Dance Steps Research Articles

RESHAPING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY IN RELATION TO CHANGES IN THE CODE OF POINTS

The current paper aims to highlight changes in the Code of Points over the last 15 years from the perspective of the Difficulty criterion, with an impact on the development trends in rhythmic gymnastics worldwide. The outcome of this study relates to finding significant quantitative and qualitative cues in order to prepare subsequent training and competition models for the Romanian gymnasts. The main research methods used were: literature review, video analysis and observation, as well as graphical representation. The successive editions of the FIG Code of Points have undergone significant changes since 2013, creating a balance between body difficulty and apparatus difficulty. The present Code of Points places emphasis on the Difficulty criterion, for which the 10-point limit has been eliminated. The apparatus difficulty elements have also been redefined and the values of deductions for technical faults have been substantially increased. This set of provisions impacts the way in which body difficulty, dance steps combination, apparatus difficulty and dynamic elements with rotation are inserted in the routines from both a numerical and value standpoint. As a conclusion, in order to build a strategy to improve the performance of Romanian gymnasts in international competitions, a careful analysis of the exercises performed in large-scale competitions is required. The data extracted and interpreted can represent an important resource of information through which technicians can analyse the new trends in this sport and adapt the provisions of the FIG Code of Points so that the potential of each gymnast can be maximally exploited.

Gazes from the South: The Tchiloli and the Work of René Tavares

Gazes from the South: The Tchiloli and the Work of René Tavares

Tradução e comentário de excerto da obra Symposiaká/Quaestiones Convivales de Plutarco: Questão XV - Livro IX

Neste trabalho é traduzido e comentado um trecho do livro Symposiaká de Plutarco, especificamente a questão 15 do livro 9 da referida nota. No texto são abordados três conceitos chaves para a teorização da dança nesta época, a saber, levada (φορά-passo de dança), afiguração (σχῆμα-disposição coreográfica do corpo) e parte indicativa (δεῖξις-apontar seres ou objetos em cena). Discute-se na introdução o escopo de sentidos de cada um desses termos, assim como a analogia e comparação encetadas por Plutarco entre dança e poesia. O texto não deixa de evocar a pantomima, embora não nominalmente referenciada; dessa forma, é uma das fontes sobre essa dança de caráter dramático na Antiguidade. Na tradução, busco evidenciar o jogo buscado entre esses conceitos, o que gera, por um lado, um certo estranhamento e, por outro, um esforço maior de reflexão e interpretação por parte do leitor.

Features of the Spanish Choreography of the 15–18th Centuries

Relevance of the study. The Spanish dance tradition is an integral part of the pan-European choreographic culture. Its research expands the comprehension of the theoretical foundations of the dance art, its history and assists in the practical work of studying and reproducing the dances of the past.The aim of the article is to determine what the Spanish choreography of the 15–18th centuries was by nature of.Research Methodology. The research is carried out by studying and analyzing existing books with the descriptions of the early dances and the contemporary analytical articles.Results. The article studies and characterizes all the currently known primary sources of Spanish choreography of the given period, analyzes the dance forms and movements, as well as the main types and styles of Spanish dance. Their social significance is defined. The general rules that characterize the performance of aristocratic dances are described. Common and distinctive features of the Spanish and Italian dance steps are analyzed. The list of the most mentioned dances of the given period and those occurring in one of the original sources is analyzed and presented. The features of movement performance in the Spanish dances are identified. The paper describes the common and distinctive characteristic features of the Spanish choreography with the dance traditions of other countries in Europe of the given period.Novelty. The author attempts to summarize the current information about the Spanish choreography of the 15–18th centuries, which forms the basis for further development of the research and methodological framework in the field of choreography.The practical significance. The research can contribute to provide the theoretical basis for restoring the choreographic heritage of the past.

