15/10/12 Dance pratice exam questions

AQA questions : Performers knowledge and understanding of the demands made in pratice and performance on the dancer.

Research and develop an understanding of:

1. Alignment and posture

Proper alignment of posture and turnout are necessary for balance, muscle development, and prevention of injury in dance.
Posture, that is, carriage of the body, is very important for a dancer. Poor alignment puts stresses and strains on the joints and muscles of the lower back and legs, causing muscles to work beyond their natural capacities, joints to carry more weight, and ligaments to lose their elasticity. When one refers to alignment, one generally thinks of the head, spine and pelvis and usually forgets about the legs and feet. Problems in the legs, such as hyper- extended knees and over turnout of the feet, often lead to injuries in elsewhere in the body.

2. Be aware of the:

Joints

Synovial= There are 6 types of synovial joints which are classified by the shape of the joint and the movement available.

Fibrous = The type of joint is held together by only a ligament. Examples are where the teeth are held to their bony sockets and at both the radioulnar and tibiofibular joints.

Cartilagenous = These joints occur where the connection between the articulating bones is made up of cartilage for example between vertebrae in the spine.



Preventing Injury

• Type of dance and frequency of classes, rehearals and performances
• Duration of training
• Environment conditions such as hard floor and cold studios
• Equipment used (shoes)
• Individual dancers body alignment
• Prior history of injury
• Nutritional deficiencies

Price:

P: protect

R: rest

I: ice

C: compression

E: elevation

I have found a good video on Dance UK about preventing injury (advice from a doctor)

http://www.danceuk.org/healthier-dancer-programme/health-faqs/dance-injury/

Fitness Components

Basic fitness can be classified in four main components: strength, speed, stamina andflexibiliy. However, exercise scientists have identified nine components that comprise the definition of fitness

• Strength - the extent to which muscles can exert force by contracting against resistance (holding or restraining an object or person)
• Power - the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements. The two components of power are strength and speed. (jumping or a sprint start)
• Agilite - the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions (ZigZag running or cutting movements)
• Balance - the ability to control the body's position, either stationary (a handstand) or while moving (a gymnastics stunt)
• Flexibility - the ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess tissue, fat or muscle (executing a leg split)
• Local Muscle Endurance - a single muscle's ability to perform sustained work (growing or cycling)
• Cardiovascular Endurance - the heart's ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to use it (running long distances)
• Strength Endurance - a muscle's ability to perform a maximum contraction time after time (continuous explosive rebounding through an entire basketball game)
• Co-ordination- the ability to integrate the above listed components so that effective movements are achieved.

Technical Exercises

Squats : Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes facing straight ahead or angled slightly outward. Slowly bend the knees and lower hips towards the floor, keeping your torso straight and abs pulled in tight. Keep your knees behind your toes; make sure everything's pointing in the same direction.

Push Ups: Position yourself face down on the floor, balancing on your toes/knees and hands. Your hands should be wider than shoulders, body in a straight line from head to toe. Don't sag in the middle and don't stick your butt up in the air. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body to the floor, stopping when your elbows are at 90 degrees. Exhale and push back up.

Lunges: Stand in a split-stance (one leg forward, one leg back). Bend knees and lower body into a lungeposition, keeping the front knee and back knee at 90 degree angles. Keeping the weight in your heels, push back up (slowly!) to starting position. Never lock your knees at the top and don't let your knee bend past your toes. Variations: front lunges, back lunges and side lunges.

Plie' : Stand with feet pointed out, heels together making a V, knees back, everything striaght bum not tuncked in shoulders back, and bend the knees without lifting the heels or poking your bum out going down in a straight line and back up.

Performance Skills

All of these aspects are connected to the way in which a dancer interprets the movements and the meaning of a dance

Focus: Not looking at the floor (eye line)

Musicality: awareness of the music (timing, speed est)

Emphasis: move or a part of the choreography that is exaggerated more than the other parts, whether you hold that move longer or you make it bigger.

How to communicate the dance idea

If the dance has a story it can be shown through chractisation, projection and focus. if the choreograpghy is a happy dance it can be shown though projection big movments (leaps, spins, lots of travel est) if its sad the movements might not be as projected, chractorisation shows a storyline, say a angry duet (you can see they do not like each other or are angry with one another).

Performing with others:

• Awareness: awareness of where the other dancers are (prevent injury)
• Contact : only contact when is in choreography.
• Use of Space: use of the holl stage space (center stage, lower, upper)

Why is awareness imporant:
if you are dancing with others it would not look very professional if you bump into them, also not being aware of others around may cause an injury.

Warm up understanding

Warm-up exercises help to raise body temperature, increase blood flow, and make muscles ready for the demands of the dancing ahead.

Why is it important to warm up before dancing:
Warming up increases the circulation and increases the beat of the heart, it pumps the blood round the body faster propered for dance it also strencthes the muslces ready for dance, if you do not warm up it may cause injury, your muslces hadnt strecthed and your circulation is at a normal flow.

I found these Strencth images on the NHS choice wesite

Hamstring Strencth Tricep Strencth

Calf Strencth

Quad Strencth

Cool Down understanding

The cool down is just as important as the warm up to ensure muscle protection from extreme soreness and to prevent unforeseen injuries. Cool down methods usually consist of slower dancing, yoga and stretches that are designed to lower your heartbeat after dancing. Making the cool down a permanent part of your regular dance routine is recommended. After dancing, cool down. Light exercise reduces tightness, cramping and soreness of fatigued muscles and may make you feel better.

Appropriate clothing: no jellewery, hair up (out of your face), footwear bear foot or dance shoes, clothing (no jeans no movment, no skirts, clothes to move in)

Physical and metally ready to dance (focused, hydyrated, healthy diet,)