1. DANCE Basics

2. What are the basics of DANCE?
Essential Questions
What is DANCE?
Why do people DANCE?
What are the basics of DANCE?

3. What is DANCE?
DANCE is…
the ART of HUMAN MOVEMENT.

4. People dance for MANY reasons.
Why People DANCE?
People dance for MANY reasons.
Fun
Fitness
Competition
Celebration
Performances
Religion

5. All dances can be classified into 3 categories of DANCE.
The categories are…
Artistic
Ceremonial
Recreational

6. Artistic DANCE 3 Categories of DANCE Performed for Entertainment
There is a clear separation between the dancers and the audience.
Examples include…
ballet, modern, tap

7. Ceremonial DANCE 3 Categories of DANCE
Dance performed as part of ritual
Examples included…
Shakers, celebration, ritual, Native American Eagle Dance, Rain Dance

8. Recreational DANCE 3 Categories of DANCE Dancing for FUN!
A.K.A. Social Dance
Examples include… folk, social dancing, aerobic dance

9. DANCE Basics or ELEMENTS
Space
Time
Force

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

11. TIME 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

12. FORCE 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

13. Locomotor Non-Locomotor Movements Motions created moving across SPACE
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.)
Non-Locomotor
Motions made while staying in one SPACE
Dancers using non-locomotor movements may…
bend, stretch, twist, or swing their body.

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

15. 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.

16. 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?

17. 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?
AH-H , AH-H

18. 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!

19. 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.

20. 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.