UNIT 2: Dance Appreciation and Composition (Quipper)

Ground bass Round or canon Fugue or accumulation Suite

4 Contrapuntal Forms

Natural structures Collage Tableau Chance

4 Other Compositional Form

AB (two-part) Form ABA (three Part) Form Rondo form (ABACA) Theme and Variations form

4 sequential forms

Unity Continuity and development Variety and contrast Transition Repetition Climax

6 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD DANCE

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).

Recreational dance

? is a social activity in which people of all ages can participate.? 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.

Motif

A good dance contains a theme or a motif to be able to convey its meaning or intention to the audience. It may be a single movement or a short phrase of movement that embodies the style and intention. These movements are repeated, varied, and developed by manipulating its components or elements. One good example of a dance with motif is the Itik-Itik Philippine folk dance. It is easy to identify the motif of this dance as it simply portrays the movements of an itik (duckling).

Abstractly and symbolically

A good dance displays a significant meaning or conveys a message. Sometimes, it also portrays life experiences. Dance may be presented ? and ? but still convey emotion and meaning (McGreevy-Nichols et al. 2005).

Shape or form

A good dance therefore, must have a ? or ? for its choreography to be effective.

Episodic form

Classical ballet often uses this form (Rickett-Young, 1996). The story is told 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).

eight counts

Commonly, a single phrase consists of ?

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).

GROUP SHAPES

In this element, a group of dancers perform movements in different group shapes. They are arranged in ways that are wide, narrow, rounded, angular, symmetrical, or asymmetrical and are viewed together as a total picture or arrangement within a picture frame (Minton, 2007).

Variety and Contrast.

Making one or several variations that highlight the facet of the motif provides variety within the development of a dance. These add excitement and flavor in the dance. These are done by changing the direction, use of energy, timing of a movement phrase, and avoiding repeating them.

Repetition

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.

Middle

The ? consists of a development or the exploration of the main idea.

Beginning

The ? of a dance may come in a form of shape, a pose, or an entrance.

Ending /conclusion

The ? should be clear and may be in a form of a shape, a pose, or an exit.

Unity

The interconnected phases 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.

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.

Sequential, Contrapuntal, Episodic, and Other Compositional Forms.

There are 4 compositional set patterns of in Choreographic Forms in dance. These are categorized as ?

Direction

There must be a sense of ?. It has a beginning, middle, and end/conclusion.

Sequential forms

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

Transition

This is the link between movements, phrases, and sections of the dance. It makes the logical progression of the dance flow smoothly. It also keeps the unity and continuity of the dance. Transitions may vary from length and complexity.

Climax

This is where the apex of energy in the dance is reached (Schrader, 1996). 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).

Phrases

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 ? is the smallest unit of form in the whole dance" (Blom and Chaplin, 1988). It can be related to a sentence in writing compositions. 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.

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).

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 (B) 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).

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).

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)

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).

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).

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), (E), (F) are the contrasting themes while (A) is constantly repeated every after each section.

Form

is the instrument by which ideas and elements are arranged or combined into a logical sequence which results in unity and consistency. It is the organizing factor of any work or dance composition (Lockhart, 1982). 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.

Natural structures

mostly come from natural structures such as the seasons, life cycles, and everyday life experiences.

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. 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.

Theme and variations

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.

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.

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.