SAINT JOSEPH COLLEGE OF SINDANGAN INCORPORATED

Poblacion, Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte,

7112 Philippines
Email-add: stjoseph_68@yahoo.com.ph
Website: sjcsi.edu.ph
Telefax No. (065) 224-2710 or Tel. No. (065) 224-2110/ (065) 224-2602
Senior high school department

CHAPTER 3
Dance Appreciation and Composition

Recreational dance is a social activity in which people of all ages can participate. Recreational dances come from
all over the world and include folk, cultural, and historical dances, and social dances from the past and present. These
types of dances use a variety of steps, figures, and formations. The styles, performance, and music are related to the
cultural roots, historical eras, and geographic areas from which the dance originates.

Dance fitness, on the other hand, is a fun way to increase cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility.
Various dance genres support fitness. Dance-related fitness training systems, such as Zumba® Fitness and Cardio dance,
have boomed recently. A lot of people enjoy using dance as a fitness activity.

Source: Kassing, Gayle. 2014. Discovering Dance. USA, Human Kinetics Publishers

Have you ever tried watching a dance routine without understanding what is happening in
the performance? Have you completed a whole dance show and could not even remember a thing
or two about it?

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. How then can a dance become a good dance?

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.

It has a beginning, middle, and end/conclusion. The beginning of a dance may come in a
form of shape, a pose, or an entrance. The middle consists of a development or the exploration of
the main
idea. The ending/conclusion should be clear and may be in a form of a shape, a pose, or an exit.

All works, whether it is sports, music, or dance, must have a form brought to their elements
by means of orderly arrangement, meaning, and purpose (Lockhart, 1982). There must be a sense
of direction. A good dance therefore, must have a shape or form for its choreography to be effective.

What is a form?

A form 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
(Lockhart,
1982). The form should progress through time from the beginning to the end of the choreography
(Minton, 2007). Each section is composed of several units that are smoothly connected to each
other.
These small units are called phrases.
What is a phrase?

When you combine one movement with several others, they form a unit. When units are
pieced together, they make up a section in the choreography and the sections together form a whole
dance. Therefore, “a phrase is the smallest unit of form in the whole dance” (Blom and Chaplin,
1988). It can be related to a sentence in writing compositions. Choreographers and dancers use
movement phrasing when working on dances.

Although Minton (1997) suggests that movement phrases should vary in length and shape,
most of the dances these days use equal length phrases. Commonly, a single phrase consists of eight
counts. It is easier for building routines and choreographic combinations with an 8-count phrase.

What is a motif?

A good dance contains a theme or a motif to be able to convey its meaning or intention to
the
audience. A dance without meaning makes it harder for the audience to understand; thus, making it
superficial and easy to forget.

A single movement or a short phrase of movement that embodies the style and intention of
the dance is called a motif. A good dance uses a motif 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).

ITIK-ITIK DANCE

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD DANCE

What are the characteristics of a good dance?

Like any superb tasting dish, dance can only be considered good if it has the right
ingredients. Whether it has a meaning or may be presented abstractly, it must contain certain
qualities that make the choreography effective. These characteristics include unity, continuity and
development, variety and contrast, transition, repetition, and climax.

Unity. 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.
 It is crucial for a dance to have unity to effectively make the audience understand
the choreography as a whole. It also attracts and holds the audience’s attention (Minton,
2007).

Continuity and Development. 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.

Some dances develop organically in much the same way a play or a novel grows
from a process of natural unfolding of an idea, or sometimes it is built upon a structure
ordinarily associated with poetry (Lockhart, 1988).

Variety and Contrast. Making one or several variations that highlight the facet of the motif.
This provides variety within the development of a dance. It introduces new material, which
is noticeably different from anything so far seen in the dance (RickettYoung, 1996). Variety
and contrast in movement phrases add excitement and flavor in the dance. Changing the
direction, use of energy, timing of a movement phrase, and avoiding repeating them in the
exact way are ways to add variety to the dance. Examples of contrasting movements are
slow to fast, short to long, and minimal to large movement phrases.

