Dance & Its Meaning - Key Points

DANCE & ITS MEANING

  • Dance is defined as movement, art, and a profound mirror of society; it serves as a powerful expression of life force and personal power.
  • As highlighted by Agnes de Mille in 1963, dance is not merely physical activity but a living movement, embodying a form of power and glory that individuals claim for themselves. Its core essence is an expression of self through movement, deeply reflecting both individual life and the broader societal context.

DANCE: ETYMOLOGY & NATURE

  • Etymology: The word 'dance' originates from the German word damson, which signifies to stretch or to drag.
  • Nature: Dance is fundamentally an art, specifically the art of body movement, focusing on aesthetics and/or entertainment beyond mere physical exertion. It also serves as a profound mirror of society, reflecting its values, customs, and beliefs through choreographic expression and performance.

DANCE: FORMS & HUMAN NEEDS

  • Dance manifests in numerous forms, each fulfilling various human needs, including:
    • recreation
    • entertainment
    • education
    • therapy (often utilized for physical and mental well-being)
    • religion (as a major form of ritual and worship)

DANCE vs ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES

  • DANCE differs from athletic or daily activities because it focuses primarily on aesthetics and/or entertainment, not just physical exertion.

DANCE: MOVEMENT & FITNESS

  • Movement & fitness benefits:
    • Dancers coordinate muscles to move through proper positions.
    • Suitable activity for almost any age.
    • Helps assess the body’s capacity, fitness, or health.

DANCE: GENERAL FUNCTIONS

  • Historically, dance has served multiple roles:
    • major form of religious ritual and social expression
    • express and reinforce tribal unity and strength; used in courtship
    • worship, communication, and therapeutic experience; gesture to communicate
    • beliefs: appeases nature or gods and grants them new power

WHY PEOPLE DANCE

  • Main reasons people dance: four key motivations
    • to please the god
    • to please others
    • to please themselves / self-expression
    • to build community within an ethnic group or for social interaction

REPEAT PERFORMANCE & EVALUATION (Galaw Ph)

  • Criteria for evaluation:
    • ENERGY & EXECUTION – 4040 points
    • MASTERY & SYNCHRONIZATION – 3030 points
    • FORMATION & TRANSITION – 3030 points
  • Repeat Performance (Galaw Ph):
    1. Re-learn and re-master the dance
    2. Improve the level of energy & execution
    3. Move with ease, confidence & synchronization
    4. Integrate choreographic elements like