The document outlines a module on rhythm and dance, detailing its objectives, historical context, benefits, and elements. It covers the importance of rhythm in movement, the various types of dance, and the principles and features that characterize dance as an art form. Additionally, it differentiates between locomotor and non-locomotor movements and highlights the significance of dance in cultural expression and physical fitness.

1. PATHFIT 3: RHYTHM
AND DANCE
(MODULE 1)
Prepared by: ALAIZAH B. MACAPASIR
INSTITUTE OF SPORTS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO

2. LESSON OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the module, the students should be able to:
1. Define and explain the meaning of rhythm, rhythmic activities and dance.
2. Appreciate the value and benefits of dance to every individuals.
3. Perform actively the locomotor and non-locomotor movements using the
elements of rhythm.
4. Discuss intelligently the elements of rhythm, language of dance,
characteristics.

3. RHYTHM
Is a term which denotes an aspect of a quality of movement
that is sometimes thought of as dance. When an individual moves in
response to a particular rhythm or music we call the movements as
rhythmic movements or rhythms. Structured forms which start
creative rhythmic movements are called rhythms.
INTRODUCTION:

4. RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES
Rhythmic activities have been taking place for
thousands of years. Rhythmic activities trace back to the
Olympics, with sports such as gymnastics that combined
movement with the use of rhythm. This created a form of
physical expression with strength and ability. Now, rhythmic
activities commonly extend to physical games with elements
of song and dance. Some current examples include jump
rope games, popular dance workouts, like Zumba.

5. RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES
Rhythmic activities are the physical manifestations of
the mental and emotional response of the individual to
rhythm. They are activities which a child responds to
physically, socially, and mentally to regular patterns of
sound. They are also a source of enjoyment for people of all
ages. Through these activities, skills and the sense of
rhythm are acquired and developed, feelings are expressed,
basic principles of time, space and force can be experienced.

6. RHYTHMIC FUNDAMENTALS
In the field of dance, there are certain
fundamental knowledge and rhythmic skills
considered important for proficiency and efficiency
in bodily movements.

7. ELEMENTS OF RHYTHM:
1. BEAT- the underlying pulse of a rhythm.
2. TEMPO- rate of speed of a movement.
3. INTENSITY- variation of stress of movement.
4. PITCH- lowness or highness of a tone.
5. ACCENT- emphasis on certain beats.

8. ELEMENTS OF RHYTH:
6. METER- the regular recurrence of beats which
divides a musical design into measure.
7. PHRASE- measures grouped together.
8. BAR- in music a vertical line across a staff dividing it into
equal measures of time.
9. COUNT- a pulse beat, a time limit.
10. NOTE- a printed symbol of a musical tone.

9. ELEMENTS OF RHYTH:
11. MEASURE- a group of pulse beats.
12. NOTE PATTERS- refers to a note or set of notes
with or without rest used for a certain dance
steps.
13. STEP PATTERN- refers to the movement or
movements done for each of the dance steps.

10. DANCE
Dance provides numerous functions in a society. People experience
dance in different ways and for many different reasons. Most people are
aware of dance as a performing art on stage, screen and media, but
dancing can also be a social activity, a form of physical fitness, or a prime
means of expressing cultural heritage and identity. Historically, dance was
often performed in rituals, worship, social celebrations, and as a means of
entertainment and self-expression. It is said that the first use of dance was
as a gesture in order to communicate. Today, dance is still a part of
traditional events but also as an element of new innovative performing
experiences.

11. MAIN BENEFIT OF DANCE
1. PHYSICAL BENEFIT OF DANCE
• Develops muscular and cardiovascular endurance
• Improves flexibility, coordination, balance and body
composition
• Enables joint mobility
• Help prevent osteoporosis
• Lowers risk of cardiovascular diseases

12. MAIN BENEFIT OF DANCE
2. MENTAL/ EMOTIONAL BENEFIT OF DANCE
• Help keep the brain sharp
• Decreases risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases
• Increase self- esteem and improves body image
• Aids in releasing emotional tension

13. MAIN BENEFIT OF DANCE
3. SOCIAL BENEFIT OF DANCE
• Gives sense of togetherness within a group
• Encourages positive social interaction and
interpersonal relationship in agroup
• Contributes to the individuals potential for self-
actualization in society

14. MAIN BENEFIT OF DANCE
4. CULTURAL BENEFIT OF DANCE
• promotes cultural values
• preserves cultural heritage and traditions

15. LANGUAGE OF DANCE
Dance is a way of knowing and communicating. All
societies use dance to communicate on both personal
and cultural levels and to meet physical and spiritual
needs. Dance, as with all the arts, has its own language.
We need to learn this language in order to fully
understand and appreciate the world of dance.

16. ELEMENTS OF DANCE
1. SPACE
area that the dance performers occupy and where they
move.
• 1.1. DIRECTION - where the body moves. The performers can go
forward, backward, diagonal, circular, sideways and so on.
• 1.2. SIZE - how large or small movements. The movement can
be varied by doing smaller or larger actions.
• 1.3. LEVEL - the vertical distance from the floor. The
movements can be done in a high, medium, and low level.

