Vocabulary 1-1
a bar that a dancer holds for support when doing ballet exercises
barre
the act of stretching one’s muscles; how far a person can stretch and/or bend
flexibility
Who created jazz dance?
Americans
torso is suspended horizontally in space like the top of a table; the dancer bends forward from the hips at a 90-degree angle; the back is straight and parallel to the floor
flat back
technique used during the execution of various turns; the goal is to attain a constant orientation of the dancer’s head and eyes to enhance control and avoid dizziness
spotting
a reflective surface
mirror
the basic dance steps (for example: kicks, turns, leaps)
fundamental skills
having different styles
eclectic
movement in which you transfer the weight forward and put half of it or more on one leg that advances and bends
lunge
a position of the feet or legs where they are facing the same direction and do not intersect
parallel
the center of the room; when dancers are spread out facing the mirror, they are said to be dancing “in the center”
center
the ability to perform the dance steps with the proper emotion and stage presence
style
Influenced by:
African dances
European step dances
Popular American dances of the time
Jazz music
one of the key elements of Martha Graham’s technique; the forward curving of the spine, starting from the middle spine; uses the exhalation of breath
contraction
an outward rotation of the legs, the action taking place at the hip joints
turned-out
the dancers line up at one side of the room and perform basic skills moving across to the other side; usually 3-4 dancers move at a time, everyone else waits their turn
across the floor
Reaching your arm and body to the side, keeping your chest to the front
side stretch
years started
1920’s and 1930’s
movements that involve only one part of the body while the other parts remain still
isolation
four steps to form a square pattern
jazz square
the first 15-30 minutes of a dance class which focuses on stretching and warming up the muscles as well as strengthening and conditioning the entire body
warm-up
a big kick that is executed with a straight leg and pointed foot
battement
popular on Broadway and in movies when?
the 1940’s and 1950’s
the swinging of the opposite arm to leg
opposition
turn in which the performer’s body rotates about its vertical axis without traveling
pivot