P.E. - Quarterly Test - Report on Dance

Differentiate the dance steps of the following foreign native dances, the modern dances, and the ballroom dances.

 

It’s very hard to differentiate these three categories, especially when they are three entirely different groups of dances. They have different characteristics, styles, and origins.

 

Foreign Native Dance- Dances from this category are very diverse and different in each culture and country. Usually these dances are from ancestors; they were rituals and beliefs of the first people who walked the land before us. Dances are different in different countries, but that’s mostly common is that usually these dances are based from animal movements.

This is very understandable, after all, where else would they base movements but from the things that they see around them.

Foreign dances can be smooth and flowing but it can also be rough; filled with jumping, and yells. Natives all over the world use the art of dance to interpret dreams and life, to perform rituals, to entertain higher ranks, to express themselves, or to issue a declaration of war.

 

It is different in different countries but each and every dance is as fascinating and unique as the next. You’ll clearly see a country’s culture and heritage by the dances of their natives. You’ll see history itself in their movements and music.

 

 

 

Modern Dance-  There were rumors that modern dance originated as a form of rebellion against classical ballet.  But at the same period of that era (1880’s), people had become interested in health and physical fitness. Experts on physical education at that time prepared the way for modern dance. Gymnastic exercises served as technical starting points for young women who wanted to dance. Aesthetic and free-dance performances became popular and people—especially young women—were able to express themselves in dancing without following the rules of ballet.

More kinds of dances came from this. There was Expressionist and early modern dance, Radical dance, and Contemporary Dance.

Modern dance focuses more on expressing ones feelings, emotions, and own style. It doesn’t necessarily have rules. It can be smooth and fast or crazed-filled and wild. There are no limits to modern dance, especially now at this age when dancers show their creativity though movements.

Dance steps from this category are usually unique, fun, creative, emotional and always unexpected. Sky is actually the limit. There are no rules in dancing in this category.

 

 

Ballroom Dance- is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world.

 

The term 'ballroom dancing' is taken from the word ball which is from the Latin word ballare which means 'to dance' (a ball-room being a large room specially designed for such dances). In the past, ballroom dancing was social dancing for the rich, leaving folk dancing for the lower classes. These boundaries now are gone, and it should be noted that even in times long gone, many ballroom dances were really elevated folk dances.

Ballroom dance—unlike modern dance—has a lot of rules.

In competition ballroom, dancers are judged by diverse criteria such as poise, the hold or frame, posture, musicality and expression, timing, body alignment and shape, floor craft, foot and leg action, and presentation.

Dance steps here vary as well, but it is choreographed and very precise. Ballroom dancers follow choreographed performances. You can technically still express yourself in dance like this, but it is really different from native and modern dance.

There are rules in ballroom dancing and you work as a team. You can’t really get caught off guard or improvise in this category, because every movement in this dance should be precise and according to music and the rules.