17. ELEMENTS OF DANCE
• 1.4. FOCUS - where the dancer's eves look as he/she is dancing.
The performers may change their focus by looking at
different directions.
• 1.5. PATHWAYS - patterns we make as we move through the air
or across the floor.
• 1.6. SHAPE - circles, squares, triangles, etc. made with parts of
the body, the whole body, with groups of people, or by
moving through space.

18. ELEMENTS OF DANCE
A. BODILY SHAPES
- it refers to how the entire body is molded in
space or the configuration of body parts. The body can be
rounded angular, or the combination of the two. Other body
shapes can be from wide to narrow and from high to low.
They can be symmetrical and asymmetrical.

19. ELEMENTS OF DANCE
• SYMMETRICAL BODY SHAPES
- balanced shape; movements are practically
identical or similar on both sides.
• ASYMMETRICAL BODY SHAPES
- unbalanced shape; movements of two sides of
the body do not match or are completely different from each
other.

20. ELEMENTS OF DANCE
B. GROUP SHAPES
a group of dancers perform movements in different
group shapes/ they are arrange in ways that are wide,
narrow, rounded, angular, symmetrical, or asymmetrical, and
are viewed together as a total picture or arrangement.

21. ELEMENTS OF DANCE
2. TIME
-duration of the movement. The
movements in timing can be executed in varying
tempo (speed). Performers move with tempo of an
underlying sound known as beat or pulse.

22. ELEMENTS OF DANCE
2.1. BEAT - the ongoing underlying pulse
2.2. TEMPO - how fast or slow the movements
2.3. ACCENT - strong beats that usually occur at regular intervals.
2.4. RHYTHMIC PATTERNS - patterns made by arranging long
and short movement or strong and
light movement.
2.5. DURATION - the length of the time the movement lasts.

23. ELEMENTS OF DANCE
3. ENERGY / FORCE
- how the body uses energy while moving. Movements
are propelled by energy or force. This force can either
initiate or stop an action. The energy can be heavy / light,
sharp / smooth, tensed / relaxed, and bound / flowing.

24. SIX QUALITY OF DANCE ENERGIES
3.1 SUSTAINED - movements are done smoothly, continuously, and
with flow and control. It does not have a clear beginning and
ending.
3.2 PERCUSSIVE - movements are explosive or sharp in contrast with
sustained movements. They are accented with thrust of
energy. They have a clear beginning and
ending.
3.3 VIBRATORY - movements consist of trembling or shaking. A faster
version of percussive movements that produces a jittery

25. SIX QUALITY OF DANCE ENERGIES
3.4 SWINGING - movements trace a curved line or an arc in space. The
movements are relaxed and giving in to
�
gravity on the downward part of the motion, followed by an
upward application of energy.
3.5 SUSPENDED - movements are perched in space or hanging on air. Holding a
raised leg in any direction is an example of suspended
�
movement
3.6 COLLAPSING - movements are released in tension and gradually or abruptly
giving in to gravity, letting the body descend to the floor. A
�
slow collapse can be described as a melting or

26. PRINCIPLES OF DANCE
1. UNITY - the interconnected phrases of the dance are coherent and
flow smoothly together. The movements fit together, and each plays an
important role that contributes to the entirely of the dance.
2. CONTINUITY AND DEVELOPMENT - the structure of the
dance are organized progressively, making each movements phrase
move naturally into the next. There is a continuous development of the
movement phrase and the audience is swept along to the end.

27. PRINCIPLES OF DANCE
3. VARIETY AND CONTRAST- variety and contrast in movement
phrases add excitement and flavor to the dance. Changing the
direction, use of energy, timing of a movement phrase, and avoiding
repeating them in the exact way are ways to add variety to the dance.
4. TRANSITION - this is the link between movements, phrases and
sections of the dance. It makes the logical progression of the dance
�
flow smoothly. Also, it is vital because it keeps the unity and
continuity of the dance.

28. PRINCIPLES OF DANCE
5. REPITITION- some phrases need to be repeated in choreography so that the
audience can see those movements again and identify its significance. Usually,
when a certain phrase or a section of choreography is repeated, it is the main
message of the dance.
6. CLIMAX - this is where the apex of energy in the dance is reached. It is similar
to the climax in a story where a series of events culminates. The climax may be a
fast and enraged blast of energy action, or it could fade away to a gentle and quiet
exit that marks the end of a particular story. The music will often assist both the
choreographer and the audience when determining this point of development.

29. CHARACTERISTICS OF DANCE
1. RHYTHM- - is the magic power of dance. Internally, human are propelled
by the rhythm of physical and mental processes, the heartbeat, the action of the
lungs, and the rhythmic patterns of things seen, heard and stored in the mind.
Externally, nature and daily activities create innumerable rhythmic patterns.
2. COMMUNICATION - formulation and exchanging feelings
and thoughts on a nonverbal level. Communication through dance is
not music driven but rather body and soul driven. Dance involves the
entire body, and the body can be a powerful agent of communication.

