Lizette S.

Terrado

G12-35
The Elements of Dance are the foundational concepts and vocabulary that help students develop
movement skills and understand dance as an artistic practice.

The acronym BASTE helps students remember the elements:

Body Action Space Time Energy

Body

In dance, the body is the mobile figure or shape, felt by the dancer, seen by others. The body
is sometimes relatively still and sometimes changing as the dancer moves in place or travels
through the dance area. Dancers may emphasize specific parts of their body in a dance
phrase or use their whole body all at once.
Another way to describe the body in dance is to consider the body systemsmuscles, bones,
organs, breath, balance, reflexes. We could describe how the skeletal system or breath is
used, for example.
The body is the conduit between the inner realm of Intentions, ideas, emotions and identity
and the outer realm of expression and communication. Whether watching dance or dancing
ourselves, we shift back and forth between the inner/outer sense of body.

Action

Is any human movement included in the act of dancing it can include dance steps, facial
movements, partner lifts, gestures, and even everyday movements such as walking. Dance is
made up of streams of movement and pauses, so action refers not only to steps and
sequences, but also to pauses and moments of relative stillness.
Dancers may use movements that have been choreographed or traditional dances taught by
others who know the dances. Depending on the dance style or the choreographer's decision,
dancers may also revise or embellish movement they have learned from others.
Movement can also be improvised, meaning that the dancers make it up "on the spot" as they
spontaneously dance. Movement that travels through space is broadly called locomotor
movement in contrast to axial movement, which occurs in one spot.

Space

Dancers interact with space in myriad ways. They may stay in one place or they may travel
from one place to another. They may alter the direction, level, size, and pathways of their
movements.
The relationships of the dancers to each other may be based on geometric designs or rapidly
change as they move close together, then apart. Even when a dancer is dancing alone in a
solo, the dancer is dynamically involved in the space of the performing area so that space
might almost be considered a partner in the dance.
 Dancers may focus their movement and attention outwardly to the space or inwardly, into
themselves. The line of travel may be quite direct towards one or more points in space or
indefinite and meandering.

Time

The keyword for the element of time is When? Human movement is naturally rhythmic in the
broad sense that we alternate activity and rest. Breath and waves are examples of rhythms in
nature that repeat, but not as consistently as in a metered rhythm.
Spoken word and conversation also have rhythm and dynamics, but these timing patterns are
characteristically more inconsistent and unpredictable.
Rhythmic patterns may be metered or free rhythm. Much of western music uses repeating
patterns (2/4 or 3/4 for example), but concepts of time and meter are used very differently
throughout the world. Dance movements may also show different timing relationships such as
simultaneous or sequential timing, brief to long duration, fast to slow speed, or accents in
predictable or unpredictable intervals.

Time may also be organized in other ways including

Clock time: The dance is based on units of seconds, minutes, and/or hours. For example, a
certain section of a dance may be assigned a time such as 30 seconds into which all the
choreographed movement must fit. A performance in a public setting may be set up to repeat
continuously between 12:00 Noon and 1:00 PM.
Sensed time: Dancers pick up on each other's timing such as gradually increasing from a
walking tempo to a running tempo by cueing off each other rather than a music score. Another
example happens when dancers hold a group shape then spontaneously move out of it based
on the group's organic impulse.
Event-sequence: An internal or external event signals a change such as repeating a traveling
phrase over and over until everyone arrives at a corner of the stage. You also see this at
sports events when a touchdown triggers a dance cheer.

Energy

Is about how the movement happens. Choices about energy include variations in movement
flow and the use of force, tension, and weight. An arm gesture might be free flowing or easily
stopped, and it may be powerful or gentle, tight or loose, heavy or light. A dancer may step into
an arabesque position with a sharp, percussive attack or with light, flowing ease. Energy may
change in an instant, and several types of energy may be concurrently in play.
Saying that a dance "has a lot of energy" is misleading. ALL dances use the element of
energy, though in some instances it may be slow, supple, indirect energy - not the punchy,
high speed energy of a fast tempo dance.
Energy choices may also reveal emotional states. For example, a powerful push might be
aggressive or playfully boisterous depending on the intent and situation.
BACUI STEP
Music: time. Counts 1, 2, 3.