Vertical ground reaction force while performing an Indian classical dance, ldquo;Bharatanatyamrdquo;- A biomechanical study comparing three different surfaces

Introduction: Surface hardness of the dance floor has been implicated as a cause of repetitive strain injuries.The study aims to determine the peak ground reaction forces(GRF) on three different surfaces Wood (WD), Granite (GR) and Rubberised Polyvinyl (PV) Flooring) while performing Bharatanatyam. Methods: Five pre professional dancers performed dance step [Tatta Adavu] and a jump over three different surfaces fixed over two identical force plates. The Peak GRF forces during the dance step from the right lower limb was acquired. Analysis was done with one-way ANOVA for three independent groups p-value (0.05). Conclusion: A non-resilient surface and an elastic surface both produce higher impact forces while performing dance steps. Hence, selecting an ideal surface for dance is imperative to avoid injuries.

Dancing Revolution: Bodies, Space, and Sound in American Cultural History by Christopher J. Smith

Reviewed by: Dancing Revolution: Bodies, Space, and Sound in American Cultural History by Christopher J. Smith M. Alison Kibler Dancing Revolution: Bodies, Space, and Sound in American Cultural History. By Christopher J. Smith. Music in American Life. (Urbana and other cities: University of Illinois Press, 2019. Pp xiv, 255. Paper, $27.95, ISBN 978-0252-08418-8; cloth, $110.00, ISBN 978-0-252-04239-3.) In this ambitious study Christopher J. Smith traces more than two hundred years of street music and dance in the United States, from the public performances of the First Great Awakening to Josephine Baker's banana dance (1926) and the dances in the Marx Brothers' A Day at the Races (1937) and beyond. This "participatory dance culture" was political (p. 2). Through unregulated movement, ordinary people temporarily reclaimed public space, challenged European norms of bodily movement, and expressed "resistance to dominant control" (p. 13). Sometimes the "'rough dance'" was part of political protest; other times it was performed at a festival, a religious event, or a dance hall (p. 32). Running through these different settings was the distinctive "akimbo" style: "to dance with bent arms or twisted torso" to a syncopated rhythm (p. 32). The style grew out of the mixing of races and nationalities in the United States, particularly the transatlantic encounters of Africans and Europeans. Smith's work pushes the boundaries of cultural history and canons of dance to include street dance and encourages readers to see the political significance of dance throughout the history of the United States. Resistance through dance took many different forms. For example, in eighteenth-century New Orleans, black and white people danced together despite official segregation. The Native American Ghost Dance spread across the northern Great Plains in the late nineteenth century as resistance to poor living conditions on reservations and changes to reservation policy. Lakota leaders refused to end the Ghost Dance, despite fearful white people's demands. White misunderstanding of the meaning of the dance played a role in the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890. In the twentieth century, the distortions, crossed eyes, and bent knees and arms of Josephine Baker, who became a civil rights activist, were acts of "self-liberation" (p. 100). These examples of resistance clearly diverge. Some dancers broke the law; in other cases, the rough dancing does not seem to have attracted the attention of lawmakers at all. Some dancers risked extreme violence, while some dancers' transgressions were the basis of global stardom. Some dances were solos; other dances involved groups. Smith's approach, however, tends to flatten out difference by asserting that all examples are instances of "subaltern resistance" (p. 3). More detailed analysis would help readers understand the significance of different styles and contexts for reaching particular goals. Smith theorizes that dances that do not enact permanent change are still worthy of analysis as [End Page 680] "subaltern tactics" (p. 57). Yet Smith's series of case studies invites the question: Which dances were effective protests? The sheer variety of dances included here has some advantages, such as showing how contexts of racial mixing shaped dance over a long period, but it also has drawbacks. Some case studies seem out of place. Smith offers a detailed reading of the blackface minstrelsy in Spike Lee's Bamboozled (2000), comparing it with dance in Malcolm X's Autobiography (1965) because both demonstrate "dance-based cross-racial attraction," but Smith does not explore the distinct contexts and audiences for these texts (p. 103). Other examples also lack detail. While Smith breaks down the dance steps of the Lindy Hop in conjunction with musical lyrics and a tin whistle in A Day at the Races, his discussion of Malcom X's dancing lacks detail. He notes that Malcolm X's balletic white partner drew attention to the duo, but Smith does not describe how their contrasting styles might have worked together. In addition, although Smith considers sexual objectification in Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" (1992), he does not draw this layer of gendered analysis into his discussion of Josephine Baker. For the most part, this cultural history presents dance as simply resistance, not as a contradictory practice...

