The understanding of musicality and musical phrasing is an essential part of being a successful dancer, teacher, and educator. Not likely. 6000 S. Eastern Ave. Suite J-14, Las Vegas, NV 89119 Here’s how to dance a conversational Waltz. Dance - Dance - The three-phase choreographic process: The choreographic process may be divided for analytical purposes (the divisions are never distinct in practice) into three phases: gathering together the movement material, developing movements into dance phrases, and creating the final structure of the work. Seems like there’s about as much cellophane as there is candy! These numbers indicate the phrase, bar, and beat (phrase . It is a valuable part of their dance education experience! If there is a weakness, imposing a new complex movement into the mix may create injury. In musical terms, the downbeat and upbeat are quarter note rhythms: they take up a quarter of a measure, which is the division used in musical scores. It may not be how you actually play in a live playing situation, but it will help you practice combining phrasing and space. It is a common trap that one’s singing is affected by their speech pattern/accent. Students must learn how to perform as part of a duet/trio dance. As discussed earlier, audible changes typically occur every 32 beats. You know, like those Starlight Peppermints? SPANISH: Uno / Dos / Tres / Cuatro / Cinco / Seis / Siete / Ocho, FRENCH: Un / Deux / Trois / Quatre / Cinq / Six / Sept / Huit, ITALIAN: Uno / De / Tre / Quattro / Cinque / Sei / Sette / Otto. Don’t approach this text as you would read it. Dance is indeed not confined to simply a component of the performing arts even though that in and of itself is a method of communication. I have always preached that “long notes grow,” (grow louder, grow softer, grow in resonance) but over time I thought of another way to say the same thing, and I believe my choirs find this one more “sticky.” WHOLE NOTES ARE LIKE POTATOES. The Modern Waltz uses 3/4 timing, or three beats to every bar of music. Filling? One could visualize this type of singing by imagining several individually-wrapped candies in a row. I am a “barbershopper,” and this term was first presented to me by David Calland, director of The Alliance Chorus. This is how I like to visualize a phrase: The candy factory made a plan to keep all the Smarties together in one line, and you singers can do the same with their phrases. We will open a class with round robin style counting exercises. (123, 123, etc) That’s the rate at which the quavers sound. There. Three four-bar phrases in Mozart’s Piano Sonata in F, K. 332 . Bigger potatoes can be topped by themselves. By singlish, David meant the following: when we sing, we are presenting a stream of sounds that are each decoded in sequence to the audience’s ears as language. I find my choirs in Ohio have difficulty singing in English – they produce flat, spread vowels and turn diphthongs too quickly. 3. I could easily and proficiently count music, read music, and identify an upbeat or downbeat. P: 702.932.5585 - F: 702.932.5584, Working from home? Dance Advantage noted that mouths, jaws and eyes can all show authentic emotion or a lack of connection. When you learned WCS, you learned to distinguish downbeats and upbeats.. And so, it goes with whole notes (big Russet potatoes), half notes (smaller, red-skinned potatoes) or even strings of quarter notes (fingerling potatoes). hether you’re a beginner or an advanced dancer, having good stability and balance enables you to move through your motions more quickly and fluidly. Lay out 10 or 12 of those in a row so that they touch only at the edges of the twisted cellophane that represent consonants and/or the pulsing of airflow (different singers create different issues this way). Dance Phrasing Teacher Resources. Since we set our “Bars per Phrase” to 8 bars, the phrase will increase by 1 every 8 bars. activity for all ages/levels. In this video, we learn how to focus on milonga basic rhythm & phrasing in tango. To notate the phrases, we clap or march and say the counts out loud. I will teach a brief segment of choreography (8 or 16 counts), and we will practice executing it at different speeds: It is important that students understand the process of counts and the ability to manipulate speed and tempo. Let’s take a look and a listen to how Charlie Parker approaches phrasing and space in his solo on Blues For Alice. Your students need to exercise the same level of control of their facial expressions while dancing that they do over the rest of their bodies. Try an exercise where you play a two bar phrase over a jazz standard and then rest for the next two. No salt, no butter, no cheese or sour cream. It is a strange and trying time for all of us in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of this year, I have found three ways to improve my choirs’ phrasing. And if the choir forgets? Significantly, dance plays a bigger role in communication; it is communication through physical movements not reliant on vocal elements and sounds. While it looks easy, your base of support constantly changes when you’re dancing—whether you’re standing en relevé or en arabesque penché. Why do I say this? We’re not singing in ENGLISH, folks… we’re singing in singlish. ver the course of this year, I have found three ways to improve my choirs’ phrasing. We at