Transition. This is the link between movements, phrases, and sections of the dance. It akes
the logical progression of the dance flow smoothly. Also, it is vital because it keeps the unity
and continuity of the dance.

Transitions may vary from length and complexity. They may be long or short,
gradual or abrupt. They may also be simple or involving an entire phrase of movement.

Repetition. It emphasizes movements and phrases that are important to the dance and
gives a feeling of closure to a work (Minton, 2007). Some phrases need to be repeated in
choreography so that the audience can 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. This function to make clearer the meaning or intention of
the dance (Rickett-Young, 1996). Also, if the audience gets familiar with the movement, it
gives them a feeling of comfort (Schrader, 2005).

Climax. This Is where the apex of energy in the dance is reached (Schrader, 1996). It is
similar to a climax in a story where a series of events culminates. The 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 (Rickett-Young, 1996). The music will often assist both
the choreographer and the audience when determining this point of development
(Schrader, 1996).

All these characteristics are organized to contribute to the development of a meaningful dance.
It is easier to recognize a good dance when all these characteristics have been applied in the
choreography. As the author in dance choreography, Sara Cerny Minton (2007) has pointed out, “all
phrases in a work should be designed to form the integrated sections of your dance, and all the
sections of the dance should be placed in a sequence that moves toward an appropriate conclusion.
The development of a work should lead the audience logically from the beginning through the
middle and on to the end of the dance”
Adapted from Experiencing Dance: From Student to Dance Artist by H. Scheff, M. Sprague, and S. McGreevy-
Nichols, 2005, Champaign IL: Human Kinetics

Figure 3. Representation of Adding Variation to a Theme

CHOREOGRAPHIC FORMS IN DANCE

What are the various choreographic forms in dance?

Selecting the structure which best expresses the dance idea is fundamental (Rickett-Young,
1996). Dance and music closely resemble in so many ways. It is not surprising that they follow
similar forms. The shape of a dance or a piece of choreography is based on common musical forms
(Minton, 2007). These compositional forms are traditional frameworks which have set patterns
categorized as sequential, contrapuntal, episodic, and other compositional forms.

1. Sequential Forms

These forms contain themes/motif which progress in a specific order. They are arranged
accordingly.

a. AB (two-part) form – 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). Each section contains elements
that contrast in tone or quality. Examples of which are light and dark, huge and tiny,
love and hate. This form is commonly used in many folk dances and songs.

b. ABA (three-part) form - composed of introductory theme (A), a contrasting theme (B),
and a restatement of the original theme (A). (A) is the unifying theme and the center of
interest, then (8B) gives contrast. The original (A) returns either as an exact repetition
or in an easily recognizable variation or development. 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 (Rickett Young, 1996).

c. Rondo form (ABACA) — in this form, the unifying theme (A) returns after each
contrasting theme. (A) appears after every contrasting section at least three times, but it
can itself be varied (Rickett-Young, 1996). It can be described as ABACADAEAFA
development of movement idea (Minton, 2007). Here, sections (B), (C), (D), €. (F) are
the contrasting themes while (A) is constantly repeated every after each section.
 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
(Minton, 2007). 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 (Rickett-Young, 1996).

Take note that although most of these forms contain contrasting parts, the sections should
be similar enough to suit the character of the entire dance. Additionally, skillful transitions are
needed between each section to maintain unity and continuity in the dance.

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 (Rickett-Young, 1996). There
are four contrapuntal forms of dance:

a. Ground Bass — single theme starts the dance and is repeated all the way through the
dance while other 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. The
repeated theme can be performed by a group while a soloist or a smaller group dances
the other theme with more complex combination of movements (Minton, 2007). It can
also be performed in a circle wherein the dancers in a circle perform the repeated
theme while the soloist or smaller group in the center performs the contrasting theme.

b. Round or Canon — consists of two or more movement phrases or theme in which the
main movement phrases is imitated exactly and completely by the successive
movements, but done in staggered manner (McGreevy-Nichols et al. 2005). For instance,
the first dancer performs the theme, the second dancer enters at the end of the first half-
phrase, the third enters at the start of the second phrase, and the fourth enters on the
last half of the second phrase. The round ends in the same order as the last dancer
finishes off the movement or theme (Rickett-Young, 1996).

c. Fugue or Accumulation — a choreographic form that is constructed by adding on

different movement or dance phrases in every repetition of the main movement theme
(McGreevy-Nichols et al. 2005). The movement phrases or the motif can be developed
by reversing, inverting, augmenting, or diminishing throughout the dance (Rickett-
Young, 1996).

