Dance Vocabulary Flashcards
The relationship of the skeleton to the line of gravity and base of support
Alignment
A state of equilibrium referring to the balance of weight or the spatial arrangement of bodies. Designs may be balanced on both sides of center (symmetrical) or balanced off center (asymmetrical)
Balance
A form of Western classical dance that originated in the Renaissance courts of Europe. The dance form was formally codified by the time of King Louis XIV (mid-1600s), who was an accomplished dancer, responsible for extensive notation as well as support for dance
Ballet
Creation and composition of dances by arranging or inventing steps, movements, and pattern of movements
Choreography
Movement selected and organized for aesthetic purposes or as a medium of expression rather than for its function
Dance
Order in which a series of movements and shape occurs
Dance sequence
Dance associated with a nationalistic purpose, usually performed today as a surviving portion of a traditional celebration and done for social gatherings or as recreation
Folk/traditional
A particular kind or style of dance, such as ballet, jazz, modern folk, tap
Genre
Movement of a body part or combination of parts, with emphasis on its expressive characteristics, including movements of the body not supporting weight
Gesture
Movement created spontaneously, which ranges from freeform to highly structured environments, always including an element of chance
Improvisation
Movement executed with one body part or a small part of the body. Examples are rolling the head, shrugging the shoulders, and rotating the pelvis.
Isolated movement
Dance marked by movement isolations and complex, propulsive polyrhythms; an outgrowth of African-American ragtime, jazz, spirituals, blues, work songs, and so forth and is considered an American style of dance
Jazz dance
Physics principles that govern motion, flow, and weight in time and space, including, for example, the law of gravity, balance, and centrifugal force
Kinesthetics
A form of physical movement progressing from one place to another. Basic locomotion movements include walking, running, galloping
Locomotion
A type of dance that began as a rebellion against steps and positions and values expressive and original or authentic movement. It is a twentieth century idiom
Modern dance
A distinctive and recurring gesture used to provide a theme or unifying idea
Motif
A dancer’s attention and responsiveness to musical elements
Musicality
Skills requiring cooperation, coordination, and dependence, including imitation, lead and follow, echo, mirroring, and call and response
Partner/group skills
The presence of unity, continuity (transitions), and variety (contrasts and repetition) in choreography
Principles of Composition
A structure of movement patterns in time; a movement with a regular succession of string and weak elements; the pattern produced by emphasis and duration of notes in music
Rhythm
A position of the body in space, such as curved, straight, angular, twisted, symmetrical, asymmetrical, etc.
Shape
Technical abilities, specific movements, or combinations
Skills
Dance performed in a social setting; traditionally referred to as ballroom dance, but including all popular social dances performed with or without partners
Social dance
An element of dance that refers to the immediate spherical space surrounding the body in all directions. Use of space includes shape, direction, path, range, and level of movement. Space is also the location of a performed dance
Space
A type of dance that concentrates on footwork and rhythm. This type of dance grew out of American popular dancing, with significant roots in African-American, Irish, and English clogging traditions
Tap dance
Physical skills of a dancer that enable him or her to execute the steps and movements required in different dances. Different styles or genres of dance often have specific techniques
Technique
The speed of music or a dance
Tempo
An element of dance involving rhythm, phrasing, tempo, accent, and duration. Time can be metered, as in music, or based on body rhythms, such as breath, emotions, and heartbeat
Time
When a movement, phrase, or section of a dance progresses into the next
Transition
Movement that takes place at the same time in a group
Unison Dance
A feeling of completion or wholeness in a dance achieved when all of the parts work well together
Unity
A quantity or range of different things. To maintain audience interest, the choreographer must provide variety within the development of the dance. Contrasts in the use of space, force, and spatial designs as well as some repetition of movements and motifs provide variety
Variety
A piece of choreography or a dance
Work