Segmentation of An Indian Classical Dance Videos using Different Segmentation Methods.

Video to frame conversion features are retrieved to categorize the actions in an Indian classical dance video dataset. The goal is to design an automatic machine learning model that identifies the moves of a dancer in a video. A video is a collection of images of specific movements, hence, features representing shapes and color can be used to interpret the dance steps. Image segmentation based features are capable of representing the shape in varying background conditions. Segmentation has become an important objective in image analysis and computer vision. To segment the images, edge detection, thresholding and region of interest are taken for this study. The proposed system performance is analyzed for total number of 50 different movements taken from Indian classicaldances.Bharatanatyam,Kathak,Kuchipudi,Manipuri,Mohiniytam Odissi,Kathakali and Satrriya in different background conditions.

Partners in a changing dance: embedding academic literacies in unit and course curricula

This paper presents a two-part case study that used the seminal Lea and Street (1998) paper on academic literacies to inform ways of working collaboratively with a range of partners on embedding the development of academic literacies in course curricula. The two projects that make up the case study were funded by an Australian Government response to a greater linguistic, social and cultural diversity of students enrolling in Australian universities (Australian Commonwealth Government, 2009a). Both projects focused on the development of curricula in selected professional courses in order to increase students’ awareness of the requirements of their chosen discipline, and ensure that they acquire the academic literacies needed to succeed in their area of study. What differed is the combinations of project partners and the nature of the partnerships. The case study presents the collaborative work of numerous project partners including Language and Learning Advisers (LLAs) and Subject Lecturers (SLs) in first identifying and defining academic literacies relevant to each course, and then implementing different teaching and learning practices to integrate the development of academic literacies in course curricula. Using the analogy of an ever-changing dance, the paper suggests that the degree of success and the sustainability of curriculum renewal projects depends on numerous interrelated factors, and that it may not be possible to enact academic literacy development by following set dance steps. Awareness, sensitivity and flexibility are important in bringing the dance to life.

Real Time Trainer with Kinect

The present paper is related to a Real Time Trainer which trains in dance exercise by using Kinect. The paper comprises a trainer system and a user. The trainer system is trained in advance and keep the recorded data, by a good dance person, which help the user to lean dance steps correctly. In this paper, we design a Kinect-based training. The system consists of an analysation tool which compare the recorded or reference data with the user data and generates a report accordingly. Any mismatch will be displayed to the user, therefore he/she can correct the step or start the exercise from initial step. The assessment method enables the evaluation of resemblance check of dancing postures and also identifies the time difference or lag/lead between the movement of tutor and the time of action of the user.

A poststructuralist-informed inclusive masculinity theory (PS-IMT): developing IMT to account for complexities in masculinities, using learning to dance Latin and ballroom as an example

ABSTRACT Inclusive Masculinity Theory (IMT) offers an important framework for conceptualizing masculinities within cultures characterized by declining homophobia. But the framework faces several challenges when it theorizes masculinities as relatively stable sets of attitudes and behaviours in the context of complex and dynamic contemporary gender practices and identifications. Offering a solution through a poststructuralist-informed IMT (PS-IMT), we reconceptualize orthodox and inclusive masculinities as discourses that produce subject positions, which may require individuals to work on themselves (‘technologies of self’) to inhabit. Applying PS-IMT to data from a four-year ethnography with young men in a Latin and ballroom UK university dance society, an analysis of the problematic of ‘stiff hips’ is playfully presented as a set of dance steps. Step one shows stiff hip movements embodying orthodox masculinity; step two, an entanglement of orthodox and inclusive masculinities as participants work to loosen their hip movement, enabling immersion in inclusive masculinity in step three; while step four evidenced a reframing of fluid hip movements into a new form of orthodox masculinity. Through these steps we chart complex, dynamic shifts across the fault lines of orthodox and inclusive masculinities, illustrating how PS-IMT offers important directions for masculinities research.

