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Lecture - Dance Appreciation and Composition

The document discusses what makes a good dance, including conveying meaning through themes, choreography with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and variety. It also covers choreographic forms like ABAB and theme and variation, and evaluating dances by describing elements, interpreting ideas, and evaluating effectiveness. Characteristics of a good dance include unity, continuity, variety, and having a climax.

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274 views10 pages

Lecture - Dance Appreciation and Composition

The document discusses what makes a good dance, including conveying meaning through themes, choreography with a clear beginning, middle, and end, and variety. It also covers choreographic forms like ABAB and theme and variation, and evaluating dances by describing elements, interpreting ideas, and evaluating effectiveness. Characteristics of a good dance include unity, continuity, variety, and having a climax.

Uploaded by

belle bautista
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DANCE APPRECIATION AND COMPOSITION

PHED 21
INTRODUCTION:

This module focuses on appreciating and understanding what a


good dance performance is. When a certain dance performance
has poor choreography, it is difficult for it to be understood and
appreciated. When a dance fails to communicate its intended
meaning or if it does not have a meaning or significance at all,
it is hard for the audience to grasp the content of the
performance.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD DANCE?

 A good dance displays a significant meaning or conveys a message. Sometimes, it


also portrays life experiences. Dance may be presented abstractly and symbolically
but still convey emotion and meaning (McGreevy-Nichols et al. 2005). A good dance
lifts and transports the audience from their seats during the performance. Dance
should have:
a. Beginning- it may come in a form of shape, pose or an entrance.
b. Middle- consists of development of the exploration of the main idea.
c. Ending/conclusion- should be clear and also in the form of shape, pose or exit.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:
FORM PHRASE MOTIF
Is the instrument by which ideas and It is the smallest unit of form in the A good dance contains a theme or a
elements are arranged or combined whole dance. When you combine one motif to be able to convey its
into logical sequence which results in movement with several others, they meaning to the audience. A dance
unity and consistency, and by means form a unit. Commonly, a single without meaning makes it superficial
of which the content or idea can be phrase consist of eight counts. and easy to forget. It is also a single
expressed and communicated. The movement or a short phrase of
form should progress through time movement that embodies the style of
from the beginning to the end of the the dance. Example is Itik Itik.
choreography. Each section is
composed of several units that are
smoothly connected to each other.
These small units are called
“phrase”.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD DANCE
1. Unity- the interconnected phrases of the dance are coherent and flow smoothly together. The
movements fit together.
2. Continuity and Development- the phrases of the dance are organized progressively and there is a
continuous development of the movement that the audience is swept along to the end.
3. Variety and Contrast- movement phrases add excitement and flavor in the dance. Avoid repeating
them in the exact ways. Example are slow to fast, short to long, minimal to large phrases.
4. Transition- this is the link between between movements, phrases and section of the dance. It may vary
from length and complexity, long or short, gradual or abrupt, simple or an entire phrase.
5. Repetition- some phrases need to be repeated so that the audience can identify its significance. Usually
it is the main message. Example chorus phrase.
6. Climax- this is where the apex of energy in the dance is reached. It could be a fast and enraged blast of
energy and action or a fade away to gentle and quiet exit.
CHOREOGRAPHIC FORM OF DANCE

AB (two-part) form this is similar to verse and a chorus of a song. (A) is the beginning
section followed by second section (B). Example is Folk dance.

(A) beginning, a contrasting theme (B), and back to original (A).


ABA (three part Example is A is chorus and B is verse and go back to chorus A.

A is the original theme and B,C are contrasting form and A repeat
ABACA (Rondo) after every contrast.
Selecting the structure which best expresses theisdance
the motif idea
a series of is fundamental.
movements Dancevariations
to which and musicare
closely resemble
added.
in so many ways.
Theme and variations
1. Sequential forms- specific order
CHOREOGRAPHIC FORM OF DANCE

2. Contrapuntal forms- the main theme is seen against itself or against one or more themes .
a. Ground Bass- single theme starts while the other contrasting theme are simultaneously performing.
Example in group presentation performed in circle formation.

b. Round or Canon- for instance, the first dancer performs the theme, the second dancer enters at the
end of the first phrase and third enters and then the fourth enters.

c. Fugue of Accumulation- adding on different movement or dance phrase in every repetition.

d. Suite- every section of the dance (beginning, middle and end) use different tempos and qualities.
Usually a moderate beginning, a slow middle and fast and lively end.
CHOREOGRAPHIC FORM OF DANCE

3. Episodic form- this form is not musical, they are found in literature. They tell a story called episodes
and narrative form is episodic that usually seen in a classical ballet.

4. Other Compositional forms


a. Natural structures- structures such as seasons, life cycles, everyday life experiences.
b. Collage- consist of “a series of movement phrases that are often not related”.
c. Tableau- perform simultaneously in the same space and connect transitional movements for each
scene to produce a progression.
d. Chance- performed in random and different order and therefore has different appearance.
EVALUATING A GOOD DANCE

The success of any dance performance may depend on who the evaluators
are. Evaluators’ roles are categorized as:
a. Choreographers- they will evaluate a part of an ongoing process of
developing a personal style which is both spontaneous and organized.
b. Dancers- they evaluate according to the specific demands that the
performance places on them.
c. Audience- they evaluate according to the particular context of the
dance.
STAGES IN ASSESSING A DANCE (DANCE CRITIQUE)

1. Description- involves close observation of all the elements,


characteristics and components of dance.
2. Interpretation- involves appreciation of ideas, content,
images, and style.
3. Evaluation- takes into consideration how effectively the
features and the context of the dance have been utilized in the
actual performance.

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