Module 3

Body Movement

Movement is any change in the body position in space which may be stationary or dynamic. It is a way of
expressing, exploring and interpreting oneself to develop one’s own capabilities.

What the body can do.

1. BODY AWARENESS refers to how you understand the different parts of the body in relation to the other parts
like:

• Head • Legs and feet

• Trunk • Arms and hands

2. BASIC SKILL refers to specific movements that each of the body part can do at any level. These include the
following:

a. Axial or Non-Locomotor Movements. The movements done on stationary place or around its own axis.

• Percussive or Accented • Elevating or Raising

• Extending or Stretching • Flexing or Bending
• Rotating or Twisting/turning
• Circumduction or Circling
• Pendular or Swinging/swaying
• Vibratory or Shaking/beating

b. Locomotor movements, the transfer of the body position from one place to another which includes

 Walking is the transfer of body weight from one foot to the other
 Running a fast walk or an increase speed in walking.
 Jump is a spring or push off on one foot or both feet.
 Leaping is a spring on one foot and landing on the other foot.
 Galloping is a combination of a step and a cut
 Skip is a combination of a step and a hop twice in a measure.
 Slide is a glide where the foot is in full contact with the floor.

Where the Body Moves

Spatial (space)
• Direction – forward and backward, sideward right or left, upward and downward, diagonal, or around a circle
clockwise or counterclockwise.
• Level – low, medium and high • Size – large and small
• Plane vertical, frontal and horizontal
• Pattern of movement – squae, circle, diamond, rectangle, zig-zag.

How the Body Moves

a. Time
• Speed – slow, moderate fast
• Rhythm – smooth, jerky, even or sudden

b. Qualities
• Force – light or heavy, strong or weak
• Flow - Suspended (bound flow) stops at the end of the movement or a part of the movement
- Sustained (free flow) link smoothly movements or part of movements
- Expressive flow maybe happy or sad, angry or gay, smooth or rough
- Imitative flow may imitate person, animal or things

With Whom Does the Body Move

a. Individual – by yourself, one person
b. Partner – with somebody, two people
c. Group – with people, three or more

Dance Fundamentals

Arms Positions

1st position- raise arms to a circle in front of the chest.

2nd position – open up arms sideward, raised below shoulder level with a graceful curve.
3rd position – raise one arm overhead while other arm remains in 2nd position.
4th position – raise one arm in front of chest in a half circle, while one arm remains overhead.
5th position – raise both arms overhead in a graceful curve.

Feet Positions

1st position – bring heels close to touch; toes apart.

2nd position – bring feet apart sideward.
3rd position – bring the heel of one foot to touch the instep of the other foot.
4th position – bring one foot in front of the other foot to walk strike.
5th position – bring the heel of one foot to touch the toe of the other.
Dance Terms

ON HANDS AND ARMS

1. BILAO is the movements of the hands turning the palm alternately up and down while held in front at waist
level, elbows close to waist.

2. HAYON-HAYON is a hand movement that sways the forearm alternately front and back at waist level. As the
right arm is placed in front the left is placed behind.

3. KUMINTANG is hand movement that circles the wrist either inward or outward. The Ilocano Kumintang is
usually done outward with a loosely closed fist.

4. ARMS IN LATERAL POSITION sways both arms from side to side with the wrist leading, passing in front at chest
or waist level.

5. MASIWAK is an outward kumintang with two backward snaps from the wrist.

ON FEET

1. BRUSH. Hitting the floor with the ball or heel of the free foot in any direction.