🤔 SO WHAT MAKES DANCE, DANCE? 🤔
You dance? Maybe you’re into dance yet you don’t know what makes dance dance!
You see, dance is movin’ your body in a rhythmic way. You could be groovin’ to music within a given space to express your passion, exercise for fitness, or just have fun and that’d qualify as dance. Everybody’s goals in dancing are diverse.
Got that? So you know, just swaying your hips to that one Doja Cat song IS dance. That one tito in a party boppin to Touch by Touch IS dance. And filming HOPE Scaffolding Tasks in your room IS dance!
But like everything else, dance is made up of some elements that constitute for what it is. These elements are the foundation of dance. They’re important to understand because as✨ dancerists✨, we gotta appreciate dance as an artistic practice!!
The acronym BASTE will help us remember these elements.
Body
Action
Space
Time
Energy
You will find that these dance elements are ALWAYS present in all dance experiences. The acronym is a technique in discussing any forms of movement – jazz, ballet, tap dance, you name it!
Going back to BASTE, let’s dive into the meaning of each letter.
Body
In BASTE, the body is recognized as a shape or as a figure of movement that others see.
Most times, the body is constantly shifting shape and form as the dancer does different moves. Specific parts of the body may be emphasized in dancing. Tap dance is a great example! The feet take a huge part in the choreography so it takes almost all of the spotlight.
Sometimes, the dancer may use their whole body all at once. In this case, great movement is exerted!
Action
Lights, camera, action!
True, the term ‘action’ is quite broad. Even in dance, it encompasses a wide variety. But it can be narrowed down to the following:
1. Dance steps
This one is perhaps the most obvious. It being the main show of the performance, dance steps make up the choreography.
E.g. basic jazz dance steps like star jump
2. Facial movements
Facial movements and the emotion it expresses brings a lot of character to dance.
E.g. smiling can indicate joy
3. Partner lifts
Ever watched a dance performance where the guy suddenly lifts his partner up so gracefully? It’s jaw-dropping! Partner lifts are commonly found in ballroom dancing and swing dance.
4. Gestures
Gesture is action. Think about the everyday gestures you do when communicating. They can be incorporated to dance as well!
E.g. shaking your head ‘no’
5. Everyday movements
Just like gestures, everyday movements like walking can be included in the choreography too. It may not be much, but every small ACTION is what makes up DANCE!
Space
Who says dance should be boring? Dancers always keep their audience interested.
How, you ask?
Well, they make great use of their space. But that doesn’t mean they always have to utilize all four corners of a room! Dancers can stay in one place. Dancing in a small, constricted place can convey emotions of loneliness or abandonment. So, the space can reflect the meaning that the dancer wishes to impart.
On the other hand, dancers may travel from one place to another. They could alter the direction, level, size, and pathways of their movements. All in all, it is up to the dancer’s discretion on how they want to make use of space!
Time
When? Kailan?
Dancing requires naturally rhythmic patterns. Dancers would therefore need to alternate activity and rest to pace their breathing.
Natural rhythms like breath and waves allow dancers to keep a good tempo!
Energy
Exerting energy varies in the effort put in. It varies in the flow of movement, use of force, tension, and weight. It doesn’t stop there though, cause movement can also be powerful or gentle, tight or loose, heavy or light.
Stepping into position can be with sharp and percussive or with light, flowing ease.
Either way, energy exerted to the choreography may happen is easily observable and can reflect emotions and meaning just like how the element of space does!
That wraps up dance and its elements! Now, I challenge you this: the next time you’re going to dance, think about how your choreography applies BASTE: Body, Action, Space, Time, Energy.
So, always remember the acronym BASTE to really master and appreciate the majestic art of dance.
BASTA pag ‘BASTE’, ma-mASTEr na ang dance elements!
(and that’s on periodt 💅)
Thank you for reading!
By
Andy Ascue
Carol Yap
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