30. CHARACTERISTICS OF DANCE
3. FORMS- are the patterns interwoven by the dancers, singly or in groups as
they move through a dance sequence. The form of a dance determines the way it is
organized. This is similar to the way musical forms like the suite, symphony or
concerto shape their overall contour or identity.
4. MOVEMENTS - is the medium and the Body is the instrument. Human's
experiences express themselves toward life activity through movement. Movement
is the essence of life and dance. The components / elements of movement are:
Style, Tempo, Space and Direction.

31. CHARACTERISTICS OF DANCE
5. MUSIC- is the twin sister of dance, is intimately related to
movement in dance. It is the musical compositions that
accompany the performance of a dance. Music is an essential
part of a dance as a dancer movement and steps are executed
to suit the rhythm or tempo of the musical arrangement.

32. FEATURES OF DANCE
1. THEME- is generally known as the main idea or main ingredient
of the dance or the message which the dance is trying to convey /
portray.
2. DESIGN - refers to the planned organization or arrangement of
movements according to patterns in time and in space. It is
patterned in time as it groups together the accented beats and the
unaccented beats of movements into measures as provided by the
rhythm.

33. FEATURES OF DANCE
3. MOVEMENT- it refers to action of dances with the use of their
bodies to create organized patterns. Body movement is divided into
three: the steps, the gestures of the arms and hands, and the facial
expression.
4. TECHNIQUE - basically the skill of executing a movement. As
a dancer, one needs to have a complete control over the muscles of
his body for him to be said technically proficient.

34. FEATURES OF DANCE
5. MUSIC- -t plays significant role of the dance. It is used as
accompaniment that somehow motivates the dancer's movement.
6. COSTUME AND PROPERTIES - these contribute to the
visual effect of the dance. It is the planned costume and properties or
accessories used by the dancers, and an important contributing factor
to the dance in bringing the dance to life and reality.

35. FEATURES OF DANCE
7. CHOREOGRAPHY- is the holistic technical arrangement or
organization of the dance. It synthesizes together the movements,
steps, stage management, musical scoring, and the theme of the
dance to bring a clearer view or message of the dance.
8. SCENERY - is the setting of the dance o serves as the
background of the dance to make it more artistic and realistic.

36. KINDS / TYPES OF DANCE
1. FOLK DANCE- - traditional dances handed down from
generation to generation depicting the way of life (culture/ traditions)
of the people
2. CULTURAL / ETHNIC DANCES - it reflect the peculiar
characteristics of a specific tribes specially their cultural, religious,
racial and traditional similarities. The dances found commonly
among the IP's of the hinterlands. Although the movement patterns
are not specific, this dance is seldom classified as a folkdance.

37. KINDS / TYPES OF DANCE
3. NATIONAL DANCE- this refers to the types of folkdance
found most widely done in a specific country.
4. POPULAR DANCE - the dance craze of a given time showing
the prowess or expertise of a dancer for a cause.

38. KINDS / TYPES OF DANCE
5. MODERN DANCE/ INTERPRETATIVE DANCE (THEATRICAL
DANCE) CREATIVE DANCE- the highest level form of all dances.
Theatrical dances are performed in a certain place or on stage which
are usually intended for entertainment and educational purposes,
such as the modern ballet, neo-classical ballet or opera.
6. JAZZ - a dance with a bit of innovations. Its basic routines are
usually a combination of popular dance and ballet.

39. KINDS / TYPES OF DANCE
7. NATURAL DANCE- - Refers to a type of dance, which makes use
of a basic locomotor and axial movements.
8. CLASSIC BALLET - the base of all dances. It's the ultimate expression of
art in dance which originated in the royal courts during the middle ages. The term
ballet refers to series of solo and converted dances with poses and steps combined
with light flowing figures, music accompaniment and expressive scenic
accessories of a dramatic atmosphere. Usually a ballet includes staging, scenery,
costumes dancing and music; but no singing and dialogue.

40. KINDS / TYPES OF DANCE
9. GYMNASTICS DANCE- this form of dance appeals to the
more skillful performers specially the boys because of the stunt elements
present.
10. SOCIAL / BALLROOM DANCES - these are popular type of dancing
for pleasure as generally performed by pairs or group of people following a
definite step or pattern. Most of these have specific rhythms and coordinated
with the movements and steps of the body, hand, foot and head. Basically for
self-satisfaction or socializing purposes.

41. LOCOMOTOR AND NON- LOCOMOTOR
LOCOMOTOR- Movement that travels through space and
usually requires the transfer of weight from one foot to rhe other.
(ex. Walk, skip, gallop, run, slide, leap)

42. LOCOMOTOR AND NON- LOCOMOTOR
NON- LOCOMOTOR- Movement does not travel through
space.
(ex. bend, stretch, twist, turn, swing, sway, push, pull, rise, fall and
dodge)