Physical Education
A. Introduction to dance
What is dance?
Dance differs from athletics or other daily activities because it focuses primarily on an
aesthetic or
even entertaining experience.
Benefits of dance and creative movement
Physical
• Develops cardiovascular and muscular endurance
• Improves coordination, balance, flexibility, and body composition
• Lowers risk of cardiovascular disease
• Lowers Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Lowers resting heart rate
• Improve lipid metabolism
• Enables joint mobility
• Helps improve and maintain bone density, thus helps prevent osteoporosis
• Helps recover coordination and neuromuscular skills after injury
Mental/emotional
• Helps keep the brain sharp
• Decreases incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease
• Decreases depressive symptoms
• Increases self-esteem and improves body image
• Aids in releasing emotional and physical tension
Social
• Gives sense of togetherness within a group.
• Encourages positive social interaction and interpersonal relationship in a group
• Contributes to the individual's potential for self-actualization in society
Cultural
• Promotes cultural values
B. Elements of dance
Space
• The area that performers occupy and where they move. It can be divided into 4
aspects
known as spatial elements.
o Direction: The dance movements going forward, backward, or sideward
o Size: Movements can be varied from doing larger or smaller actions
o Level: Movements can be done in a high, medium, or low
o Focus: Refers to the direction where the performers look
Timing
• Refers to the execution in varying tempo. Performers move with the tempo on an
underlying
sound, known as beat or pulse.
• The timing can be varied by moving faster or slower than the normal beat. When a
sequence
of movement or group of phrases is done in varying tempos, they generate rhythmic
patterns
Dance energies
• Movements propelled by energy or force. A force can either initiate or stop an action.
Dance
uses different energies and a varied use of these minimizes the monotony of the
movements in a performance
• Qualities of dance energies
o Sustained
▪ Movements are done smoothly, continuously and with flow and control. It
does not have a clear beginning and ending
o Percussive
▪ Movements are explosive or sharp in contrast with sustained movement.
They are accented with thrust of energy. They have a clear beginning and
ending
o Vibratory
▪ Movements consist of trembling or shaking. A faster version of percussive
movements that produces a jittery effect
o Swinging
▪ Movements trace a curved line or an arc in space. The movements are
relaxed and giving in gravity on the downward part of the motion, followed
by an upwards application of energy.
o Suspended
▪ Movements are perched in space or hanging on air. Holding a raised leg in
any direction is an example of a suspended movement.
o Collapsing
▪ Movements are released in tension and gradually or abruptly giving in to
gravity, letting the body descend to the floor. A slow collapse can be
described as a melting or oozing action.
Bodily shapes
• Refers how the entire body is molded in shapes or the configuration of body parts
o Symmetrical
▪ Balanced shape, movements are practically identical or similar on both sides.
o Asymmetrical
▪ Unbalanced shape, movements of two sides of the body do not match or
completely different from each other.
Group shapes
• A group of dancers perform movements in different group shapes. They are arranged
in
ways that are wide, narrow, rounded, angular, symmetrical, or asymmetrical and are
viewed
together as a total picture or arrangement within a picture frame.
C. Dance appreciation and composition
What makes a good dance?
A good dance has a beginning, middle, and end/conclusion. All works, whether it is
sports, music,
or dance, must have a form brought to their elements by means of orderly
arrangement, meaning
and purpose called as form.
Form
The instrument by which ideas and elements are arranged or combined into a logical
sequence
which results in unity and consistency, and by means of which the content r idea can be
expressed
and communicated. It is the organizing factor of any work or dance composition.
Form should progress through time from the beginning to the end of the
choreography. Each
section is composed of several units that are smoothly connected to each other, known
as phrases.
Motif
A single movement or a short phrase of movement that embodies the style and
intention of the
dance. A good dance uses motif in which the movements are repeated, varied and
developed by
manipulating the movement components or elements.
Characteristics of a good dance
Unity
• The interconnected phrases of the dance are coherent and flow smoothly together.
The
movements fit together and each play and important role that contributes to the
entirety of
a dance.
Continuity and development
• The phrases of the dance that are organized progressively, making each movement
phrase
and the audience is swept along the end.
Variety and contrast
• Variety and contrast in movement phases add excitement and flavor in the dance.
Changing
the direction, use of energy, timing of a movement phrase, and avoiding repeating
them in
the exact way are wats to add variety of the dance.
Transition
• This is the link between movements, phrases, and sections of the dance. It makes the
logical
progression of the dance flow smoothly. Also, it is vital because it keeps the unity and
continuity of the dance.
Repetition
• Some phrases need to be repeated in choreography so that the audience can see
those
movements again and identify its significance. Usually, when a certain phrase or a
section
of choreography is repeated, it is the main message of the dance. This function to make
clearer the meaning or intention of the dance.
Climax
• It is similar to a climax in a story to where a series of events culminates. The climax
may be
a fast and enraged blast of energy and action, or it could fade away to a gentle and
quiet
exit that marks the end of a particular story.
