DANCE
Dancing moves us. It excites us. It reveals to us aspects of life and human emotion. As with any art, the true purpose of dancing must always remain the expression of human feeling. Dancing is an expressive action – special, rhythmic, accented. A dance must convey meaning or power.
In this module, we will discover how dance is shaped by and reflects the values of the times and how it is influenced by music, place, fashion and technology.
Activity 1
To warm up properly for dancing
Before you can start creating your dance routine, your body must be properly warmed up to prevent injury and to prepare you for the activities to follow.
Warming up can be done to music. Choose music you feel comfortable with that is not too fast.
- Stand with feet a hip-width apart, arms at your sides.
- Lift arms above the head while inhaling through the nose.
- Exhaling through the mouth, drop arms and bend knees at the same time.
- Repeat four times.
- Limber from side to side on one spot.
- Lift both arms up and out to the sides on the beat while keeping the limbering movement. Repeat eight times.
- Retain limbering movement drop arms. Rotate alternate shoulders. Repeat eight times.
- Retain limbering movement. Rotate shoulders in other direction. Repeat eight times.
- With knees and feet facing forward, bend and straighten knees while pushing buttocks out. Repeat eight times.
- With knees and feet facing forward, bend knees - buttocks out. Place hands on knees, contract back (like a cat) and release. Repeat eight times.
- Retaining above position, lift toes alternately keeping heels on the floor. Repeat eight times.
- Lift heels alternately. Repeat eight times.
- Open legs wider and place hands on hips. With knees and feet facing outwards, lunge from side to side keeping feet firmly on the floor. Repeat eight times.
- Lunge to the right and hold for four beats.
- Lunge to the left and hold for four beats.
Return to plié position (knees bent, knees and feet facing outwards). With hands on hips, bend and straighten knees. Repeat eight times.
- Keeping legs open and knees bent and lift feet alternately. Repeat eight times.
- Bring feet together and walk on the spot (eight counts).
- Combine walking on the spot while opening and closing legs (eight counts).
- Walk on the spot and lift arms up and down. Repeat eight times.
- Walk on the spot and repeat breathing exercise.
Warming up shouldn’t last longer than five minutes.
You should be breathing normally throughout the warm-up.
Activity 2
To describe and perform HIP-HOP
Hip Hop dancing is a variety of dances put together – modern, jazz, African etc. – which moves away from the classical and technical. This form of dance has its roots on the street and the clubs became the classrooms of Hip Hop.
Derived from the Rap movement, Hip-Hop is physical, abstract, undefined, soulful and follows the drummer’s beat. Depending on the mood of the music, the arm movements can be either loose or stylised, but always exaggerated. Technically, there are no new steps, only different interpretations of steps done with exuberant amounts of energy. The relationship between the dance and music is of vital importance and creates a drama of the human body as all movements are valid and have a place in the dance.
The Music
- Select Hip Hop music of your choice.
- Select music from the other learners’ music for the dance.
- Make sure the tempo is between 113 beats per minute and 140 beats per minute.
- Do not bring any music with obscene lyrics to the class.
The Movement and Steps
- Walk to the beat of the music.
- Walk with your knees up.
- Experiment with arm movements.
- Develop greater sensitivity to rhythm and rhythmic changes.
- Show clarity of shape, direction, level and size in performing the actions.
- Jump to the rhythm of the music.
- Extend the vocabulary of the jumps – isolate arms, lift legs, bend your body while jumping.
- Move from place to place while jumping.
- Change direction.
- Move with your legs open.
- Try to open and close legs while jumping.
- Experiment with turns – turning on the spot with feet together, travelling while turning, turning with feet crossed, turning with one leg up.
- Experiment with lifting and then kicking legs up, to the side, to the back, forwards.
- Experiment with the different levels (high, middle, low).
- Introduce groundwork.
- Experiment with handstands, cartwheels and rolls.
The Choreography
- With the knowledge you have gained, you will be able to combine movements into a sequence and choreograph your own dance.
- Divide into groups of four.
- Each group can now use the elements of movement to make the choreography more interesting and create sequences of eight to 16 counts of material.
- Each group must give a practise performance for the rest of the class.
- Have the rest of the class review these practise performances.
- Choose sequences from the groups for the Hip Hop dance.
The Dance
- Choreograph the Hip Hop dance from the chosen sequences.
- Make sure the movements are appropriate to the style.
- Rehearse and perform the dance for a specific environment.
- Demonstrate skills and attitudes appropriate to the dance experience.
- Revise and refine the dance.
- Demonstrate sensitivity to the sound and the music.
- Include effective structure (clear beginning, smooth transitions, strong clear ending).
- Be conscious of the use of the elements of movement such as variety in level, rhythm, parts of the body, change in focus and dynamics (interesting floor pattern).
- Demonstrate originality and creativity.
The Performance
- Remember the choreography.
- Show clear dynamics.
- Obey and adhere to the rhythm – timing is everything!
- Show attitude – this is show business!
Activity 3
To cool down and stretch properly after dancing
It is important for the muscles used during the exercise to be stretched or you will have “stiff” muscles for about three days.
Choose music with a slow tempo.
- Lie on you back on the floor, with your arms above your head and legs straight.
- Lengthen your body by reaching with your arms and pointing your toes. Hold stretch for eight counts and release.
- Bring arms to your sides.
- Bend your knees, keeping your feet on the floor.
- Bring one leg onto your chest. Grab the leg with both hands and pull towards your body. Hold for eight counts.
- Straighten the bent knee and pull leg towards your head. Do not force the stretch. Hold for eight counts.
Change legs.
- Bring both legs into your body and hug your legs. Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the floor. Hold for eight counts.
- Drop knees to the left side while keeping upper body and shoulders on the floor and arms stretched to the sides.
- Change sides.
- Return legs to centre and sit up with knees bent – hands on knees. Straighten your back and pull your body through your legs with your hands on your knees.
- Slowly get up onto your feet by lifting your buttocks off the floor.
- Keeping knees bent, slowly curl up. Head comes up last.
- Shake all moveable parts of the body.
All stretches should be held for eight counts/beats.
The cool down should not be shorter than three minutes or longer than five minutes.
All stretches should be done slowly to avoid injury.
