Test your basic knowledge |

Dance Basics

Subjects : performing-arts, dance
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. What is the primary muscle that is stretched by reaching forward from a seated position and bending the upper torso as close to the floor as possible - while the legs are extended to the sides at roughly a 150 degree angle (straddle stretch)?






2. This broadway and hollywood choreographer did the film version of west side story






3. He was the first African american dancer to play to white audiences






4. The ability of the dancer to present their body with confidence and the required energy to communicate movements clearly to an audience.






5. Combination: sustained time/direct space/strong weight






6. Placing the entire foot on the floor with a weight change






7. Physics principles that govern motion - flow - and weight in time and space including: the law of gravity - balance and centrifugal force.






8. In order to relieve muscle tension - a dancer might engage in all but which of the following practices






9. Rubrics are most effective for






10. Similar to the principles of visual art. Refers to the presence of unity - continuity (transitions) and variety (contrasts and repitition-patterns) in the choreography






11. While executing a fouette turn (fouette en tournant) the dancer's working leg is engaged in






12. Runs vertically from the front to the back of an upright standing body the wheel plane






13. Feet heel of one foot against the instep of the other foot toes turned out arms: arm corresponding with front foot overhead arem corresponding with back foot open to the side as in second position






14. Defined specifically as the volume at Which musical notes are played.






15. He is the father of ballet in American and the founder of the NY city Ballet






16. A line along which a person or part of the person such as an arm or head - moves. Pathways can be linear - in circles - zigzags - etc.






17. He was a turn of the century vaudeville hoofer who danced on broadway and in hollywood's shirley temple films






18. The orginal french form of classical ballet from italy






19. The element of dance involving rhythm - phrasing - tempo - accent and duration. Time can be metered as in music or based on body rhythms such as breath - emotions - and heartbeat.






20. Which of the following societal changes has probably had the least impact on the variety of dance styles that are performed in the US today?






21. He established the horton technique and was a longtime partner of bell lewitzky






22. The inability of dancers to maintain their spacing during a group sequence most likely indicates a lack of






23. Movement anchored to one spot by a pody part. Only the available space in any direction is used while the initial body contact is being maintained. Movement is organized around the axis of the body and is not designed to travel from one location to a






24. A quantity or range of different things. Helps maintain the audiences interest and helps the choreographer to develop the dance. Contrasts in the use of space(open/closed) - force(smooth/sharp) and spatial designs(straight lines/ curves/zigzags)






25. Two steps in sequence - one on each foot; the first step gets less weight than the second






26. The action of straightening a joint or the action of increasing the angle between tow levers






27. Feet separated shoulder width toes turned out arms: both extended open and held symmetrically out to the sides - hands between the shoulders and ribcage






28. Circle of the leg - tracing a half circle upon the ground using the toes






29. Which of the following steps in tap dance would produce a total of four audible taps?






30. This focuses on recognizing habitual movement patterns and postures - as well as places of accumulated tension - and then altering patterns and postures to address associated problems. can help improve balance - muscular support and flexibility - coo






31. Refers to the length of time a movement takes - from initiation to completion






32. The original movement is the question and the new movement is the answer






33. Placing the ball of the foot on the floor with a weight change






34. A piece of choreography or dance






35. Creation and composition of dances by arranging or inventing steps - movements - and pattern of movements.






36. Dancers begin at different points in a phrase - fall into step as the phrase progresses - and end in unison






37. A form of Western classical dance that originated in the Renaissance courts of Europe. The dance form was formally codified by the time of King Louis XIV (mid-1600's) - Who was accomplished dancer - responsible for extensive notation as well as suppo






38. A type of dance that concentrates of footwork and rhythm. This type of dance grew out of American popular dancing - with significant roots in African American - Irish and english clogging traditions.






39. This is a kind of snap. the head is tossed or turned from a frontward orientation to the side.






40. Dance marked by movement isolations and complex polyrhythms found in African American music such as - ragtime - jazz - spirituals - blues - work songs and is considered and American style of dance.






41. What is the meter in the waltz






42. Dance associated with a nationalistic purpose - usually performed today as surviving portion of a traditional celebration and done for social gatherings or as recreation






43. He was a crippled dancer who created a therapeutic method that led to the development of standard jazz technique






44. The founder of the modern classical method of ballet






45. This is the speed at Which music is played.






46. The action of over-straightening a joint past its natural angle - or the action of increasing the angle between two levers to more than 180 degrees






47. This denishawn student - legendary dancer - and choreographer developed the graham technique






48. This broadway and hollywood performer and choreographer introduced African and caribbean dance styles






49. This hollywood jazz and tap dancer popularized the practice of wearing pantyhose in place of stockings






50. Is the degree of the force of body weight introduced into a movement