DANIEL B. PEÑA MEMORIAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION, INC.

Tabaco City
S. Y. 2024-2025

PATHFIT 4 (DANCE)

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF

DANCE

INTRODUCTION

Everything in the universe has some kind of rhythmic motion. Whether it's the sun, star, meteors,
comets, dust particles, etc., all are moving in some rhythmic pattern. The very obvious examples would be the
earth revolving around the sun and rotating around its own axis. The result of these rhythmic
movements are the seasons, and the day-night pattern. Since we live on earth, we move
with its rhythmic movements. The heartbeat, the pulse beat, the batting of the eyelids, talking, food
passing through the intestine (peristalsis), involuntary muscular actions, breathing, and many more have
rhythm. Since this basic rhythm is all around and inside us as well, it may be concluded that we are naturally
rhythmic.

The part of rhythm that can be better perceived with the ear is called sound, and if the sound is
pleasing, it is music. The order part of rhythm that is better perceived with the eye or felt, and if it's pleasing it
is dance. Dance is the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and within a given space, for
the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy, or simply taking delight in the movement
itself. Dance is a powerful impulse, but the art of dance is that impulse channeled by skillful performers into
something that becomes intensely expressive and that may delight dance.

WHAT IS DANCE?

According to American dancer, dance educator, author, and film and video producer Barbara
Mettler…

“Dance is an activity which can take many forms and fill many different needs. It can be recreation,
entertainment, education, therapy, and religion. In its purest and most basic form, dance is art, the art of
body movement.”

REASONS OF PEOPLE FOR DANCING

1. To please the gods
2. To please others
3. To please themselves (self-expression)
4. To build community within an ethnic group (social interaction)

BRIEF HISTORY OF DANCE

➢ People from the prehistoric era performed ways they hoped would appease the forces of nature or give
them new powers of their own.
➢ It was only during the pre-Christian era that the real knowledge of dance came about within the great
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern civilizations
➢ Dance became full-blown and was richly recorded in ancient Egypt as reflected in their wall paintings,
reliefs, and in the literary record in hieroglyphs.
➢ For ancient Greeks, who thought highly of dance, it was closely linked with other kinds of experiences
 such as an aid to military education among the boys in Athens and Sparta, as well as a form of
entertainment and display.
➢ The Greek also used dance to aid education in general as philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and
Socrates strongly supported this art as an integration of the body and soul.
➢ The ancient Rome gave less importance to dancing as the nation grew wealthy and powerful.
➢ It became brutal and sensationalized as their entertainers were slaves and captives from many
nationalities.
➢ It was used more often for gruesome purposes.
➢ It eventually became an integral part of the corruption in the latter days of the
➢ Roman Empire, resulting in the condemnation of dance by the early Christians.
➢ After the fall of Rome, the history of dance transformed following the development of the
➢ Catholic Church, which was by then the sole custodian of learning and education as well as the source
of morals. During this time, theatrical entertainment was prohibited, and dance was performed only
during worships, church services, and religious ceremonies.
➢ Although the Church had condemned dance as entertainment, some singers, dancers, poets, actors,
musicians, and jugglers continued to wander in village squares to perform during the Dark and early
Middle Ages
➢ These performers were eventually welcomed in the castles and chateaus of feudal lords.
➢ The common people also amused themselves by doing dances that were social in character, marking the
beginning of social dancing.
➢ Nobility soon followed the peasants’ lead in dancing but in a more refined and courtly form as court
dances emerged as part of the chivalric way of life.
➢ During the Renaissance, dance, and art in general, was wholly accepted and gained impetus.
➢ The old restraints were loosened and clerical ideas and purposes no longer dominate all creative
expressions of the human spirit.
➢ The entertainers now became valuable appendage to the courts of Italy and France.
➢ In the 15th and 16th centuries, new court dances in Europe performed by the nobility came about at
about the same time as the rise of the art of ballet in Italy and France. From then on, several other
dance forms continued to sprout and spread across several countries.
➢ After the pinnacle of ballet prominence, contemporary dances that were stylistic variations of ballet
emerged and evolved in Europe. Other dance forms also came to light and have been widely recognized
worldwide.