Steps to Inclusion—Dance Steps That Is!

ABSTRACTIndividuals with disabilities should have access to the same life and leisure opportunities as their typically developing peers. Dance is a lifelong pastime that can bring joy to everyone. In this article, we provide an overview of our dance class, including implementation and evaluation strategies, to show how we made dance accessible to students with exceptional needs. We also relay the proactive strategies we used, and our collaborative venture with all stakeholders as part of setting up our dance environment that was geared to help all of our students reach their maximum potential.

Meter, prosody and performance: evidence from the Faroese ballads

AbstractIn this paper, I argue that the folk ballad tradition of the Faroe Islands, to date never examined in detail by metrists, offers substantial empirical support for the necessity of maintaining the classic metrical template, as well as the distinction between metrical and prosodic structure: meter is an abstraction which can neither be collapsed into phonology, nor fundamentally detached from it (Kiparsky 2006, Blumenfeld 2015,paceHayes & MacEachern 1998, Fabb & Halle 2008). The ballad performances also reveal a unidirectional correspondence from strong metrical positions to strong dance steps and strong musical beats, indicating that metrical prominence plays a significant role in determining rhythm. The Faroese tradition thus provides a window into the relation between metrical structure and performance. In support of my conclusions I draw upon both the ballad texts and audio-visual recordings of sections of sample ballads I made on the Faroe Islands.

Análisis del movimiento en relación con la estructura musical del fondu y del double fondu a 45º

En este artículo se establece el análisis del movimiento de los pasos de la danza académica fondu y double fondu a 45º en compás binario y ternario. Se exponen las diversas dinámicas posibles para concluir con el adecuado acompañamiento musical durante su ejecución y la coordinación final para su realización a 45º.

Move Still: The Effects of Implied and Real Motion on the Duration Estimates of Dance Steps.

It has been argued that movement can be implied by static cues of images depicting an instance of a dynamic event. Instances of implied motion have been investigated as a special type of stimulus with common processing mechanisms to those of real motion. Timing studies have reported a lengthening of the perceived time for moving as opposed to static stimuli and for stimuli of higher as compared to lower amounts of implied motion. However, the actual comparison of real versus implied motion on timing has never been investigated. In the present study, we compared directly the effect of two hypothetically analogous ballet steps with different amounts of movement and static instances of the dynamic peak of these events in a reproduction task. The analysis revealed an overestimation and lower response variability for real as compared to implied motion stimuli. These findings replicate and extend the apparent duration lengthening for moving as compared to static stimulation, even for static images containing implied motion, questioning whether or not the previously reported correspondence between real and implied motion transfers in the timing domain. This lack of correspondence was further supported by the finding that the amount of movement presented affected only displays of real motion.

Movement Analysis of Philippine Folk Dance Itik-itik

The purpose of the study was to describe and analyze the dance movements of the Philippine folk dance Itik-itik. The researchers adopted the movement analysis method similar to that of Mackenzie that involves the (1) description of the actual movements which occur at the joints involved; (2) the plane in which the movement occurs; and (3) the muscles producing the movement (agonist & antagonist). In addition, similar to the study of Martin and Miller, the researchers also had done a mechanical analysis on the lever type involved in the execution of the dance movement in terms of force, axis, and resistance. Results revealed that the prominent dance steps in the Philippine local dance Itik-itik are the (1) running, (2) cross step, slide close, slide close step, (3) heel, close-ball, close arm, (4) step, slide-close, slide, (5) arms extension/flexion, and (6) flapping of the arms. The joints involved are the shoulder and hip muscle which are ball and socket type of joints; and elbow, knee and ankle which are hinge joints. The major muscles involved in the dance for the lower body include the quadriceps, hamstring muscle group, adductor muscle group, calves and gluts. While for the upper body muscles involved are the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, deltoid, trapezius, biceps, and triceps muscles. The type of lever used in performing the dance comprise majority of 1st class and 3rd class levers. By knowing the muscles involved in the dance the dance teacher may be able to devise activities to gradually prepare the prime mover muscles before the actual execution for injury prevention. Thus, the movements in the dance may improve the health and skill related fitness of the performers.

