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PE 3
LESSON 1
INTRODUCTION TO DANCE
Dance- it can be recreation, entertainment, education, therapy, and religion.

“In its purest and most basic form, dance is an art of body movement” (Barbara Mettler, 1980 )
People still dance mainly for four reasons (Myers, 2005):
1. To please the gods
2. To please others
3. To please themselves
4. To build community within an ethnic group or social interaction
 Origin of dance
 Various artistic, religious, and social forces started out the incorporation
a development of dance.
 First use of dance was as a gesture in order to communicate.
 It was used as a way of expressing and reinforcing tribal unity and
PREHISTORIC PAST strength, as an approach for courtship and mating, and as means of
worship, communication, and therapeutic experience.
 “Man dance originally to supplicate the gods on all important occasions
of life” - Kraus and Gaufman (1981)
 Dances have not yet been fully recorded.
 The real knowledge of dance came about within the great

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilizations.
 Most of dances during this era were chiefly a medium of religious
expression.
PRE-CHRISTIAN ERA  Dance became full blown and was richly recorded in ancient Egypt.
 It was reflected in their wall paintings, reliefs, and in the literary record
in HIEROGLYPHS.
 Dancing was not just for religious and military training but also a form of
entertainment and display.
 Dancing was taught as an AID TO MILITARY education among the boys
in Athens and Sparta.
 Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates strongly
ANCIENT GREEKS supported this art as integration of the body and soul.
 Plato immensely gave importance to dance and education as started in
his elucidation on the laws.
 Two kinds of dance and music:
Noble- fine and honourable
Ignoble- imitating what is mean is ugly
 Gave less importance to dancing.

 It stopped valuing such qualities in art as the nation grew wealthy and
powerful.
 Dance becomes brutal and sensationalized.
ANCIENT ROME  Dance becomes an integral part of the corruption on the latter days of
the Roman Empire, resulting in the condemnation of dance by the early
Christians.
 Dance still existed and was performed within the Church during the
religious ceremonies.
 Dances then became part of worships and church services
EARLY CHRISTIANS  THE PEASANTS- dances in a large movements and wide-stepping figures.
This is due their less elaborate costumes allowing bigger movements
and they performed the two basics types of dancing
 2 Basic Types of Dancing
1. Round Dance
2. Couple Dance
 Grass / Beaten Earth- were the peasants dance.
 NOBLEMEN- dance in a more refined and country form. Their dance
EARLY CHRISTIANS steps were limited to gliding, curtseying and posing as they were not
able to move freely.
 The Ballroom- a smooth floor or wood or polished marbled were the
noblemen dance
 Dance was fully accepted in the courts as the gradual increase of the
capitalist class produced patrons of learning arts in Europe.
RENAISSANCE  Dance and art in general gained impetus.
 15th and 16th Century - A vast dance movement occurred throughout
courts of Europe
LESSON 2
BENEFITS OF DANCE AND CREATIVE MOVEMENTS
Dancing is one of the oldest and most popular forms of exercise.

Physical- dancing is a good way to develop cardiovascular and muscular endurance, body composition, as well
as balance and flexibility. Dance training also improves coordination.
 Develops cardiovascular and muscular endurance
 Improves coordination, balance, flexibility, and body composition
 Lower risk of cardiovascular diseases
 Lowers body mass index
 Lowers resting heart rate
 Improves lipid metabolism
 Enables joint mobility (hip motion and spine flexibility)
 Helps improve and maintain bone density, thus helps prevent osteoporosis
Mental / Emotional- dance can offer “an acceptable way to release emotional and physical pressure”.
 Helps keep the brain sharp
 Decreases incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
 Decrease depressive symptoms
 Increase self-esteem and improves body image
 Aids in releasing emotional and physical tension
Social / Cultural- dance gives a sense of togetherness in a group and provides a unique opportunity for
meaningful group involvement as it encourages intense positive social interaction and interpersonal
relationships in a working group.
 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
 Promotes cultural values
LESSON 3
ELEMENTS OF DANCE
1. Space- the area of the performers occupies and where they move.
Four Different aspects of space (Spatial Elements)
1.1 Direction- dance movements can travel in any directions; it can be forward, backward, diagonal,
circular and etc.
1.2 Size- movement can be varied by doing larger or smaller actions
1.3 Level- movement can be done in a high, medium or low level.
1.4 Focus- performers may change their focus by looking at different directions.
2. Timing- performers execute with the tempo of an underlying sound, known as beat/pulse; it can be
faster or slower.
3. Dance Energies- different qualities of dance.
Six Qualities
3.1 Sustained- movements are done smoothly
3.2 Percussive- movements are explosive and sharp
3.3 Vibratory- movements consists of trembling or shaking
3.4 Swinging- movements that traced a curved line
3.5 Suspended- movement are perched in space or hanging in space
3.6 Collapsing- movements are released in tension and abruptly giving into gravity
4. Bodily Shapes
Symmetrical- balanced shapes, movements are identical or similar on both sides
Asymmetrical- unbalanced shape, movement of two sides of the body does not match
5. Group Shapes- group of dancers perform movements in different group shapes
LESSON 4
DANCE APPRECIATION AND COMPOSITION
Recreational dance- is a social activity in which people of all ages can participate.
What makes a good dance?
 displays a significant meaning or conveys a message
 lifts and transport the audience from their seats
 must have a shape or form for an effective choreography
 it has the beginning, middle, and end /conclusion
Beginning of a dance may come in a form of shape, a pose or an entrance.
Middle consists of a development or the exploration of the main idea.
End /conclusion should be clear and may be in a form of a shape, a pose or an exit.
Form is the instrument by which ideas and elements are arranged or combined into logical sequence which
results in unity and consistency, and by means of which the content or idea can be expressed and
communicated.
Phrase is the smallest unit of form in the whole dance and a single phrase consists of eight counts.
Motif- is a single movement or a short phrase of movement that embodies the style and intention of the
dance. A good dance contains a theme or a motif to be able to convey its meaning or intention to the
audience.
Five Basic Actions
1. Travelling- includes stepping, transferring body weight and sliding
2. Jumping- there are various ways of jumping; 2 feet to 2 feet, 2 feet to 1 foot and etc.
3. Turns- ¼, ½, 1/3 or full turns. Turns can be performed as a jump.
4. Gestures- a body movement that portrays a concept or mood.
5. Stillness- a motionless pose during the dance sequence.
Characteristics of a good dance

I. Unity- it is the interconnected phrases of the dance are coherent and flow smoothly together. The
movements fit together and each plays an important role that contributes to the entirety of a dance.
II. Continuity and Development- it is the phrases of the dance that are organized progressively, making
each movement phrase move naturally into the next. There is a continuous development of the
movement phrase and the audience is swept along to the end.
III. Variety and Contrast- Variety and contrast in movement phrase add excitement and flavor in dance.
Changing the direction, use of energy, timing of movement phrase, and avoiding repeating them in the
exact way and ways to add variety to the dance.
IV. Transition- This is the link between the movement, phrase and section of the dance. It makes the
logical progression of the dance flow smoothly. Also it is vital because it keep unity and continuity of
the dance.
V. Repetition- Some of phrases need to need to be repeated to choreography so that the audience 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.
VI. Climax- A 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.

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PE 3

Dance- it can be recreation, entertainment, education, therapy, and religion.

 The real knowledge of dance came about within the great

 Gave less importance to dancing.

Dancing is one of the oldest and most popular forms of exercise.

Characteristics of a good dance

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