WEEK 1

CONTENT STANDARD: The learner... Demonstrates understanding of dance in optimizing

one’s health; as requisite for physical activity assessment performance, and as a career
opportunity.
PERFORMANCE STANDARD: The learner... Leads dance events with proficiency and
confidence resulting in independent pursuit and in influencing others positively.
Discusses the nature of the different dances. -- PEH12FH-Ia-19

The Nature of the Different Dances

The things that we can learn:

Dance as an art
Why do people dance?
Significant feature of dance.
Feature of dance
Kinds of dance
Elements of Dance

Dance as an Art
7 Reasons Dance Is a Form of Art

1. Association with Music

There's no rule that dancing requires music, but it's a fairly common practice to dance to the
rhythm and beats as well as melody of live or recorded music. A Rotterdam dance school
class will direct your attention more to steps and body movement.

People can free their minds from getting locked into one favorite genre by exploring dance
steps to various other types of music. Learning ballet, tap or a wide variety of contemporary
dance styles can expand your tastes beyond art, giving you a broader sense of culture and
recreation. Learning different styles of dancing can lead to new relationships and expand your art
vocabulary.

2. Body Movement to Rhythm

As any experienced dance instructor can tell you, dancing, body movement and rhythm
aren't dependent on music and dance. There are actually plenty of examples of dances out there
unrelated to any music.

When there is music, dancing often involves moving the body in time with the music.
That means learning how to interact with the timing of notes, chords, accented beats and other
sounds in a musical production. It's important to understand the fundamental mechanics of
timing such as tempo (beats per minute) and time signature (beats per measure and time value of
notes). A measure is a musical segment of time that reflects a phrase or collection of notes.

Several dances are defined by time signature, such as disco, which is usually in standard
4/4 time, meaning 4 beats per measure (top number) over the time value of notes (bottom
number). A quarter note has one fourth the time value of a whole note (holding a note with
continuous sound for four beats), while an eighth note lasts half as long as a quarter note. The
mathematical metrics form the logic and structure of a musical piece much like a cake, while the
more emotional presentation of music is the frosting. One without the other usually doesn't work
in popular music. A 3/4 time signature, which has a 1-2-3 count, makes up the foundation for a
waltz, one of the most popular dances in history.

The timing of beats is mirrored by body movements in dancing. Dancing to waltzes can
be learned in ballet classes over a diagonal position. A waltz can also reflect a 3/8 time signature,
which has a sped up 1-2-3 pulse (twice as fast as 3/4), just like 6/8 is like a faster version of 3/4.
Certain beats are emphasized that influence body movement. Various forms of art usually blend
mechanics with feeling.

3. Expression of Emotion and Mood

Art is often about a concept as mood and emotion help to trigger responses from the
audience and the same can be said of dancing. The emotional side of dancing is what creates
mystique. While the mechanical side guides how steps are executed, the emotional qualities
through expressions, steps, and gestures are what make dance so captivating. Art is often about
vision within the spheres of science, politics, culture or religion.

 4. Language, Culture and Tradition

Many classical ballets that accompany opera music act out unity or divisions within a
culture. Symbolic gestures are often key elements that communicate signals that are perceived as
cultural or meaningful in some way. A quality dance class can teach you the intended meaning of
traditional dance gestures. Even if these symbolic messages are not decoded properly by
audience members, they can still be perceived as artistic presentations. Art does not have to be
understood to be enjoyed.

5. Choreographic Art

A dance class will teach you about the choreographic aspects of a theater presentation
with dancing and music. An example of sophisticated choreography is Scapino, a touring theater
dance company, in which the vision of founder Hans Snoek was to emphasize "joy, life and
colour" along with a moving presentation. The touring group's philosophy values artistic
achievement experienced by others.