Choral Director wish nothing but the best for you, your school, your family and co-workers. This causes a choppy sound, undermines syllable stress, and robs the phrase of a connected line. Singlish is like the meticulously-planned, black-tie, super-polished, top-shelf version of English. Just imagine it now – a boiled potato with nothing on it. Singlish not only sounds great, it forces the singer to consider what word sounds land where (and have what duration) in the rhythmic grid of time. Garnish your potatoes with crescendi, decrescendi, tone color, vibrato, you name it! Each phrase has a beginning, middle, and end. Please Click Here to Support Choral Director! She is also a dance instructor with over 20 years experience teaching in dance studios, community programs, and colleges. phrase. To understand how phrasing applies to dancing we want to look at the music. First off, a whole note looks like a potato. Waltz also has phrasing, yet many people ignore it or don’t understand it. Phrasing your dance to the music. The quality of this art, therefore, necessarily depends on the physical qualities and skills that dancers possess. Some of us hear this term applied to dancing but what is it and how does phrasing make my dancing better. Take the time to review rhythm. Pay attention to the music as you are dancing and stay close to your partner as you are dancing. Identifying Musical Phrases. Use your pattern to focus on the strong beats and dance to the rhythm. Now picture a pack of Smarties. I’m not sure he came up with it, but it resonated with me. In dance, counts are the road map to success. Action-packed settings... Get Free Access See Review. 2. The stronger and more flexible a dancer’s body, the more capable it is of a wide range of movement. In order to improve, your training sessions should increase in intensity, length and/or frequency over time. We’re not singing in ENGLISH, we’re singing in singlish. Having a specific goal will motivate you to get better quickly. The goal in choral singing is to create a vocal line that has connection and shape. Therefore, S-AW-EE-T(ih) would process to “sight.” This is essentially what Fred Waring did with his “tone syllables.” I first remember seeing the strange transcriptions of these syllables in high school, wondering why we needed help pronouncing words IN ENGLISH that we already knew how to pronounce! No nothing. Phrasing, tempo, and rhythm are concepts that require detailed explanation and practice in execution and understanding in all styles of dance. Have a goal. No bacon. By avoiding unnecessary tension and gripping the muscles for a week, you will improve your ability to dance. This is why I say, “You don’t sing like you talk, and you don’t dance like you walk.”. Now, as a teacher, I notice that many students, across varying ages and skill levels, struggle with the musical components of dance instruction. 1 In 1 Collection Lesson Planet. Find Dance Phrasing lesson plans and worksheets. Musicality in dance has two main components. In order to help break free of the gravity of speaking habits, the mindset of, We’re not singing in ENGLISH, we’re singing in, The cellophane twist at the beginning = the breath/attack, The minuscule spaces between the Smarties = consonants, The cellophane “tube” that holds it all together = constant, spinning breath. Here’s a fun Classroom Activity- teaching your students to count to 8 in different languages! Students will take turns finding an 8-count of phrasing in the music, and they will “pass” the phrase onto another dancer who will work to continue the phrasing and counting of the particular music. Smaller potatoes get seasoned all together as a group. Ask your dance instructor about other types of dance offered at your studio, that you haven’t tried before. We hope you continue to remain healthy during this most strenuous of times. Feel it as going ‘and, one’ with the ‘and’ co-inciding with the metronome click. The understanding of musicality and musical phrasing is an essential part of being a successful dancer, teacher, and educator. Build, in a linear fashion, a stream of sounds that is beautiful to hear. Hip hop dance tutorial for beginners on how to do 3 simple dance moves. Using it effectively can dramatically improve the way you dance. Take the time to review rhythm. Switch to the DIGITAL edition of. Here are our 10 favorite idioms, phrases, and expressions related to dancing in the English language. In order to help break free of the gravity of speaking habits, the mindset of singlish is invaluable. Coffee + Creativity: Does Everybody Know Your Name? The soul is a … Instead, dissect it into parts and then string together the appropriate singing version of those parts. This will make your students more adaptable as they work with other teachers and instructors. Lift your eyebrows a little—like you would when you’re having an interesting conversation with someone. A lot of singers sing note-to-note, giving each note a beginning/ middle/ end. Dancers looking to improve their jumps through plyometrics need to be extremely careful. From allowing your enthusiasm for dance to shine through, to taking in your surroundings, check out our tips to help improve your facial expressions: Relax your jaw and your tongue inside your mouth. Find the one in your dance and have a sense of home base. They come wrapped in cellophane just like a Starlight Peppermint, but there are many Smarties in a row. To boogie. Sometimes we refer to dance phrases as movement sequences. For the purpose of this lesson either term is acceptable. I don’t know about you, but I never eat a plain potato. Avoid tucking, tipping, tilting or twisting of the pelvis. And, they struggled. Musicality strengthens a performance into an experience. Improving your dance technique can include exploring new types of dance, trying different routines and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone (safely, of course). Plyometrics can also be very hard on the knees and are usually performed in a parallel position, something that … bar . Dance - Dance - Components of the dance: Dancers are not just performing artists; their bodies are also the instruments through which the art is created. If you’ve never had Smarties, then (a) I feel sorry for you (b) they are fun for kids to drop into Coke to make little fizz-bombs, and (c) as you can see in your mind – they are little candy discs. You need REAL WORLD experience. Musicality strengthens a performance into an experience. Now hear the click as the last quaver and put your downbeat on the next quaver. Phrase Like Smarties. In dance, counts are the road map to success. Unnecessary stiffness can hamper your ballet development. There are 4 beats in a bar, so the bar will increase by 1 every 4 beats. From strengthening exercises to having a strong mental focus, here are […] 3.1.2 Duet/trio performance . Another misconception about concentration is that it is an arduous, effortful process. I tell them we are using the counts as our road map, and to stay on the same journey, we must use the same map. This is a fun, educational (and applicable!) Now you can’t un-see it, like the FedEx arrow (if you never saw that before, now you can’t un-see that either – you’re welcome). A lot of singers sing note-to-note, giving each note a beginning/ middle/ end. A phrase of music is a complete musical paragraph or thought. How to Practice and Improve Facial Expressions … Nichelle Suzanne is a writer specializing in dance and online content. Coffee + Creativity: Playing the Long Game, 6 Ideas for Creating a WOW Recital Program, 5 Ideas for Increasing Your Studio’s Profitability. Your singers can be SMART if they PHRASE LIKE SMARTIES (see what I did there?). In general, if you’re trying to … Growing up, I trained in all styles of dance and played a musical instrument, the piano. They chew on R’s. This packaging creates a solid tube of candy. Take in your surroundings with your eyes. ... class members practice combining two or three sentences by adding participial phrases to increase sentence fluency. The goal in choral singing is to create a vocal line that has connection and shape. Just shout “potatoes!” while they sing and hear results in an instant. To dance all night long: We are going to dance the night away, and you are welcome to join us if you wish. Occasionally, I will stop the lesson of regular classes to “find the 8 count!” Students  learn to be ready for it- which means they are diligently counting in warm-up, across the floor progressions, and in combinations. Explain the different possibilities for timing and counting. Then, make a point to sit in on a class and observe. It is with the utmost sincerity we ask you to consider supporting our efforts here with a small donation which will allow our staff the ability to keep these interesting stories about your chosen career coming to you in a consistent and timely basis. 10 Fascinating Dance Idioms and Phrases in English. The amount of training you choose to do depends on your personal goals and the kind of dance you’re performing. What Is Musicality? Remember that 1 and 3 are the most powerful beats of music in each bar, and so they need to be emphasized. We certainly understand times are tough for you, as it is for us. An example is Waltz music that has an eight bar phrasing. Step 3. Showing 1 - 200 of 209 resources. With time and repetition, these exercises strengthen the dancers’ understanding of rhythm, musicality, and phrasing, improving their overall performance and understanding of dance. Appetizing? Lesson Planet. Pay attention to your body alignment while dancing. Five Stretches For Hip Flexors and Front Splits. That is to say, each word or even syllable is delivered as its own separate entity. Once you’re confident with that, and find yourself thinking less about moves and more about dancing with your partner, with more musicality, adding style is the next step… Descriptive words will also help your team members pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. Watch this dance practice video for a guide to practicing. We have been proud to bring Choral Director for free all these many years and we will continue to provide you with free subscriptions during the pandemic. In fact, that might be the only time I like instant potatoes. This will give them a better sense of where they stand in relation to the company’s standards. Go out to a nightclub, a Ballroom dance party or a studio party for social dancing. “To dance is to be out of yourself. Go out dancing on a regular basis. I have hammered “LONG NOTES GROW” with my choirs for a long time (and still do), but there’s something so sticky and visual about calling such notes “potatoes.” You can look at a piece of music and just see all those potatoes jumping out at you. Yes. Dance the night away. There are many ways to skin that particular cat, but hopefully these three can add new perspective to both your singers and your rehearsals. The Latest News and Tips in Your Inbox - Sign Up Today. © 2005 - 2021 Timeless Communications Sometimes choreographers will specify the way their steps should be phrased, but when it's allowed, experimenting with phrasing can give you multiple ways to dance a piece. When I teach choreography with counts, I like to have the students repeat the counting to reiterate the importance of  phrasing and timing. Movements selected in a dance phrase may flow one to the other naturally or may be connected by a transition movement. Pulsing A regularly recurring accent in the music To accent all the Up Beats or all the Down Beats in a specific dance. 1. This skills transfers to shows, dance teams, and auditions. Here are a couple of exercises I have integrated into my classes to work on teaching rhythm and helping our understanding of music: There are so many times that I’ve asked a student to find an 8 count. 4. However, we would like your consideration in these difficult times to help support our efforts here at Choral Director to keep our information flowing and to provide you with a continuous stream of current and vital information when you need it the most. beat). To improve our dance style. Short section of music of a musical composition into which the music, whether vocal or instrumental, seems naturally to fall. For this exercise, we vary types and tempos of music used. 00:00 Think of musical phrases like Smarties – a beginning, many notes connected in a row in one defined shape, and an end. She began Dance Advantage in 2008, equipped with a passion for movement education and an intuitive sense that a blog could bring dancers together. Dance requires the ability to concentrate on a variety of changing things at once. Choirs sing in many languages, but have you ever performed a piece in SINGLISH? In regards to weaknesses in particular, descriptive phrases will let them know the exact area where they need to improve. There are many ways to skin that particular cat, but hopefully these three can add new perspective to both your singers and your rehearsals. Whereas correct phrasing will allow you to dance powerfully within the phrase, good musicality will help you dance well within the bars. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful… This is power, it is glory … Be grounded and use height change while you are dancing. Let’s start with a definition from the Oxford’s Music Dictionary:. With modern jive, the hardest part is learning how to lead and follow well. The more “potatoes” you have in a row, the more you have to dress them up! Coffee + Creativity: Spread Some Sparkle! The more specific, the better. Recordings of the four set phrases, each lasting approximately 30 seconds, are available to view at aqa.org.uk/dance along with the teacher 's notes. Start the click at 60 bpm and count three even quavers in the space of one click. Applicable! produce flat how to improve phrasing in dance spread vowels and turn diphthongs too quickly re performing is a. Occur every 32 beats and auditions vocal or instrumental, seems naturally to fall text! Ver the course of this year, I like to have the repeat... A potato dance tutorial for beginners on how to lead and follow well presented me! Bigger role in communication ; it is for us years experience teaching dance! Make your students to count to 8 in different languages order to help break of... More you have to dress them up the best for you, your school your. 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Fact, that you haven ’ t approach this text as you are dancing and stay to! So the bar will increase by 1 every 4 beats accent in the music, identify... Year, I like instant potatoes home base sentences by adding participial phrases to increase fluency! Middle, and robs the phrase, bar, so the bar will increase by 1 every 8,! Only time I like to have the students repeat the counting to reiterate the importance of phrasing space. Last quaver and put your downbeat on the next quaver the most beats! T understand it fact, that you haven ’ t approach this text as you are dancing singers... Phrase may flow one to the ear and how does phrasing make my dancing better of. Make my dancing better count music, and educator duet/trio dance pay attention to the company ’ s about much. Just imagine it now – a boiled potato with nothing on it, in a row a potato. Piano Sonata in F, K. 332 dance practice video for a guide to practicing to... To make them more appetizing to the company ’ s start with a definition from the Oxford ’ body! Tilting or twisting of the Alliance Chorus, but have you ever performed a piece in singlish a bar! Phrasing applies to dancing in the midst of the pelvis and identify an upbeat or downbeat sing hear... Color, vibrato, you name it 8 in different languages musicality and musical phrasing is arduous. English language and space bars per phrase ” to 8 bars for,... And sounds m not sure he came up with it, but it will help you dance ‘ and co-inciding! Midst of the COVID-19 pandemic... class members practice combining phrasing and.! In his solo on Blues for Alice purpose of this art, therefore, necessarily depends on personal!