Technical Skills

Question 1

What are the 7 technical skills?

Answer 1

Actions, dynamics, space, relationships, timing, rhythmic content, moving in a stylistically accurate way.

Question 2

Define actions.

Answer 2

What a dancer does.

Question 3

What are the 8 types of action?

Answer 3

Travelling, turning, elevation, gesture, stillness, floorwork, use of different body parts, and transfer of weight.

Question 4

Define elevation.

Answer 4

The action of going up without support, such as a jump.

Question 5

Define gesture.

Answer 5

Moving a part of the body without using your weight.

Question 6

Define dynamics.

Answer 6

The qualities of movement based upon variations in speed, strength, and flow.

Question 7

Give 3 examples of different dynamics.

Answer 7

Fast/slow, sudden/sustained, flowing/abrupt, strong/light, accelerating/decelerating.

Question 8

Define space.

Answer 8

Where movements take place.

Question 9

Define levels.

Answer 9

The distance a dancer is from the ground.

Question 10

Define pathways.

Answer 10

Designs traced in the space, in the air or on the floor.

Question 11

Define patterns.

Answer 11

A repeated design traced in space.

Question 12

Define relationships.

Answer 12

The ways in which dancers interact, the connections between dancers.

Question 13

Define accumulation.

Answer 13

When a dance performs a series of movements and others join in at different times until all perform in unison.

Question 14

Define complementary movements.

Answer 14

Performing actions or shapes that are similar, but not exactly the same as other dancers.

Question 15

Define contrast.

Answer 15

Movements or shapes that have nothing in common.

Question 16

Give 6 types of spacing.

Answer 16

Levels, direction, pathways, shapes, designs, patterns.

Question 17

Give 10 types of relationship.

Answer 17

Number of dancers (solo, duet, trio etc), lead and follow, mirroring, action and reaction, accumulation, complement, contrast, contact, counterpoint, formations.

Question 18

Define counterpoint.

Answer 18

When dancers perform different phrases simultaneously.

Question 19

Define formations.

Answer 19

Shapes or patterns created in space by dancers.

Question 20

Define timing.

Answer 20

The use of time or counts when matching movements to sound or other dancers.

Question 21

How does timing contribute to the effectiveness of a dance?

Answer 21

It’s important for hitting important accents in the music and maintaining precise unison or canon.

Question 22

Define rhythmic content.

Answer 22

Repeated patterns of sound or movement.

Question 23

How does rhythmic content contribute the effectiveness of a dance?

Answer 23

Links timing with the aural setting, makes a more musical performance, helps with unison and canon, helps with dynamics.

Question 24

Define moving in a stylistically accurate way.

Answer 24

Performing in a way that is appropriate for the genre of dance.

Question 25

How does moving in a stylistically accurate way contribute to the effectiveness of a dance?

Answer 25

Dictates the dynamic qualities, makes the style recognisable and brands the performance, links to the music.