 
6. Performance Skill

Enrolling in a dance school in Rotterdam will help you develop your dancing talent. Even
awkward people "with two left feet" can learn dancing skills simply through the routine of
instruction and practice. Nobody is really born a great dancer, although it's possible to have a
natural passion for dancing that learning becomes effortless. This state of effortlessness - or a
relaxed focus - is the true secret to achieving greatness at almost anything. But even so, everyone
who wants to be great needs to practice or they will be upstaged by those who do it regularly.

Poise and proper posture are very important physical properties to dancing, as well as
impulse and energy release. Another important but lesser known physical element of dancing is
known as "neural entrainment." This activity happens when musical beats trigger excited neurons
in the brain. Yes, dancing is both an art and a science.

7. Dancing Tells a Story

For anyone who is still not convinced yet that dance is a form of both ancient and modern
art, look no further than the fact that dancing can be seen as a form of literal storytelling, which
is universally considered an art. Storytelling can be found in body language and even in more
abstract dance styles like modern or contemporary dance.

Hip-hop is clearly poetic dance music that revolves around spoken word stories, just as
square dancing follows the steps of a caller (MC) who tells fast-paced stories that include
specific dance moves. The story conveyed through dancing can be about anything, including an
unclear message that stimulates audience curiosity and interpretation.

Conclusion

Visual creativity is what confirms that dance is an art form. The more creative anything
is, the more it is considered some form of art, whether it involves technology, architecture,
photography, painting or dancing. This display of expression and movement is fueled by music,
which most people agree is art. It's definitely entertainment and a form of cultural reflection.
Artship is an innovative marketplace for dance teachers to offer their courses and for art lovers
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Why People Dance

Dance & Dancing:Just Doing What Comes Naturally

By Michael Crabb

Galina Barskaya

Tango

Human beings probably danced even before there was a word for it. Rhythmic bodily movement is
instinctive. It connects people, even if unconsciously, to the rhythms of nature. Dance springs from a
human desire for personal expression and social connection. and it feels good.

People dance for all kinds of reasons - to mourn, to celebrate, to heal, to give thanks, to preserve
cultural heritage and treasured legends, to demonstrate physical prowess, to assert individuality, to
provoke and to entertain.

Almost anyone can dance, regardless of age or ability. Maybe it's the Argentinean tango, the American
square dance, the Viennese waltz, an improvised riff at a club or a step or two at a family wedding.
Whatever the style or situation, dancing can be fun and a great way to socialize.

Related but different, theatrical dance is presented as art and entertainment. Trained dancers perform
for an audience and the goal is to evoke a response. Dance becomes another way of communicating. A
dance could express something specific like a story. It might seek to convey an idea, or it might simply be
about creating an abstract effect, the way music often does.

Theatrical dance is often non-literal. The moving body conveys feelings or ideas that cannot be put into
words. Try explaining the mesmerizing effect of Japanese butoh, with its meticulously controlled
movement; or the exhilaration of break dance, with its fast, punchy jumps and turns.
Dance is a part of many popular entertainment forms, from ice shows, movies and music videos to
Broadway musicals and the circus. It also stands on its own in concerts featuring solos, duets and
ensemble works, often to live music.

Roshan Amendra

Killing time while fixing a flat tire

Performance styles are varied and evolving. They may reflect or challenge the social, cultural, even
religious traditions and values of their root cultures.

Ballet, for example, is danced in many parts of the world but it is a European form, originating in the
courtly entertainments of 15th century Italy. Courtly life requires formality and gracious behavior.
Though it has changed over time, ballet still expresses these values today.

In contrast, various forms of South Asian dance now seen in a theatrical context have their roots in
ancient temple dances. The characteristic rhythms of bharata natyam or kathak dance derive from
musical traditions. The resulting grounded movement is notably different from ballet's upward lift - itself
in relation to western melodic forms.

Start dancing ballet to jazz music and the movement begins to change. A new freedom in the hips
creates a whole new effect not immediately identifiable as classical ballet. The labels we use to identify
dance forms are arbitrary. They are designed to help analyze and categorize what is ultimately a shared
human experience - the impulse to move.

Through dance, we can better understand our common humanity by appreciating and exploring the
different inflections of this impulse.