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 (Minton, 2007).

3. Episodic Form

Episodic forms 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 (McGreevy-Nichols et al. 2005). 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 this
form (Rickett-Young, 1996).

4. Other Compositional Forms

 a. Natural structures — mostly come from natural structures such as the seasons, life
cycles, and everyday life experiences. All these present rich materials for organic dance
structure.

b. Collage – 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”
(McGreevy-Nichols et al. 2005). The overall form remains a whole even though the
content may be illogical (Rickett-Young, 1996).

c. Tableau – different movement phrases are performed by different dancers

simultaneously in the same space. The dancers may execute a tableau at a different
location on the stage and connect transitional movements for each scene to produce a
progression of moving snapshots (Minton, 2007).

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 (McGreevy-Nichols et al., 2005). 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.

EVALUATING A GOOD DANCE

How is the quality of the dance evaluated?

The success of any dance performance may depend on who the evaluators are. Appreciation
on the importance of dance comes from the points of view of the choreographer, the dancer, or the
audience. These people are the ones who would be able to analyze, understand, and appreciate the
performance. According to Linda Rickett-Young (1996), the evaluators’ roles are categorized as:

1. Choreographers - they will evaluate a part of an ongoing process of developing a personal

style which is both spontaneous and organized.

2. Dancers – they will evaluate according to the specific demands that the performance laces
on them.

3. Audiences - they will evaluate according to the particular context of the dance.

In order to transpire evaluation and appreciation in dance, the evaluators must have a basic
understanding and knowledge of the elements and characteristics. They must be knowledgeable
enough in order for them to give sound evaluation and develop a noble appreciation in any work of
art or composition.

It takes serious thoughts and practices to be able to evaluate any form of artistic composition as
well as requires immense skill in writing a critique. Linda Rickett-Young (1996) suggested three
Stages in a dance critique for the critic to follow, namely, description, interpretation, and
evaluation.

Stages in Assessing a Dance (Dance Critique)

1. Description – involves close observation of all the elements, characteristics, and

components of a dance as described in the previous sections of this worktext. Here, the
evaluator/critic notes down the composition of the dance in terms of the elements and the
characteristics of dance, Example of which are noting down the variation, unity, space, time,
transitions, climax, and so on.
 2. Interpretation – involves an appreciation of the ideas, content, images, and style contained
within the dance,

3. Evaluation – takes into consideration how effectively the features (i.e., elements,
characteristics) and the context of the dance have been utilized n the actual performance of
the dancers to portray the content and the quality of the dance.

Analyzing and evaluating dance does not come out naturally and does not happen overnight,
Beginner evaluators/critics need guidance and direction in conceptualizing a dance critique. For
easier assessment and evaluation, consider the following guide questions shown in Table 3.1 while
Table 3.2 shows the different elements that is part of a dance evaluation report.

Table 3.1. Guide Questions in Analyzing and Evaluating a Dance Performance

(Adapted from Ricket-Young, 1996)

What was the title of the dance?

Who was the choreographer?
When was it performed? (Date of performance)
What was the genre/style of the dance?
What was the accompaniment?
Who were the dancers /company?
Were there specific demands placed on dancers in the performance? If yes, what were these?
What are the movements and forms of the dance?
What does the set look like?
What were the costumes / props used during the performance?
How was the lighting of the show?
Who was the designer of the show?
What were the context and/or significance of the dance?
How will you evaluate the overall dance performance?

Table 3.2. Sample Dance Analysis and Evaluation

Title of the Dance:

Choreographer:
Date:
Genre/Style:
Accompaniment:
Dancers/Company:
Specific demands placed on dancers in performance:
Movement and Form:
Costume/Prop:
Designer Name:
Context and significance/evaluation: