Colegio de Montalban

Kasiglahan Village San jose, Rodriguez, Rizal

PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

P. E. 2 (RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES)
INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCE AND OTHER DANCE FORMS

OBJECTIVES :
1. Recognize folk dances from Asia, Europe and Latin America.
2. Recognize other dance forms and social ballroom dances of South American
influence.
3. Identity international dance terms.
4. Analyze dance steps.

PART I – CONTENT UPDATE

FOLK DANCE is a traditional recreational dance of an indigenous society showing
the cultural characteristics of a specific people at a given time and place. It is the people’s social
expression through movements with rhythmic accompaniment where the characteristics of
their community life are reflected. Moreover, the vivid, intimate bond of customs, ideals,
culture and traditions of the past through which a multitude of national characteristics in music,
steps and costumes are preserved. Developed spontaneously and naturally by a specific folk, it
was handed down from one generation to another generation and followed a fixed pattern.
PRIMITIVE DANCE
Primitive man developed ritual dance actions for every event in his life: for a birth, at the
growing up of a young man, at a wedding, to cure the sick, to bury the dead. Rituals are also
danced for every event in the community’s life, both in war and peace. Magic dances are
“imitative” (suggesting, by imitating desired actions, what the spirits should do to help the
dancers), or “abstract”. Abstract dances often take the form of circles round a stone or wooden
object, or witch doctor – something or someone believed to hold special magic power. Imitative
dances play a vital part in the savage hunter’s life. After a successful hunt, an imitative dance is
done.
Examples :
 The Pueblo Indians have a complex rain dance. Drummers imitate thunder, pointing to
the heavens, while dancers carry jointed sticks to portray lightning.
 Maori war dances are particularly are particularly fierce, with the tempo marked by the
beating of palms on thighs, the pulling of faces already grotesque with tattoo marks, and
the defiant thrusting out of the tongue.
 Borne headhunters do a victory dance, carrying their gruesome trophies to the main
meeting house.
Even if the ritual origin is forgotten, round dances go on. The maypole dance, still a
spring festival, once circled a living tree, symbol of growth and fertility for primitive
farmers.
The dance of Ancient Egypt is of vital importance to the Egyptian’s after life.
 The cult dance associated with Apis, the bull, celebrated the choosing, nurturing, and
sacrifice of this beast. The priest of Osiris performed funerary dances after the killing of
animal, and the rediscovery of the new bull was also attended by dancing.
 There emerged also in ancient Egypt, a class of dancers who were employed to appear
at funerary celebrations, and who were also entertainers. These were in addition to the
dancers “consecrated” as temple attendants to dance in religious services.
 Egyptians were the first to describe dance movement on paper with the discovery of
paper and alphabet.
 As investors of the art of choreography, Egypt choreographed the first ballet – Astral –
symbolizing the Zodiac signs, which showed seasons, exemplifying the laws of the
universe.
Dance was essentially linked in the Greek mind to music and poetry.
 There evolved a vocabulary of movements and gesture known as cheironomiawhich
united dance, verse, and music as aspect of the same single fact which was known as
mousike(the art of the Muses).
 In the island of Delos, dancing was pre-historic, celebrated at the shrines of Artemis and
Apollo. Theseus returning from slaying of the Minotaur, dedicated a statue of Aphrodite
in the island and danced the geranos (crane dance) round Apollo’s altar.

 The pyrrhic is a warrior’s dance which was derived from an etymological root pyr,
meaning fire. Greeks had dances for worship, for everyday events in life and for war.
The more “open” worship at religious festivals also included dance.
 The paean, a processional dance was a cadenced march to accompanying music.
 The snake-like windings of the farandole of Provence – an ancient colony of Greece –
closely resemble a journey to the middle of a labyrinth. The labyrinth pattern once
stood for the passage of a dead man to heaven, a passage fraught with danger from
threatening evil powers.
 People who performed a funeral dance to the middle of a man-made labyrinth
believed they help the dead man on his way.
 In Crete, hyporchematicdancing was dance which accompanied song, where the best
boys were selected to perform interpretative dance.
 In Sparta at the gymnopaedia, boys mimed boxing and wrestling in dance form.

The religious observances of Rome also contained an element of dance.

 The best known example was that of the salli, the twelve dancer priests dedicated to
the service of Mars.
 The Lupercalia was the occasion for half-naked youths to dance wildly in the streets,
armed with whips.
 In the festival in honor of Pallas Athene, the palilia(the bonfire dance) was performed
by shepherds in honor of the goddess to give thanks to the fruitfulness of their flocks.
The Swedish weaving dance includes an imitation of a weaver’s shuttle as it runs between
the threads of the loom.
ASIAN DANCE
One authority declared that “The main idea of Oriental dance is found in the Japanese
word asobi which means play, and comes from the idea of the play of the gods.” (Clarke and
Crisp, 1980).
The dances of Asia assert the importance of gravity. Feet may stamp or paw the ground,
but contact with the earth is constant. The stylized use of the torso, head, and arms, the neck
movements of Indian dance, the exquisite gesture of arms and fingers in Balinese dance,
suggests a sophistication of style very different from the West.
 Originally, most theatrical dance forms were performed as part of religious worship or
for entertainment.
 Asians have deep respect for tradition, which has encouraged dancers to make existing
theatrical dance forms perfect rather than to create a new styles. Slight movements of
the upper body, facial expressions and hand gestures communicate the message of the
dance. Every movement, even a raised eyebrow, may have significance.
Many dances describe through gestures a historical event, a legend, or a myth.
 Some theatrical dance performance in Asia takes place outdoors and last all nights. A
famous performance of this type held in Burma is called pwe. Spectators may shout
out comments, tease the performers, and go backstage to watch them put on costumes
and makeup. Religion and magic are major themes of most Asian dances.
Ancient indus believed that dance was given to them by the gods and goddesses. From the
earliest times, dance has been important part of Indian life.
 BharataNatyam, is the oldest dance in the world that is still performed today. It is a
dance originally performed in the temples of India, combines rhythmically complicated
dancing with Hindu legends told in song and pantomine.
 Like other Indian dance forms, this temple dance uses mudras – hand gestures that have
recognized meanings. Mudras often stand for animals, plants, or feelings. Indian classic
dance contains three components – natya which represents the dramatic quality, nritta,
the rhythmic aspect of the dance, and nritya, which has something to do with the
expressive possibilities, the conveying of rasa (sentiment) and bhava(mood) through
facial expression and bodily gestures.

China is not historically a nation in which dance was of any real importance. One of the rare
indications about the earliest and uniquely Chinese dances has to do with the use of a long sleeve
(known as the “water sleeve”) as a technical and expressive side to dance.
 It appears that the use of sleeves was part of shamanistic worship. Sleeve dancing was
widespread in China.
Korean dance reflects the historical and strategic importance of the country. The earliest clear
record of it can be dated back to the third century.

It was an essential factor of religious worship and of the nature cult that surrounded the
planting and harvesting of crops. The point of departure that both North and South Korea in
their conscious attempt to preserve and revivify the ancient traditions of the county’s dance was
the survival of dances which were performed as entertainments at banquets and dinners among
the nobility and wealthy merchant classes.

These provided a basis for folk dances which have been carefully revived. Two elements are
thereby protected.
 The ancient, traditional forms which include the surviving priestly dances, sometimes
performed with a drum and
 Folk dances which hark back inspiration to the work dances of peasants.
Japanese dance is more spiritual than technical. At its most intense, Japanese dance partakes of
rituals and the performance of certain dances demands fasting and purification of the body in
order to prepare the interpreter spiritually as well as physically.
There are two basic styles of dance in Japan.
 The first embraces religious ritualistic dances, the court dances and the dances of the
Noh drama.
 The second is concerned with Kabuki drama, deriving from rustic dances and the
popular dances of folk and festivals.
 Those elements which have been taken over from the severely beautiful and ancient
Noh plays are called mai.
 The popular style taken from folk art is called odori.
 Furi are realistic mime movements and gestures which have been introduced from
daily life.
In Southeast Asia, trance dances blend superstitions with Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic beliefs.
 During the Barong, a theatrical dance form performed on the Indonesian island of Bali,
dancers in a trance act out a legendary battle between a dragon and a witch. The
dancers turn knives on themselves. But in most cases, the trance prevents them from
feeling pain and helps to protect them from injury.
The themes of Thai classical dance are religious traditional stories.
 A theatrical dance form exclusively for women is the lakon, whose libretti come from
boh legendary and historical and legendary sources.
 The purer dance forms are those relating to exercises performed by warriors.
In its ethnic tradition, Philippine dance is classified into three :
 Ritual dances that connect the material world to the supernatural;
 Life cycle dances that celebrate birth, baptism, marriage, and death; and
 Occupational dances where life defenses and works are transformed into celebratory
dances.

The coming of the Spaniards in the Philippines brought significant changes in the lives of
the Filipinos especially in dance. Filipinos became Christians. The Spaniards introduced
European dances that were easily adopted by the Filipinos. Such dances were Rigodon,
Lanceros, Mazurka, Polka, Viginia, Valse and Havanera. However, there were still Filipino
natives who have retained the traditional dances particularly those who were living in the
Cordillera Mountains and High mountains of Mindanao aside from the Muslim Filipinos.
The most famous art of Indonesia include dances of the old royal courts of Java and the
dramatic folk dances of Bali. The Javanese dancers use slow, elaborate motions in which even
finger movements have particular meaning. The dances represent scenes of adventure, battle,
or love. Many Balinese dances are based on ancient Hindu stories and have forceful rhythms
and movements.

EUROPEAN FOLK DANCE

 A precise indication of the social characteristics of its folk songs and legends.
 The folk dances contain memories and references to religious or magical
dances.
 The ring dances, the maypole dances, the bonfire dances, sword dances,
processional celebrations, and early religious dances are usual traditions of folk
dances throughout Europe.
 The ring or round dance was the most venerable and most widespread.
 In Maypole dances, the totemistic nature of the pole itself involves both the
idea of a symbol of divinity and of the fruitful and protective tree, the ribbons
which habitually lined the dancers to the pole being understood as the vestigial
branches of the tree and the direct links joining the celebrants to the pole as a
source of fertility.
 Bonfire dances are traces of the the ancient worship of the sun.
 Sword dances pertain to almost as antique a tradition that of martial art skill,
simulated and sought through dance display, through imitative use of weapons
which prepared warriors for combat and invoked success for them as well.
 Responsible for the popularity of the folk dance, whether as couple dance or as group
activity was the fertilization that occurred when in the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, the country dances were adopted and codified by dancing masters.
 Folk dances have constantly fed the more formal social dances, irrespective of social
class.
DANCE IN LATIN AMERICA
Dance in Latin America continues to play a major role in the religious ceremonies and
community celebrations of the people. Indians and blacks developed it to accompany religious
worship, to celebrate such events as birth and marriage, and to mourn the dead. It is also a
highly popular form of recreation. Most Latin American countries have their own traditional
dances that include steps from Spanish or Portuguese folk dances.
 The Spanish zapateado (heel beating steps) is part of the Cuenca of Bolivia and Bhile;
 The joropo of Venezuela; and
 The jarabetapatio, or Mexican hat dance of Mexico.
In the West Indies, African and Spanish influences were combined in such ballroom
dances as the rumba, and cha-cha-cha. The rumba, cha-cha-cha, and some other Latin
American dances including the Argentine tango, Brazilian samba, and Cuban Congo are popular
outside Latin America.
In the various regions of Mexico, there are dances which serves as reminders of hunting
rites and religious beliefs. Among the surviving religious dances is that Concheros, who dance
at fiestas, and in their performance the sacred impulse of the dances were evident.
 Los Moros is a relic of Spanish occupation, a dance usually given by four men, whose
leader is identified as St. James.
 Los Viejetos(the little old men) is danced by young men who disguised themselves with
masks and lean on sticks.
 Los Inditos(the little Indians) is a maypole dance. The dance performed in May is
presided over by the “senior” (Our Lord) of Chalma, and offerings of eggs, necklaces,
beads and flowers can be made after each dance.
BALLROOM DANCE
The term “ballroom dance” was originally applied to the dances commonly done in a
ballroom. The type of dance depended on the period under consideration.
Rapid changes in dancing styles occurred in the 19 th century.
 The minuet disappeared, and by 1850, except for the Sir Roger de Coverley or Virginia
Reel, contredanse was also gone.
 French Quadrille which combined contredanses and cotillions became extremely popular.
 The waltz, which owes its name from the Latin vovere – to turn, was introduced to
fashionable ballrooms in the early 19th century and became the most popular of all the
new dances. This close-couple dance with its close hold was at first received with
considerable dismay. It was derived from Austria’s landler.
 By 1790, Vienna waltz was all the rage in German town. Schubert, Chopin, Strauss
helped to spread the fame of waltz tunes.
 By 1825, it had come to stay. By the 19 th century, it has to face its rivals. The Galop was
possibly the simplest dance ever introduced into the ballroom. The Mazurka, originally a
Polish round dance conquered both public balls and theatrical dance. The United States
created the Boston, Central Europe, the Polka originally from Bohemia and which was
introduced in Paris in 1840 was feverishly welcomed as a fashionable ballroom dance of
tremendous energy, Hungary, the czardas, the Italian tarantella, Russia’s gopak, and
Spain’s flamenco.
 Europe’s newly discovered folk dances inspired gay waltzes, mazurkas, polkas. These
filled the 19th century New York, Paris, and London ballrooms.
America n the 19th century was to turn to the ballroom dance as an expression of polite social
ambition. This is when the country was to shift from agricultural to industrial identity.
 European social dance forms were adopted. Waltz was accepted in 1830. Polka swept
America.
 However by the later years of the century, an authentic American dance emerged, the
Military Schottische or Barn Dance, a simple and ebullient dance with foot stamps and
slightly refined in manner. The term “barn dance” was derived form the tune “Dancing in
the Barn” when schottische was first danced to its tune.

By the early 20th century, two-step, one-step foxtrot, and tango were introduced. Quadrilles,
lancers, and other open-couple dances had essentially disappeared, and the usual ballroom
dance program consisted entirely of the accepted closed-couple dances. John Philip SOUSA, the
King of March produced many popular marches.
 The Boston Two-Step, which is basically a marching step with interpolated skips became
popular.
 One Step, which followed the Boston two-step was the most popular of the dances.
Inspired by the ragtime music, it required performers to dance one step to a beat.
In 1900, the jerky Nero rhythms of the Cakewalk challenge the smoothly gliding waltz.
Dances derived from “savage” Africa swamp the dance halls of the Western world. This began
when West African slaves, shipped to North America, brought with them tribal songs and
dances. When the slaves gained freedom, Negroes performed native music and dances in New
Orleans Congo Square.
When Negro musicians borrowed Irish, Scottish, Italian, French, and Spanish tunes, they
mingled them with Negro rhythms and improvised jazz melodies. Negro rhythms, soon
popular with white musicians, changed white dances.
 A French quadrille, jazzed, became the famous “Tiger Rag”
 Western social dancing had changed to keep pace with the changing Western
world.
 As life’s tempo speeded up, the Cakewalk, Bunny Hug, Grizzly Bear, Black
Bottom gave young Westerners the thrills they sought and failed to find in waltz
or polka.
The story of social dance is a story of movement and space. Always as they move,
dances take with them something of the land they come from. In Negro-inspired jive and
jitterbug, bebop, rock n’roll, city teenagers have found what they wanted.
In 1910, Tango arrived from Argentine. Its origin can be traced to a slave dance in Cuba, and
by no means respectable. It was introduced into Europe at the beginning of the 20 th century
and in France, where it was transformed into a more polite form.
 In 1912 Argentina’s tango gained fame in Paris within a year.
 Mid-century rock n’ roll swept first in the United States, then Europe, in mere
months.
 Modern mambo, rumba, and jive represent changing fashion in social dance.
 Foxtrot which was originated by a comedian, Harry Fox, who worked in the
Ziegfeld Follies emerged in 1014. But as early as 1913, he had introduced some
quick trotting steps into a dance to a ragtime music in his act. By 1914, it became a
popular dance form.
The most vital impulse to social ballroom dancing in the 20 th century was the emergence of
Jazz from New Orleans. It became synonymous with freedom, good times, and an abandonment
of many of the social attitudes and taboos after World War I.
 Dance in the ballroom maintained its continuing identity as a polite art, standard four
dances – the foxtrot, the waltz, the tango, and the quick step had been codified in
England.
 The insidious rhythm of the so-called Latin-American dances introduced throughout the
1920’s and 1930’s
 One dance that epitomized the freedom and wildness of the 1920’s was Charleston.
 Swing or boogie-woogie and lindy or widely, jitterbug superseded the jazz rhythm in the
1930’s
 Jitterbugging was an American pastime at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. The dance
provided a release from a wartime pressures.
 The basic technique of the so-called “a new form of sexual display typified by the gigolo
image of the sultry Southern male – the Rumba, which was accepted by the public in 1930
 For the first time in centuries, dancers abandoned the physical contact when the Twist
which went to the other extreme was the next craze. It was a very simple dance that
amounted to little more pelvic gyrations as if “drying your back with a towel”
accompanying a foot movement that resembled the treading of a cigarette-end into the
ground.
 Samba is dance of Brazil.
 Paso Doble, with its imitation of the bull fight stems from Spain but was refined for the
ballroom in the Southern region in France. The man represents the matador, the lady his
cape.
 Cha ChaCha is a descendant of the Cuban Mambo.
Youth oriented form of music and dance exemplified by rock n’ roll was
introduced ot delighted teenagers by the film Rock Around the Clock made in 1956. With this
birth of rock n’ roll, social dance styles became freer. Partners did not touch each other, and
they made their own dance movements.
During the 1960’s and 1970’s, blacks created many dances that the whites enthusiastically
adopted.
 A popular style of dancing in the 1970’s called “disco” rejected the “do-it-yourself”
choreography of earlier rock dances. Instead, dancing partners held each other and
followed a set pattern of steps.
 During the 1980’s, young black males popularized break dancing, which consisted largely
of acrobatic movements performed to rock music.
Over the centuries every kind of ballroom dance rhythm had been tried out, some being
discarded, others going on to become popular dance. The original steps differ
considerably from those used at the height of their popularity. The dance must be in
keeping with the spirit of the times. Impressive modifications will probably be made.
Movements changed or omitted or new ones included.
Values of Social and Ballroom Dancing
A. Personal Values
1. Develops grace and poise
2. Helps to break down excessive reserve and shyness.
3. Affords an opportunity to meet new friends and develops mutual interest.
4. Provides challenge of learning steps and executing them successfully to
musical accompaniment.
B. Physical Values
1. Helps to improve neuromuscular coordination, balance, rhythm and grace.
2. Offers a moderate form of exercise that may be carried on regularly
without strain and danger of injury.
3. Encourages individual to dress neatly and attractively.
C. Social Values
1. Provides an excellent way to relate and deal with people
2. Provides a constructive and healthy answer to the leisure time dilemma.
3. Provides a means to develop appropriate social behavior, good etiquette,
and thoughtful consideration for others.
SOCIAL DANCE
Social dance includes all forms of dancing done primarily for recreation or
pleasure. It is essentially couple dancing and involves bodily contact ranging from a simple
holding of hands to the closed embraced. The earliest social dances are the peasant and folk
dances of Europe. Both nobility and peasantry would apparently perform round dances as earl y
as the 14th century.
 Carole which involved song and simple dance steps was the perpetuation of the most
ancient of the social dance forms. In its linked form in single file, it evolved into Farandole,
in its circular form, the Branle, and became a couple dance in the South of France as
Estampie, where the man and the woman hold hands and move forward side by side.
 The professional influence of the early Italian dancing masters and the social activity in
the Italian courts impelled social dance forward to its remarkable path. The processional
BasseDanse, known since 1400 as the Queen of Dances, and the Pavanes were formaland
stately dances with gliding steps danced by couples.
 The group dance Brando was the counterpart of Branle. With the desire to follow the
quiet gliding dance estampie and the grave measured bassedanse, the lighter and gayer
dance Saltarello emerged.
 As always, the youth needed to be served, and a lively young people’s dance, the Galliard
emerged as an after-dance to the slow peacocking dance of great dignity, the Pavane.
Other forms of dance emerged in the 16 th and 17th centuries.
The Courante, which was a pantomimic dance in origin suggesting courtship and with quiet fast
tempo was especially popular. It had been codified in a much slower and graver form in France
by the middle of the 17th century.
 The Sarabande which was originated in Spain where in the latter part of the 16 th century it
combined songs and dances thought of to be indecent and “repulsive” due to its physical
frankness and unsuited to be performed by respectable people.
 The boisterous La Volta with lots of moving, turning, and high leaping steps in a closed
embrace was considered bold, if not indecent.

Minuet, a lively dance in triple meter where small steps were essential part of the dance
gained popularity during the time of King Louis XIV, the Sun King. Its development from a
rustic dance into a dance of the gentry indicates its process of refinement.

 Despite its supremacy, another dance of peasant origin, the Gavotte, remained
popular in the higher ranks of the society. It consisted a mixtures of the
movements of branies and galliards. Its introduction to court entertainments led
to the establishment of a form that substituted dignity and stately grace for its
original peasant vitality.
In the following centuries in Europe, when fashions changed, dances went with it.
 By 1588, the stately basse dance was outdated. Gavotte and minuet disappeared
in 1789 when revolution swept away the court of France.
 All over Europe, ideas of liberty were changing people’s way of life.
 Europe’s ideas of freedom replaced ideals of courtly refinement. Despite the
disapproving dancing masters, simple country steps grew more popular than the
complex patterns of minuet. So-called country dances became fashionable at
elegant city balls.
Important and significant adaptation from folk elements were the Contredanses,
the linguistic adaptation of the English – country dances. Later on, it was
transformed into French contredanses, where the dance figures were grouped
into a general title of Cotilion, which was in vogue in the 18th century. Its name
was derived from the French cotte, which was a short petticoat worn by peasants.
Descendant of the Cotiollion was the Quadrille, a square dance that emerged
during the Napoleonic years in France at about 1740.
Ballet
Ballet can be traced to Italy during the 1400’s at the time of the Renaissance.
 Catherine de Medici, a member of the ruling family of Florence, became the
queen of France in 1547. She introduced into the French court the same kind of
entertainment that she had known in Italy. They were stayed by Baltazar de
Beaujoyeuolx, a gifted musician who had come from Italy to be Catherine’s chief
musician.
 The Ballet Comique de la Reine was considered to be the first ballet. It was a
magnificent spectacle of about 5 ½ % hours performed in 1581 in honor of a
royal wedding. The ballet told the ancient Greek myth of Circle, who had the
magical power to turn men into beasts. The ballet included especially written
instrumental music, singing, and spoken verses as well as dancing. Dance
technique was extremely limited, and so Beaujoyeulx depended on spectacular
costumes and scenery to impress the audience. Printed copies of the verses
used in the ballet were distributed so that the audience is sure to understand
the story. The ballet was a great success.
 Ballet Comique de la Reine established Paris as the capital of the ballet world.
King Louis XIV who ruled France during the late 1600’s and early strengthened
that leadership. The king enjoyed dancing, and he took part in all the ballets
given at his court.
 King Louis XIV founded the Royal Academy of Dancing to train professional
dancers to perform for him and his court. Professional ballets began in the king’s
dancing academy.
Ballet is one-fourth drama. Ballet dancers are also actors, expressing drama
through their dance. Learning ballet is more than learning to be a professional dancer.
Carefully taught, its disciplined movements can help to remedy defects. At least two
ballerinas began to full length to learn after attacks of polio. Another started as a cure
for the knock-knees. Today, in class ballet, dancers learn the same steps taught 100
years ago. In nearly four centuries, ballet has seen many changes.
Since the 1900’s, the length of ballets has varied from short works to full length
ballets that are several hours long. Some modern ballet story; others describe a mood or
express the feelings and movements aroused by the music or by some other factors,
such as painting and nature. Current dance styles reflect the speed, pressures, and
complexity of modern life.
MODERN DANCE
Modern dance was developed in the early 1900s pioneered by Isadora Duncan,
Louie Fuller, and Ruth St. Dennis in the United States; Emile Jacques-Dalcroze of
Switzerland, and Rudolf Von Laban of Hungary. These leaders of the modern dance
movements believed that the techniques of ballet were artificial and meaningless. They
searched for fresher, more personal ways to express ideas through dancing.
 Isadora Duncan, one of the most spirited pioneers, danced in her bare feet and
wore loose – fitting garments that allowed her freedom of movements were
inspired by nature, classical music, and Greek drama and sculpture. Her ideas
greatly influenced the development of not only of modern dance but also of
ballet.
 Oriental religions inspired the dances of Ruth St. Dennis, who won fame during a
tour of Europe from 1906 to 1909. She and her husband Ted Shawn opened the
famous Denishawn School of Dancing in 1915 in Los Angeles. The school moved
to New York in 1922. Many former students including Martha Graham and Doris
Humphrey developed more personal styles.
 Graham, Humphrey and her husband Charles Weidman formed their own dance
companies. Mary Wigman became Europe’s first great modern dancer. She
founded an influential dance school in her native Germany 1920.
 Since the 1940’s creativity in modern dance has centered on U.S. dancers and
dance companies. Modern dance works today place less importance on emotion
and personal expression; instead, they explore movement for its own sake.
BASICS IN INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCING
SOME INTERNATIONAL DANCE TERMS
 ADRESS PARTNER. Same as honor your partner of bow to your partner.
 ALLEMANDE LEFT. The boy turns to the girl at his left and takes her L hand in his
L hand and turns her once around counterclockwise, then both falling back to
places.
 ALLEMANDE RIGHT. The boy faces his partner, takes her right hand in his right
hand and turns her once around clockwise, then falling back to places.
 BOW/SALUDO. Partner bot to each other, to opposite dancer or to the
audience. This is of Spanish Origin
 CABECERAS. The couples occupying the width of the dance floor in a square
formation.
 CAST OFF. When dancers are in a long formation, the leader or the head couple
counter-matches outward to the end of the line where the last couple was, then
counter-march inward to proper places.
 CIRCLE LEFT AND RIGHT. The designated couples or dancers join hands and walk
to left with light springly steps clockwise, falling to home positions.
 COSTADOS. The couples occupying the length of the dance floor in a square
formation.
 CROSS OVER. Two couples are facing each other, each couple proceeds in a
straight line to the opposite place. The girls pass by their L shoulders between
the boys. Boys bow to each other when the meet at the middle or about one-
third of the way, then proceed to the opposite place. Upon reaching the
opposite place, partners turn about, girls stand at partner’s left shoulder.
 DRAW. The free foot is drawn toward the supporting foot, by pressing the toes
against the floor as the close is made, with or without transfer weight.
 DO-SI-DO. Two people walk towards each other, pass by the right shoulders,
step sideward to the right, and walk backward passing by left shoulders to
original position.
 ELBOWSWING. Two dancers link right elbows and swing clockwise with either
springy walking steps or buzz steps.
 HOME POSITION. The couples’ original position in a set.
 FOLDED ARMS. Arms raised in front at shoulder level, with one forearm on top
of the other.
 PLACE. To put the foot flat on the floor in any desired position without putting
weight on it.
 PROMENADE. Partners are side by side, L shoulders toward the center holding
in a skating position (R hands joined over the joined L hands) at waist level or in
varsouvienne position, they walk around in a counterclockwise direction until
they reach their home position.
 SET. A unit formation of two or more couples.
 STAR RIGHT AND LEFT. Also known as Mill or Wheel Right and Left. Dancers put
their R hands in the center and walk around clockwise, and at the caller’s
command, they turn right about, put the Left hands in the center and walk
counterclockwise.
SOME COMMON INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCE STEPS
DANCE STEP TIME SIGNATURE STEP PATTERN &
COUNTING
3
ACCENTED RUNNING STEP STAMP STEP
4
STEP II 1M
1 2
3
3
BALLROOM WALTZ Step R (L) Slide L (R)
4
Close R (L) II 1M
1 2
3
2
BLEKING Spring on L (R) & Heel-place R (L)
4
or
1
Heel-Place R (L) Close
(step) R (L) II 1M
1 2
3
Heel-Place R (L) Close
4
(Step) R (L) II 1M
1, 2
3
3
BOX SQUARE WALTZ Boy: Step L Forward Step R
4
Sideward Close L to R
1
2 3
Step R Backward Step L
Sideward Close R to L II 2M
1
2 3
2
BREAK LEGS Girl: Does the counterpart
4
Jump feet apart sideward (ct. 1),
spring to
face right (left) and kneel on L (R) (ct. 2).
1M
2
CHASSE Slide R (L) sideward (ct. 1), step R (L)
4
close
To R (L) (ct. and). Two chasse
steps in one measure.
2
CROSS POLKA With an inward foot circle in the air of
4
the R (L) foot,
Hop on L (R) (ct. and of previous
M) and execute the
Polka step forward crossing the R
(L) foot over the L (R)
First (cts. 1 and 2). 1M
3
DUTCH STEP Step R (L) sideward (ct. 1, step L (R),
4
brush L (R) heel
Forward with toes pointing
upward (ct. 2), hop
On the R (L) in place (ct. 3), 1M
2
GRAPEVINE Step Cross-step (inrear) l Step Cross-
4
step (in front) II 2M
1 2 1
2
3
Step Cross-step (inrear) l Step
4
Cross-step (in front) II 2M
1, 2 3 1, 2
3
2
HOPSA Leap sideward R (L) (ct. 1), step L (R) across
4
R (L) (ct. and), close R (L) to L (R)
(ct. 2), pause (ct. and) 1M
2
HEEL AND TOE POLKA (OLD) Place the R (L) heel in front (cts. 1 and),
4
touch the (R) L toe
In rear (cts. 1 and 2 and), and
execute plain polka forward
(cts. 1 and 2 and). This is usually
done forward. The polka
May be preceded by a hop. 2M
2
HUNGARIAN TURN Partners place right arms around each
4
other’s waist arm
Encircled overhead. Hop on R (L)
(ct. 1), small step on L
(ct. 2 and), and continue to
complete the turn, usually
Four measures. 1M
2
JUMPING JACK Full-knees bend with knees apart, cross
4
hands down in
Front (ct. 1), jump to standing
position, with feet apart
Sideward, toes pointed upward
and fling arms obliquely
Upward, palms facing front (ct. 2).
1M
3
MAZURKA Slide R (L) Cut R (L) with L (R) Hop
4
on L (R)
1 2
3
2
MINCING STEP Step StepStepStep (tiny steps heels
4
II 1M
1 and 2 and
slightly raised)