This step is found mostly in the Visayan dances. To right

(4 measures).
("Sarok") Point R foot across the L in front, bend body
forward and cross hands down in front with the right hand over the
left hand (cts. 1, 2), step R foot in second position, raise trunk
up and raise R arm to fifth position amplified, left hand on waist
(ct. 3). Step the L foot across the R in rear, close the R arm to
fifth position (cts. 1, 2), step R in second position and open R arm
to fifth position amplified (ct. 3). Step L foot sideward right across
the R in front, close R arm to fifth position (cts. 1, 2), step R in
second position and open R arm to fifth position amplified (ct. 3).
Step L close R foot in first position, close R arm to fifth position
(cts. 1, 2, 3). The left hand remains on waist for three measures.

To left. (4 measures)
Repeat the same movements, starting with the L foot, going
sideward left. Reverse the position of the arms.
Note: This step may be done also this way: After the "sarok"
and step sideward (cts. 1, 2, 3), the L foot may step across the R
right in front instead of in rear on counts 1, 2. The rest of the
movements are the same.

BLEKING STEP
Music: 2/4 time. Counts 1,2.
(1) Place the R (or L) heel in fourth in front (ct. 1), step
R (L) close to L (R) foot in first position (ct. 2), or
(2) Place the R (L) heel in fourth in front (ct. 1), with a
jump, reverse the position of the feet (ct. 2), that is,
placing the L (R) heel in front and the R (L) in position
taking the weight of the body.
Music: time. Counts 1, 2, 3.

(3) Place the R (L) heel in fourth in front (cts. 1, 2), step
R (L) close to L (R) foot in first position (ct. 3).

CHANGE STEP, TWO-STEP OR CATCH STEP.

Music: 2/4 time. Counts 1, 2, or 1 and 2

Step R (L) foot forward (fourth in front) (ct. 1), step

L (R) close to R (L) foot in third in rear or in first position
(ct. and), step R (L) foot quickly in fourth in front (ct. 2).
This may be executed in any direction.
CLOSE STEP
Music: 2/4 time. Counts 1, 2.

(1) Step R (L) foot in fourth in front (ct. 1), close

L (R) to R (L) foot in third in rear or in first
position (ct. 2). This may be executed in any direction.
Music: time. Counts 1, 2, 3.

(2) Step R (L) foot in fourth in front (cts, 1, 2), close

L (R) to R (L) foot third in rear or in first position
(ct. 3). This may be executed in any direction.
(3) Step R (L) foot in fourth in front (ct. 1), close L (R)
to R (L) foot third in rear or in first position (cts. 2,
3). This may be executed in any direction.

Note: When this step is executed sideward, the same foot is

leading always.

CROSS STEP
Music: time. Counts 1, 2, 3.

Step R (L) foot in second position (ct. 1), step or slide L

(R) foot sideward right (left) across the R (L) in front (cts. 2, 3).
Put the weight on the L (R) foot at the end of the slide on the third
count.

CROSS WALTZ
Music: time. Counts 1, 2, 3.

Step R (L) foot across the L (R) in front (ct. 1), step the
L (R) in third position in rear of R (L) foot (ct. 2), step R (L) foot
in fourth in front (ct. 3). Step on the ball of the rear foot on the
second count.

CUT STEP
Music: 2/4 time. Counts 1, 2.

Raise R (L) foot in fourth in front in preparation. Cut the

L (R) backward with the R (L) foot, thus displacing it at the same
time taking the weight of the body (ct. 1). This may be done forward
and backward, diagonally forward and backward, and sideward right and
left. Take one cut for every count.
GALOP STEP
Music: 2/4 time. Counts 1, ah, 2, ah.

Step R (L) foot in fourth in front (ct. 1) and cut the R (L)
foot with L (R) thus displacing it and at the same time taking the
weight of the body with the L (R) foot (ct. ah). There are two galops
to one measure. This is executed with one foot leading and may be done
in any direction.

GLIDE OR SLIDE STEP

Music: 2/4 time. Counts 1, 2.

(1) Glide or slide R (L) foot in second position (ct. 1),

close L (R) to R (L) foot in first position (ct.2).
This may be done in any direction.
Music: time. Counts 1, 2, 3.

(2) Glide or slide R (L) foot in fourth in front (cts. 1, 2),

close L (R) to R (L) foot in third position in rear (ct. 3).
This may be done in any direction.

HOP-STEP
Music: 2/4 time. Counts 1, 2.

(1) This is done in the manner as the step-hop in the reverse order, that is, the hop is done on the
first count and step on the second. To left. (4 measures) Music: time. Counts 1, 2, 3.

(2) Hop in count 1, step on counts 2, 3