium, low or on the floor
DIRECTION – dance movement can travel in any direction.
- forward, backwards, diagonally, sideways

 TIME / TIMING - is applied as both musical and dance elements (beat, tempo,
speed, rhythm, sudden, slow, sustained).

The movements in timing may be executed in varying;

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
RHYTHM – a flow of sound or movement having regular accented beats; a
movement or activity in which some action repeats regularly

 ENERGY or FORCE - the force applied to dance to accentuate the weight,

attack, strength, and flow of a dancer’s movement (sharp, strong, light, heavy,
bound, free-flow).
A force can either initiate or stop an action. Dance uses different energies.

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

There are six (6) qualities of dance energies:

a) SUSTAINED – movements are done smoothly, continuously, and with flow and
control. It does not have clear beginning and ending.
b) PERCUSSIVE – movements are explosive and sharp in contrast with sustained
movement. They have a clear beginning and ending.
c) SWINGING – movements trace a curved line or an arc in space. The movements
are relaxed and giving in to gravity on the downward part of the motion,
followed by an upward application of energy.
d) SUSPENDED – movements are perched in space or hanging on air. Holding a
raised leg in any direction is an example of a suspended movement.
 e) COLLAPSING – movements are released in tension and gradually or abruptly
giving in to gravity, letting the body descends on the floor.

 RELATIONSHIPS - refers to the relationship the dancers’ body parts have to

everything else (spatial relationships, time relationships, relationship to music,
and to each other).

BODILY SHAPES
- It refers to how the entire body is molded in space or the configuration of body parts.
The body can be rounded, angular or a combination of two. Other body shapes can be
from wide to narrow and from high to low. They can be symmetrical and asymmetrical.

a) SYMMETRICAL – balance 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.

MOVEMENTS
 Locomotor - Motions created moving across SPACE

Dancers using locomotor movements may…

walk, run, skip, hop, jump, slide, leap, or gallop.

 Non-Locomotor - Motions made while staying in one SPACE

Dancers using non-locomotor movements may…

bend, stretch, twist, or swing their body.

CHAPTER 4 – DANCE as an ART

 Dance is an art of rhythmic bodily movements that projects ordered sequence of
moving visual patterns of line, solid shape, and color.
 The postures and gestures of which these visual patterns are created suggest
kinesthetic experiences of tension, relaxation, and emotional moods and
attitudes associated with them.
 Some of these dances that are considered an art form are FOLK DANCE,
BALLET & CONTEMPORARY DANCE.

PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCE

Folk dances – are the indigenous dances of any specific “folk” or the common
people.
They are traditional customary or recreational dance forms of a given country
which have evolved naturally and were handed down across generations.
 Related to everything of importance in daily lives, such as customs, rituals, and
occupations of a specific group of people.
These dances are related in origin to religious belief, stemming from emotions,
superstitions, festivals, and ceremonies of birth, courtship, marriage, death, war and
countless themes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FOLK DANCE

1. It is traditional
2. It has an expressive behavior
3. Simple, basic rhythm dominates the folk dance and establishes the pattern of
movement.
4. It is created by an unknown choreographer or by communal efforts.
5. It performs a function in the life of the (folk) people.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FOLK, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC

DANCES?

 FOLK DANCES – are traditional dances found in a certain country.

 NATIONAL DANCES – are also traditional folk dances but have a national
scope. They are popular and widely danced throughout a given country, often
with a number of regional variations.

 ETHNIC OR ETHNOLOGICAL DANCES – are those performed in primitive tribes

and have retained their close kinship with religious ritual and community
custom. It requires a certain level of special performing skills that are symbolic
in meaning.

All national and ethnic dances are folk dances, but not all folk dances are
considered national or ethnic dances.

3 CATEGORIES OF ETHNIC DANCE

Ethnic dances can be performed in three categories:

1. RITUAL – dances that depict ritual ceremonies.
ex. Dugso (bukidnon), Pagdidiwata (Palawan)

2. LIFE-CYCLE - dances relating to the cycle of human life such as birthing,

courtship, wedding and funeral.
ex. Binasuan (Pangasinan), Pangalay (Tausug)

3. OCCUPATIONAL – dances that exhibit work and occupation of the dances.

ex. Maglalatik (Laguna), Mananagat (Cebu)

CLASSIFICATION OF FOLK DANCES

Folk dances may be CLASSIFIED BY the ff:

a. Geographical extent of origin
b. Nature
c. Speed movement
d. Formation
e. Distinguishing feature

THREE MAJOR REGIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF FOLK DANCES:

1. Tribal dances from the Cordilleras – include non- Christian dances.

2. Lowland Christian dances – dances coming from places with Western
influences.
3. Muslim dances – dances are influenced by Arabic and Indo-Malayan.
Mindanao and Sulu

CATEGORIES OF FOLK DANCES

Folk Dances may be categorized as follows:

1. Life-cycle dances – dances that serve as ritual as ne passes to a different

stage in life. (courtship, wedding, funeral)
 2. Festival dances – either religious or secular and are connected with the
celebration of recurring events.

3. Occupational dances – that depict the means of livelihood of the Filipino

people.

4. Ritual or ceremonial dances – performed as part of the rituals and

ceremonies of a certain tribe or group of people.

5. Games dances – derivations of local folk games.

6. Joke and trickster dances – it includes jokes and tricks played by a dancer
or a group of dancers who is one of them.

7. Mimetic or drama dances – it mimic animals, inanimate objects, or other

people. Dancers get into roles other than themselves and become actors totally
immersed in the story the dances tell.

8. War dances – it expresses feud and enmity wherein dancers engage in

physical combat.

9. Social amenities dances – it expresses social genres, hospitality, and

offerings of gifts to friends.

DO’S IN FOLK DANCING

1. Dance in a natural, simple and direct manner.

2. Dance with ease and smoothness.
3. Use the proper costume for the dance.
4. Follow directions and dance instructions as closely as possible.
5. Dance with feeling and expression.

DONT’S IN FOLK DANCING

1. Do not exaggerate the dance steps.

2. Do not make the dances too dainty and graceful like ballet.
3. Don’t make entrance and exit long.
4. Don’t make steps too elaborate and complicated.
5. Don’t call a dance a folk dance unless steps come from traditional dances.