BENEFITS OF DANCE AND CREATIVE MOVEMENT

1. PHYSICAL
- Develops cardiovascular and muscular endurance
- Improves coordination, balance, flexibility, and body composition
- Lowers 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 helping prevent osteoporosis
- Helps recover coordination and neuromuscular skills after injury

2. 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
3. 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

4. CULTURAL
- Promotes cultural values

ELEMENTS OF DANCE

1. Theme - is the main story line of the dance. It tells what the dance is all about. This can be a love
theme, can be futuristic, can be ritual, etc.
2. Movements - refer to the dance steps and basic body movementsrequired of a particular dance.
3. Techniques - is a system of movements performed by a dancer. This is developed through constant
practice of certain difficult dance steps.
4. Choreography - pertains to the organization of the movements andfigures in the dance. This makes
use of the theme and movements of dance steps.
5. Music - gives life to the dance, this should be in accordance with the theme and pattern of movements
of the dance.
6. Accessories, Costume and Properties - Accessories are what thedancers wear in addition to the
costume such as the earrings, necklace, bells, feathers, etc. Costume refers to what the dancers should
wear, and properties refer to the things held and used by the dancer.
7. Scenery - denotes the background on stage. It completes the whole setting of the dance. This involves
the back draft of the stage, and the properties placed on stage.
8. Design - refers to the floor pattern in relation to space.
9. Gravity - is the force that holds you to the earth. It is a force you have to work with because it
constantly inhibits movements.
10. Balance - is concerned with more than balancing on one leg. Its aim is to achieve and constantly
maintain an inner balance of the whole body. It isa tension of mutual support among all parts that
brings the whole together in a new way.
11. Posture - To achieve this element, you need to change your perception of your body, since there is
often a wide discrepancy between what feels right and what looks right.
12. Gesture - involves using the body as an expressive instrument tocommunicate feelings and ideas in
pattern of movement.
13. Moving space - you need to be as aware of the space around you as a car. You have to move with
care and awareness, gauging the space. Space is not just an empty air but a tangible element that you
move through.
14. Breathing - is crucial to dance, not only does it bring oxygen to the bodybut it also gives your
movement fluency and harmony.

LESSON 2: DANCE APPRECIATION AND COMPOSITION

What Makes a Good Dance?

➢ A good dance displays a significant meaning or conveys a message, at times portraying life experiences.
➢ A good dance lifts and transports the audience from their seats during the performance.
➢ A good dance has a:

1. Beginning ‒ may come in a form of shape, a pose, or an entrance;

2. Middle ‒ consists of a development or the exploration of the main idea; and
3. End/Conclusion ‒ should be clear and may be in a form of a shape, a pose, or an exit.
➢ A good dance must have a shape or form for its choreography to be effective.
What Is a Form?
➢ It is 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 or idea can be expressed
and communicated.
➢ It is the organizing factor of any work or dance composition.
➢ It should progress through time from the beginning to the end of the choreography.
What Is a Phrase?
➢ It is “the smallest unit of form in the whole dance”.
➢ Commonly, a single phrase consists of eight counts, with which it is easier for building routines and
choreographic combinations.
What is a Motif?
➢ It is a single movement or a short phrase of movement that embodies the style and intention of the
dance.
➢ It is used in a good dance to be able to convey its meaning or intention to the audience since a dance
without meaning makes it harder for the audience to understand; thus, making it superficial and easy
to forget.
➢ It is used in a good dance in which the movements are repeated, varied, and developed by
manipulating the movement components or elements.
➢ One good example of a dance with motif is the Itik-Itik Philippine folkdance. It is easy to
➢ identify the motif of this dance as it simply portrays the movements of an itik (duckling)
Characteristics of a Good Dance
a. Unity
- The interconnected phrases of the dance are coherent and flow smoothly together.
b. Continuity and Development
- The phrases of the dance 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.
c. Variety and Contrast
- This means making one or several variations that highlight the facet of the motif to provide
variety within the development of a dance and to introduce new material.
d. Transition
- This is the link between movements, phrases, and sections of the dance to make the logical
progression of the dance flow smoothly and to keep the unity and continuity of the dance.
e. Repetition
- It emphasizes movements and phrases that are important to the dance and gives a feeling of
closure to a work.
f. Climax
- It 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.
Choreographic Forms in Dance
1. SEQUENTIAL FORMS
- These forms contain themes/motifs which progress in a specific order.
a. AB (two-part) Form
- It is the simplest of the sequential forms and is similar to a verse and a chorus of a song.
- It is a binary form with two contrasting sections consisting of a beginning section (A)
followed by a second section (B).
- This form is commonly used in many folk dances and songs.
b. ABA (three-part) Form
- It is composed of an introductory theme (A), a contrasting theme (B), and a restatement
of the original theme (A), which is the unifying theme and the center of interest.
- Most popular songs use this form where there is chorus (A), a verse (B), and a
repetition of the chorus (A), which is often somewhat elaborated to highlight the idea of the song.
c. Rondo Form (ABACA)
- In this form, the unifying theme (A) returns after each contrasting theme and appears after
every contrasting section at least three times, but it can itself be varied.
- It can be described as ABACADAEAFA development of movement idea.
d. Theme and Variations Form
- The motif is a series of movements to which variations are added throughout the
development of the entire choreography.
- The motif/theme can be a single phrase or several movement phrases placed together in a
sequence.
- The order of the movements is kept the same all throughout the variations. It can take the
form of subtle adjustments in dynamics, space, style, mood, and tempo
2. CONTRAPUNTAL FORMS
Here, several themes are woven together in choreography to form a complex structure. The main
theme is seen against itself or against one or more other themes.
a. Ground Bass
- Single theme starts the dance and is repeated all the way through the dance while
contrasting themes are simultaneously performed with it.
- This form is best done in a group working either in contrast to each other or against a soloist.
b. Round or Canon
- It consists of two or more movement phrases or themes in which the main movement
phrases are imitated exactly and completely by the successive movements, but done in staggered
manner.
c. Fugue or Accumulation
- It is a choreographic form that is constructed by adding on different movement or dance
phrases in every repetition of the main movement theme.
- The movement phrases or the motif can be developed by reversing, inverting, augmenting,
or diminishing throughout the dance.
 d. Suite
- Every section of the dance (beginning, middle, and end) use different tempos and qualities.
- Commonly, it has a moderate beginning, a slow middle section, and a fast and lively end
section.
3. EPISODIC FORMS
- They are not musical forms; instead, they are found in literature.
- They tell a story through connected and progressive sections called episodes.
- Narrative form is an episodic form that tells a story or conveys an idea and the sequence of
the story determines the structure of the dance.
- As in all good soap operas, each section or chapter reveals more of the plot and has its own
interest, variations, and contrast.
- Classical ballet often uses these forms.
4. OTHER COMPOSITIONAL FORMS
a. Natural Structures
- They mostly come from natural structures such as the seasons, life cycles, and everyday life
experiences all of which present rich materials for organic dance structure.
b. Collage
- It consists of “a series of movement phrases that are often unrelated but have been brought
together to create a single dance with a beginning, a middle, and an end”.
- The overall form remains a whole even though the content may be illogical.
c. Tableau
- In this form, different movement phrases are performed by different dancers simultaneously
in the same space wherein the dancers may execute it at a different location on the stage and connect
transitional movements for each scene to produce a progression of moving snapshots.
d. Chance
- The movement phrases are performed in random order and spatial placing.
- Every time the dance is performed, it is done in different order and therefore has a
different appearance.
- Originally, the dance phrases were arranged by tossing coins to decide on choices and the
order of performance, hence, coming from the word by chance.