3
MINUTE STEP Three small steps forward on the balls
4
of the feet
(cts. 1 2 3), point L (R) in front and
bring heel of the R
Down (cts. 1 2 3). 2M
2
OPPOSITE TORTILLIER Toes together Heels together
4
II 1M
1 2
3
Toes together Heels together
4
II 1M
1, 2 3
2
PARALLEL TORTILLIER Pivot on Heels and Pivot on Toes and
4
II 1M
Turn toes both turn heels
both
1 2
3
Pivot on heels and Pivot on Toes
4
and II 1M
Turn toes both turn heels
both
1, 2 3
3
PAS DE BASQUE half-foot circle in the air with the L (R)
4
foot and leap
Sideward (ct. 1), slide R (L), slide R
(L) to fourth position
(ct. 2), cut R (L) forward with the L
(R) foot (ct. 3). 1M
2
POLKA (OLD HOP POLKA) Hop R (L) Step L (R) Close R (L) Step
4
L (R) II 1M
And 1 and
2
2
RUSSIAN POLKA Heel-brush R (L)Heel-step R (L)
4
And 1
Close L (R) Step R (L) foot
II 1M
2 and
2
PRYSIADKA Full-knee bend on R (L) and stretch L (R)
4
leg forward
(ct. 1), with a spring reverse the
position of the feet
(ct. 2). 1M
2
ROCKING STEP Fall on Right forward Fall Left
4
backward
Raise Left in rear Raise
Right in front
1
2 II 1M
2
RUBBER LEGS Step L across R in front, and twist R
4
foot so that the sole is
Off the floor facing outward (ct. 1)
transfer weight to R foot and twist
the left foot so that the sole is off
the floor facing outward (ct. 2).
1M
RHEINLANDER STEP or
4
SCHOTTISCHE Step R sideward (ct. 1), close L to R (ct.
4
2) step R sideward
(ct. 3), hop on R, swing the L foot in
front (ct. 4). 1M
2
SHUFFLING STEP Slide SlideSlideSlide II 1M
4
1 and 2 and
Tiny slides on balls of feet
3
Slide SlideSlideSlideSlideSlide
4
II1M
1 and 2 and 3
and
3
VARSOUVIENNE STEP Slide R foot diagonally forward R (ct. 1),
4
step L close R in
Third position (ct. 2), step R
sideward (ct. 3), point (ct. 2), step
R.
3
WALTZ BALANCE Step R forward Close L to R Both
4
heels down
And raise both heels
1 2
3 II 1M
Can be done moving backward

SOME INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCES

 ARKADSKY is a very lively dance for big men due to the characteristic gesture of the
arms and the energetic steps inherent among Russian dancers.
 BAVARIAN LANDLERis a traditional dance of farmers in Alemania.
 BARBARY BELL is an old – fashioned country dance among the village people in England
 BLEKING is a vigorous dance named after the province of Bleking in Sweden, where it is
popular among the peasants.
 BON DANCE is a Japanese folk dance performed during the blooming of the Cherry
Blossoms or during full moon.
 CZARDAS Csarda or Czarda means “village inn”. The Czardas derived its name from the
peasant dances performed outside the village inns. Gypsy musicians popularized the
Czardas. These tunes and dances are divided into 2 parts: a slow stately part and a quick
part called “friska”.
 CHINESE FAN DANCE is a simple but interesting dance from China suitable for girls.
 CSHEBOGAR is a Hungarian “grief dance”
 DANISH DANCE OF GREETINGS is a simple dance showing the national traits of the
Danish people – friendly, kind, and helpful.
 DUTCH COUPLE DANCE is a humorous dance of Holland depicting how the boy teasingly
asks a bite from an apple.
 HEEIA is an example of a bamboo stick dance in sitting position from Hawaii.
 HORRA ARABI is a simple easy dance from Arabia.
 HIGHLAND FLING is a vigorous folk dance from Scottland especially adapted for boys.
 IRISH LILT is a very lively dance especially suitable for girls.
 JAPANESE PARASOL DANCE is an easy, very colorful dance for girls. It is customary with
the Japanese girls to use umbrella for rain or shine.
 KALVELIS is an occupational dance which means “little smith” where the clapping of the
hands suggest the hammer and the anvil of the blacksmith.
 LA COSTILLA is a popular couple dance among the rancheros of Mexico. “Costilla” is an
affection term used in Mexico for wives.
 LA CUCARACHA means “little cockroach” is a dance known all over Mexico.
 LA PETITE UKRAINIENNE. The peasant population of Ukraine, sometimes called “Little
Russia” is very fond of dancing and this little dance gives a simplified version of the way
they do it when fairs or festivals draw them together in merry-making.
 LA VIRGENCITA which means “the little maiden” is a dance popular in Mexico.
 MINUET is a court dance popular in France during the reign of Louis XV. It is stately,
graceful, and dignified dance that depicts grandeur and magnificence in the court.
 NORWEGIAN MOUNTAIN MARCH is a dance from Norway that depicts mountain
climbing with the boy at the center as guide of the two girls behind him.
 OH SUSANA is an American round dance mixer and it is used as a prerequisite to square
dancing.
 OYDA is a dance which is a good example of round dances performed in the earlier
centuries.
 PUTT JENTER originated in the province of Westphalia, is a popular dance among the
peasant of Germany.
 RED RIVER VALLEY is an American dance traditionally performed with one boy at the
middle and two girls in each set of three. The dancers sing along as they perform the
dance.
 RHEINLANDER FOR THREE is a German couple dance that grown out the youthful
enthusiasm and creativeness of an east Prussian youth group.
 SWEDISH CLAP DANCE from Sweden is another example of a round dance in its polished
form.
 TARANTELA from Italy.
 TIPPA means drop. The girl in the dance drops her handkerchief and the boy in a cordial
and affectionate gestures picks it up for her.
 TROPANKA is Bulgarian stamping dance.
 VARSOVIENNE is a German delightful dance for girls
 VIRGINIA REEL is a traditional American dance. It is the ancestor of the square dance
popular during the colonial days in America.
Source: Aquino, Francisca R. FOREIGN FOLK DANCES. Manila, 1967.

