Choreography Flashcards
What is the beat?
The smallest musical division of a phrase
What are musical beats divided into?
The downbeat and upbeat
What is the downbeat?
The strongest pulse which fall on the odd numbers (1/3)
What is the upbeat?
The weaker pulse which fall on the even numbers (2/4)
What is the measure?
The basic organizational unit in music.
What is a musical phrase?
A pattern of music
List some common 2-count moves
March Heel dig Knee lift Toe tap Hamstring curls Kick Jumping Jacks Twist Scissors Pendulum
List some common 4-step moves
The grapevine The V-step The four-step hustle The mambo The cha-cha The box step The power squat with two claps Jig
What do we call the foot that leads on the downbeat?
The lead foot
What is bilateral upper body movement?
Using both arms in one movement
What is unilateral upper body movement?
Using one arm in one movement
When does upper body movement complement lower body movement?
When the arm corresponds with lower body movement.
When does upper body movement oppose lower body movement?
When the arm opposes lower body movement
Why are some instructors easy to follow?
They provide clear cues and provide smooth transitioning in choreography
What is the simple rule for making smooth transitions?
Only change one element at a time.
List some elements of variation
Lever change Spatial variation Directional change Style variation Rhythm change
What happens in a lever change?
The instructor switches between short and long levers (e.g. from knee lift to kick and vice-versa)
The longer the lever, the …
Greater the intensity
List two ways to utilize a directional change
- Turn your body to face another direction
2. Travel the move
Name some common style variations.
Country, Irish, African, Hip-Hop, Sporty, Latin, Jazz, Broadway dance, Funky
How can instructors change the rhythm?
Slow the move down (half-time) Speed the move up (double-time) Go from 2-count move to 4-count variation Add syncopation Add claps, vocal sounds, or words
How can one add syncopation?
By adding a move to the “and” of a beat
What is the part to whole method for building a routine?
Take a complicated routine and teach it one part at a time.
Teach a part and then make it more complex or intense (layering)
Once comfortable, add Part B and then Part C
What is the repetition reduction method for building a routine?
Start with many repetitions
Then reduce the number of reps
The more quickly you change, the more complex and difficult the routine will seem
What is freestyle choreography?
Spontaneous movement delivered on the spot. One move flows seamlessly into another with little repetition.
Why is freestyle easier on participants?
They don’t have to memorize choreography
What is anticipatory cueing?
Signaling the next move in the last one or two beat of the previous measure/phrase