Movement Analysis of Philippine Folk Dance Tinikling

The purpose of the study was to describe the dance movements of the folk dance Tinikling which is the most popular traditional dance and former national dance of the Philippines. The researchers adopted the movement analysis method similar to that of Mackenzie that involves the (1) description of the actual movements which occur at the joints involved; (2) the plane in which the movement occurs; and (3) the muscles producing the movement (agonist & antagonist). In addition, the researchers also had done a mechanical analysis on the lever type involved in the execution of the dance movement in terms of force, axis, and resistance. The prominent dance steps in the Philippine local dance Tinikling are the (1) running, (2) tinikling steps, (3) diagonal step, and (4) straddle jump with a turn step. The joints involved are: hip muscle which is ball and socket type of joint; and knee and ankle which are hinge joints. The major muscles involved in the dance include mostly the lower body muscle groups such as the quadriceps, hamstring, gluts, adductor muscle group, and calves. The type of lever used in performing the dance comprise majority of 1st, 2nd and 3rd class levers. Thus, the Tinikling is a viable dance which could improve the health related fitness of the performers in terms of muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility. Also, the dance could improve skill-related fitness such as power, agility, balance and coordination.

The Steps of the Dance

The Steps of the Dance

Research on How to Strengthen College Students’ Mastering of Skill Elements of Line Dance

Line dance is an international sport which brings physical and mental pleasure by repeating fixed steps accompanied by music. It takes music as its core and shows the multi-cultural charm of folk dances of different countries around the world through the combination and cycle of dance steps with different styles. Line dance is a new type of sports dance. It is still in the initial stage in sports teaching of colleges and universities. Therefore, in this paper college students’ physical, musical and psychological qualities are improved through an experiment, which further shows that college students’ mastering of skills of line dance has positive significance.

The correction of motor disorders by special physical exercises in patients with the late cerebellar ataxia

The selection of special physical exercises for patients with late cerebellar ataxia based on the biomechanics of balance and gait and evaluation of the clinical effect of therapy. Twelve male patients with the diagnosis of late cerebellar ataxia were included in the study. The mean age was 49.33±8.80 years. The daily program of therapeutic exercises included training lessons with the exercise physician. The duration of training lessons was 25-30 minutes every day besides the independent task-repetitions 5-6 times a day during 12 days. To evaluate a clinical effect, the Scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) was administered before the lessons and on the 12-th day of therapy. The authors developed the program of physical exercises for patients with late cerebellar ataxia based on the feeling of body weight and consecutive movements of the sole that were taken from techniques of classical dance steps. After 12 days of training, the total scores on SARA decreased (12.75±4.47 vs. 9.00±4.81, p<0.01) due to the decrease in the scores of gait (3.41±1.16 vs. 2.25±0.86, p<0.01) and stance (2.67±0.98 vs. 1.42±1.08, p<0.01). Therefore, special physical exercises are a necessary component of the therapy of late cerebellar ataxia.

A STUDY OF THE DINAKA PIPE DANCE OF THE PEDI PEOPLE IN SOUTH AFRICA

This article provides a description and musical analysis of the Pedi genre known as dinaka, as it is currently practised (2016) in the rural areas throughout the Limpopo province. The role of this music is examined along with the implications of learning and performing it as a cultural outsider. The construction, methods of tuning, and playing techniques of the pipes, drums, and other instruments associated with dinaka are discussed. The form and structure of the music are interpreted as well as the idioms of rhythm, melody, and dance repertoire which imbue the genre with a distinct sound. Common methods for creating improvisational variations among the instrumental and dance parts are explained. The connection of dinaka to styles of Pedi vocal music is examined along with the proverbial meanings of the songs with which these melodies and rhythms are associated. Transcriptions of the dance steps, pipe melodies and drum rhythms have been developed to provide a visual representation of the music. The aim is to provide a resource from which one can study and understand the many aspects of dinaka.