BASIC SKILLS IN LEARNING BALLROOM DANCE

Posture refers to the efficient body carriage. It is the basis of graceful and attractive
dance movement. Good posture is much more natural, functional and comfortable. Body
control is attained through effective posture and a strong sense of balance.

Dance walk is important part of dancing, and it is done gracefully and with appropriate style
“Contra body motion” is a subtle element of style in the dance walk.

Cues for the dance walk:

1. Keep your feet close together and travel straight forward or backward, not swaying or
waddling from side to side.
2. Make sure the body is held forward and moves just before the leading foot. Arms are
held high, and the body is erect.
3. Always glide the traveling foot, transfer the weight smoothly with no sudden jarring.
4. “Contrabody motion” is used when you step forward with the right foot bring the left
shoulder slightly forward and vice versa.
5. Your knowledge for suitable couple dance position is an important element for effective
social and ballroom dancing.
Balance. Good balance comes with control of movement. The weight is carried forward with
the moving foot.

Important rules to remember:

a. When you are moving forward or backward keep your feet in a straight line.
b. Do not try to avoid your partner’s feet by walking outside them.
c. In dancing, you carry your weight forward with the moving foot.
d. When moving backward, you step on the toes , bringing the weight gradually back with
the forward foot before taking the next step
e. Good balance comes with control of movement.

The Head. Since the head is heavier than the other parts of the body. Keep the head up.
Hold the chin naturally in. Keep the eyes at their usual level.

The Body
 Hold the body in a natural, erect position without raising the shoulders or pushing out
the chest. Those who look stiff are keeping their muscles taut.
 Show controlled appearance by holding up your arms and elbows without raising the
shoulders.
 The lady must not hang on her partner, either weighting him down with heavy arms or
holding him tightly. Her left hand should rest lightly on his right upper arm, fingers
neatly closed together.
 Make the diaphragm muscles as the center of control of the whole body.

The Legs
 The movement of the legs should be free and from the hips not the knees.
 Use natural bracing and relaxing movements in every step you make.
 When there is room to move, the knees are at their straightest or locked, but not stiff at
the full extent of a stride, and relax slightly as the weight is taken on the foot.

The Feet
 The feet should kept straight. Out-turned toes are a common fault.
 Try to feel your feet brushing past each other as you dance both forward and backward
step.
 Use your ankles properly. When you have reached the full extent of a stride forward,
the ankle should be stretched with only the toes touching the floor, not the ball of the
foot, before you move the front foot into its next position.

LINE OF DANCE (LOD) – is the direction that one takes when dancing round the ballroom
counter-clockwise.

Timing Effect
Timing effect is important for you coordinate your movements with the music. There are
types of count – musical count and dance count.

Musical count is the number and sequence of beats to the measure.

Dance count is the sequence of steps and whether the weight should be sustained on
each succeeding transfer for two beats or for one beat.

MEASURE MUSICAL COUNT DANCE COUNT DANCE MOVEMENT TIME

1–2 1 Forward L S
1 3-4 2 Forward R S
1–2 3 Forward L S
2 3 4 Sideward R Q
4 And Close L to R Q

3 1–2 5 Backward R S
3–4 6 Backward L S

1-2 7 Backward R S
4 3 8 Sideward L Q
4 And Close R to L Q

THE WALTZ
The waltz was derived from an old German word walzen, meaning to turn, to roll or to
glide. It was born in the suburbs of Vienna and in the alpine regions of Austria. It is a progressive
dance written in ¾ time where the first beat measure is accented.

Characteristics if the Waltz:

a. Erect posture and rise-and-fall. The first step of the measure is taken with bent knee and
followed on the second and third steps by both partners rising to full height on balls of
the feet.
b. Forward steps are taken on the heel and directly toward the partner.
c. On side step steps, both partners sway slightly away from their direction of travel.
d. Partners stay fairly close together and take a long reaching steps.

Basic Step: Commence and end in Closed Ballroom Hold

Man: Step L forward (ct. 1), step R sideward (ct. 2), close L to R (ct. 3)
Woman does the opposite moving backward

CHA - CHA – CHA

In 1953, the Cuban Orchestra America started playing the time-honored danzon with a
new syncopated beat. It sounded like a slow mambo, and Cuban dancers used a slight triple hip
undulation on the slow count. This was change gradually into triple step on the slow count, thus
cha – cha – cha was born. It was introduced in the US in 1954.

Cha – cha - cha- is written in “cut” time with four count rhythm. It is the most popular of
the Latin dances. It has a catchy rhythm.

Characteristics:
1. Shoulders remain quiet and free arms are kept at about shoulder level with palms down.
2. All steps are taken on the flat of the foot with the exception of the back step which is
taken on the ball of the foot with weight held back.
3. Forward steps are taken with weight held back

Timing: Take the forward of leading step off the second beat of the bar of music.

Rhythm: Slow Slow Quick Quick Slow

2 3 4 and 1
Side Basic: For Man: A. L Forward, R in place, chasses sideward L (slide, close, slide)
B. Rbackward, L in place, chasses sideward R
Woman does the opposite.

THE TANGO
The word “Tango” is thought to be African in origin, and denotes a “meeting place” or
“special place”. This does not, mean that Tango itself is of African origin. The Cuban
Habanera, the Spanish Contradanza and the Afro-Argentinian Candombe all influenced the
evolution of Tango, but no dance more than Milonga. Milonga means “party” or “fiesta”.
Ballroom tango originated among the lower classes in Buenos Aires, Argentina during the 19 th
century. It was called baile con corte, a dance with a stop. To produce a more dreamy effect, the
original rhythm was substituted to habanera rhythm, resulting in a dance called Milonga. The
music itself was lively, vivacious and joyful. Although initially popular with the lower classes, by
the turn of the 20th century it gained acceptance among the upper classes. It was introduced in
France at the turn of the century and into England in 1912.

