The Nature of Dance
DANCE
Dance is an art of rhythmic bodily
movements that projects ordered sequence
of moving visual patterns of line, solid shape
and color (Thomas Munro in Kraus and
Gaufman, 1981).
DANCE
The human body
rhythmically moving
through space and time
with energy or effort.
ELEMENTS OF DANCE
1. Body
• the mobile figure or shape, felt by
the dancer, seen by others
• the medium which dancers use
to express and communicate
ideas, emotions, and identity
• creates lines and shapes by
moving or positioning it and its
parts
1. Body
• bodily shapes and group shapes
can be rounded or angular, wide
or narrow, and can be classified
as:
• symmetrical – balanced shape,
movements are practically
identical or similar on both sides
• asymmetrical – unbalanced
shape, movements on both sides
are different from each other
2. Action
• any human movement included in the
act of dancing, in relatively still or
changing as the dancer moves in
place or travels through the dance
area
• can include dance steps, facial
movements, partner lifts, gestures,
and even everyday movements such
as walking
2. Action
also includes
pauses and
moments of
relative stillness
3. Space
• the area the performers occupy and
where they move
• can be divided into four different
aspects, also known as spatial
elements:
• direction – dance movements can
travel in any direction.
• forward, side, backward, diagonal,
circular, etc.
3. Space
• level – movements can be
done in a high, medium,
or low
• size – movements can be
varied by doing larger or
smaller actions
• focus – performers may
change their focus by
looking at different
directions
4. Time
• Movements may be executed in
varying tempo (speed).
• Dancers move with the tempo of
an underlying sound known as
beat or pulse.
• Timing patterns in dance are
characteristically consistent and
predictable.
4. Time
• Rhythmic patterns may be
metered or free rhythm.
• Dance movements may also
show different timing
relationships:
4. Time
• simultaneous or sequential
timing
• brief to long duration
• fast to slow speed
• accents in predictable or
unpredictable intervals.
5. Energy
• is about how the movement
happens.
• includes variations in movement
flow and the use of force,
tension, and weight.
Qualities of dance energies:
• Sustained – movements done
smoothly, continuously, and with
flow and control, having no clear
beginning and ending
• Percussive – movements are
explosive or sharp, accented with
thrust, having clear beginning
and ending
Qualities of dance energies:
• Vibratory – movements consist of
trembling or shaking, a faster
version of percussive that
produces a jittery effect
• Swinging – movements trace a
curved line or an arc in space and
are performed in a relax manner
Qualities of dance energies:
• Suspended – movements are
perched in space or hanging on
air, as in raising a leg in any
direction
• Collapsing – movements are
released in a tension and
gradually or abruptly giving in to
gravity, letting the body descend
to the floor
TASK # 2
• Create a 1-minute routine with the Elements of Dance
and present it on our next meeting.
CRITERIA
TIMING 20%
COORDINATION 20%
SHOWMANSHIP 20%
CREATIVITY 20%
CHOICE OF SONG 10%
CHOREOGRAPHY 10%
TOTAL 100%
TRADITIONAL DANCE
TRADITIONAL
DANCE
• Traditional dances or
commonly called folk dances
are the indigenous dances of
any specific “folk” or
common people. They are
traditional customary or
recreational dance forms of a
given country which have
evolved naturally and were
handed down across
generations.
TRADITIONAL
DANCE
• Folk dances are
related to everything
of importance in our
daily lives such as
customs, rituals, and
occupations of a
specific group of
people.
The origin of a traditional dance could
be seen by looking at the:
• Costumes - the clothing worn
Baro’t Saya
Barong Tagalog
The origin of a traditional dance could
be seen by looking at the:
• Costumes - the clothing worn
Kimona
Maria Clara
Dress
The origin of a traditional dance could
be seen by looking at the:
• Costumes - the clothing worn
Mestiza Dress
Terno
The origin of a traditional dance could
be seen by looking at the:
• Costumes - the clothing worn
Patadyong dress
The origin of a traditional dance could
be seen by looking at the:
• Tribal Folk Garment in the Philippines
T’ boli Clothing
The origin of a traditional dance could be
seen by looking at the:
• Igorot Clothing and
Ifugao Clothing
Muslim
Attire
The origin of a
traditional dance
could be seen by
looking at the:
Props - objects
manipulated by the
dancers to enhance a
dance
The origin of a traditional dance could
be seen by looking at the:
Implements - the tool or equipment used for a particular
purpose
THREE MAJOR
CLASSIFICATIONS
OF PHILIPPINE
FOLK DANCE
according to geographical
extent of origin (Francisca
Reyes Aquino)
Tribal dances
• Include non-Christian
dances from the
Cordilleras.
• Examples:
• BANGA
• MANMANOK
• UYAOY
Lowland Christian
dances
• Dances coming from places
with Western influences
(Hispanic and European
cultures)
• Examples:
• BINASUAN
• ITIK-ITIK
• PANDANGGO SA ILAW
• TINIKLING
• CARIÑOSA
Muslim dances
• dances from the people
of the southern islands
influenced by Arabic
and Malayan cultures.
• Examples:
• PANGALAY HA
PATTONG
• PANGSAK
• SINGKIL
• MALONG-MALONG
• PANGALAY