Tango Argentino is a much more intimate style of dance than the modern Tango, and is
well suited to dancing in small settings.

Characteristics:
1. A graceful progressive dance with a basic rhythm of slow-slow-quick-quick-slow
2. The hold is unique, with partners in close contact and “no daylight” between them. The
man’s right arm is farther around the woman and his leftarm closer to the body.
3. It is a staccato dance.

Basic rhythm: Slow Slow Quick Quick Slow

1, 2 3, 4 5 6 7, 8
Or: 1 2 1 and 2

Progressive Walk: Man – Step L forward, step R forward, step L forward (small step), step R
forward (small step), step L
Forward.
Woman does the opposite moving backward.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

When Benny Goodman ‘s swing band gave a concert at the Paramount theater in New
York, in 1937, teenagers went wild and poured into the aisles to “Jitterbug” as the newspaper
called the dance. The craze swept across America. Variations in techniques led to styles such as
Boogie woogie and Swing boogie, with “jive” gradually emerging as the generic that covered
Lindy Hop, Jitterbug and Boogie Woogie dances. Whichever term used in the 1940’s, the music
was Swing. After the Second World War, bands got smaller and the music changed. By the
1950’s, the music was no longer as smooth and polished as Swing but it had huge popular
appeal; this music was Rock ’N’ Roll. From Lindy Hop emerged another style. The Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Rock ‘N’ Roll is an interesting and fascinating dance, sometimes referred to a s Singles
Beat Jive.
1. The man begins all the figures with left foot and the lady with her right.
2. The rhythm for all the basic figures is Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick (2 beats of each “slow”
and 1 beat for each “quick” step.
3. All the steps are taken on the ball of the foot, then on to the flat foot.
4. When taking a “slow” step, sway the body very slightly towards the foot you are
stepping with.

JIVE
The main difference between the Rock ‘N’ Roll and jive is that Jive is danced in what is
called Triple Rhythm while Rock ‘N’ Roll uses “quick a quick” rhythm in place of “Slow” rhythm.
4
The music is written in time, and two different rhythms form its basis;
4

1 – Bar construction; Step Step Jive Chasse

1 2 3a4
Quick QuickQuick a Quick
2 – Bar construction; Step Step Jive Chasse Jive Chasse
1 2 3a4 3a4
Quick Quick Quick a Quick Quick a Quick
FOXTROT
The Foxtrot is a “smooth” dance where the movements are flowing, the weight of the
4
body traveling continuously. It is written in time.
4

There are types of foxtrot. The international (English) quickstep where the figures are
not exceptionally different but are challenging because of the tempo of the music; the
Peabody which is a fast foxtrot; the graceful Roseland foxtrot where the music is played
at a moderate tempo and combines a quick – quick – slow rhythm with frequent use of
the outside position; the slow foxtrot sometimes called “music to hug by”; and the slow
to medium foxtrot which is suited for beginners. The rhythm may be slow – slow – quick
– quick or slow – quick – quick.

Basic Step: Man: Step L forward, Step R forward, step forward on ball of L, step forward
on ball of R.
Woman does the opposite moving backward.

RUMBA
The “international” style Rumba owes an inestimable debt to the Cuban “Guajira”, an
earlier folklore dance, the
name of which points to its rural origin. In the Cuban tradition, the verb rumbiarsimply means to
dance, and “Rumba” is
a generic term that can refer to a variety of dances or even a “dance party. In the Spanish –
speaking world, the Rumba to
which we now refer is often known as the “Bolero – Rumba”. The “Square Rumba” an even
more compact close-hold style
than the current form, first came to prominence in the early 1930’s. By the late 1940’s, as the
style developed in Europe
and the United States, perhaps somewhat – inaccurately called “Cuban Rumba” was beginning
to emerge, with more
figures danced in open hold, enabling a more dynamic approach and greater fluency in the
dance.
The dancer normally makes the actual foot movements only on beat 2, 3, 4, with a
controlled and very slight lateral hip action on beat 1.

Count: 2 3 4-1
Quick Quick Slow
Basic: Man: Step L, Step R in place, step L sideward
Woman does the opposite.

SAMBA
2
The original Brazilian sambas were written in time, but the dance we know today is
4
almost always played in “cut” time with a syncopated pulsing beat. The rhythm consist of three
steps to two counts of music, which many dancers call step – and – cut

Characteristics of the Samba:

 Pendulum motion, where the entire body sways opposite to the feet (step forward, sway
back; step right, sway left and so forth).
 Continuous bending and straightening of the knees, which adds to the samba’s smooth
lifting effect.

Because of the fast tempo, all steps in samba are fairly short.

Basic Steps:
3
Man: Step forward on left foot ( count), nearly close right foot to left foot, taking
4
1
partial weight on the ball of the foot ( count), almost simultaneously closing the left foot to
4
the right foot with a pulling action from the hip (the cut) to take full weight for one count.
Woman does the counterpart.

THE PASO DOBLE

Paso Doble is a Spanish dance and the movements danced by the man are symbolic of
those made by the torero (or matador) in the bullring. The lady represents the cape and her
movements suggest the cape passes made during a bull fight. The music is played in a March
time.

Basic Movement:
Man or Lady: Normally begin with right foot as man and left foot as lady on the first beat
of the bar of music. Dance a series of small steps forward or back (straight or curved either to
Right or Left), changing weight from one foot to the other (on the ball of each foot) with the
knees very slightly relaxed. The steps are taken with pressure into the floor ….. Count 1, 2, 1, 2

MAMBO
The mambo is written in “cut” time with a four-count rhythm corresponding to four
quarter notes. The primary accent is on the second count of the measure, and there is a
secondary accent on the fourth count of the measure. Syncopation is often achieved by typing
an accented note to the following weak note, thereby providing a jerky staccabo effect.
Rhythm: quick quick quick
4 and 1
Characteristics:
 This is similar to cha – cha, except that the triple becomes step – hold.
 Knees are soft and all steps except back steps are on the flat of the floor.
 Weight is held forward on back step and held back on forward steps.

Prepared by:

Mr. Percival L. Cruz

P.E. Instructor