WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL EVERYONE needs to keep their bodies working

EDUCATION well in order to be healthy.

What is PHYSICAL FITNESS? • Physical Activity is necessary to

stimulate the body’s own natural maintenance
• Physical fitness refers to the ability of
and repair system. Your bones, joints and
the human body to do task effectively and
muscles – especially your heart – will actually
efficiently, it can be attributed as the engine of
stay younger if you keep them busy. If you are
our body, it enables us to perform up to our
not Physically Active you increase your Health
potential, and it can be described as a condition
Risks in many ways.
that helps us look, feel and do our best.

• Physical fitness involves the

performance of the heart and lungs, and the THREE MAIN COMPONENTS OF BEING
muscles of the body. And, since what we do PHYSICAL FIT
with our bodies also affects what we can do
• Stamina
with our minds, fitness influences to some
degree qualities such as mental alertness and You need a well-developed circulation to the
emotional stability. heart and lungs to give you the ability to keep
going without gasping for breath. With stamina
Why is PHYSICAL FITNESS Important?
you have a slower, more powerful heartbeat
• As mentioned above physical fitness is and will be able to cope more easily with
important for the reason that it can affect our prolonged or heavy exercise.
mind and emotion, and to consider that you
Plank, sit up, push up, Body Weight
have a healthy lifestyle you must have a
Squats, Walking Lunges
peaceful mind and stable emotion a side from
eating a balance and exercising every day, • Strength
because FITNESS doesn't only talk about having
a good body but more than that it is all about You need well-toned muscles to give you the
holistic development. Now what is HOLISTIC ability to do physical work. When your
DEVELOPMENT? if we say holistic development, shoulder, trunk and thigh muscles are toned-up
we are talking about the development of the they will work well and you will not experience
four components of physical Education namely: strains and injuries as often.
Physical Development, Mental Development, Weight lifting, mountain climbing,
Emotional Development and Social cycling
Development.
• Suppleness
What is PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?
Developing good mobility in your neck, spine
• Physical activity is any bodily movement and joints will prevent you spraining ligaments
produced by skeletal, muscles that requires and pulling muscles and tendons. You will also
energy expenditure. Whatever your age be less likely to experience aches and pains
Physical Activity plays an important part in your from stiff joints.
health and wellbeing. Some people think it is
only sportsmen and women who need to build Shoulder roll, standing hamstring
Physical Activity into their lives. However, stretching, Side reach and stretch and etc.
Trivia: harder for people who don’t usually do a lot of
physical exercise. Regular physical activity
The World Health Organization is a specialized
benefits both the body and mind. It can reduce
agency of the United Nations responsible for
high blood pressure, help manage weight and
international public health. According to WHO
reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2
approximately 3.2 MILLIO deaths each year can
diabetes, and various cancers - all conditions
be attributed to in inadequate physical activity.
that can increase susceptibility to COVID-19.
To avoid this big number of WHO encourages
every individual to engage in physical activities, It also improves bone and muscle strength
like Exercise to promote healthy lifestyle. and increases balance, flexibility and fitness. For
older people, activities that improve balance
The table below illustrate the advantages of
help to prevent falls and injuries. Regular
having an active lifestyle and also shows the
physical activity can help give our days a routine
disadvantages of having inactive lifestyle.
and be a way to stay in contact with family and
ADVANTAGES friends. It’s also good for our mental health -
reducing the risk of depression, cognitive
• It will keep us healthy decline and delay the onset of dementia - and
• Makes our immune system stronger. improve overall feelings

• Maintains a healthy body weight.

• Increases energy levels, decrease fatigue. GENERALIZATION

• Improves mental fitness - ability to focus and If you observe the topics of your first module it
concentrates. is just a review of your past lessons since your
junior high school and even in your Grade 11
• Leads us into lifelong healthy lifestyle. last year, now, the main objective of our lesson
DISADVANTAGES for this first week is to recall and activate your
prior knowledge or schemas in connection with
• May lead to cardiovascular diseases our main subject matter for this school year
which is dancing. The module highlights the
• Greater risk of developing high blood
vital role of physical activity and the
pressure.
components of physical fitness, in achieving a
• Lack of physical activity can add to feelings of healthy and active lifestyle, likewise it will
anxiety and depression. prepare you on the idea and utilization of
dancing as a form of practical and effective
• Physical inactivity may increase the risk of
form of workout and exercise. By learning these
certain cancers
topics, I hope that you will understand the
• May lead to obesity significance of having an active life style
specially that we are facing a pandemic, so, I
• May develop life threatening diseases like hope that everyone will be a catalyst in
diabetes, cancer, and heart problems. promoting an active life style.
The COVID-19 pandemic means that many of
us are staying at home and sitting down more
than we usually do. It’s hard for a lot of us to do
the sort of exercise we normally do. It’s even
WEEK 2 - FITNESS AND HEALTH factors of fitness and health, and in order for
you to do this you must have the 3 D’s;
DEFINITION OF FITNESS AND HEALTH
Direction, Determination and Discipline.
Everyone desires to have a fit and healthy body.
When you are fit and healthy, you can be active
and productive. You can have a feeling of well- Direction – you must have a clear plan towards
being and happiness. achieving a healthy lifestyle.

Fitness refers to the quality of being able and Determination – I always believe in the spirit of
suitable to do a certain task or demand. Fitness faith, that if you really want something no
covers physical well-being, balanced mental matter how difficult the path going to it you can
state, emotional stability, and spiritual surpass it as long as you have a strong mind and
soundness. On the other hand, Health is defined heart, as they said nothing impossible to a
as “a state of complete physical, mental, person with a determination.
emotional, social well-being and merely the
Discipline – the last D but also equally
absence of diseases or infirmity”
important like the first two D’s for the reason
that discipline is vital in everything that we do,
we must possessed this characteristic so that
FACTORS IN ACHIEVING FITNESS AND HEALTH
we will be able to stay on our track keepings us
A fit and healthy mind and body can be attained going.
through proper diet, regular exercise, and
A Balanced Lifestyle helps reduce the risk of
balanced lifestyle.
diseases and increase your chance to live longer
Proper diet includes Go food for energy; Grow it makes you feel and look good. Apart from
food for bones, muscles, and teeth; and Glow diet and exercise, a balanced lifestyle includes
food for skin, hair and eyes. Eat a variety of the following:
fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and
food that are low in fat, sodium, and sugar
content. Choose food that are baked, boiled,
and broiled. Limit your food intake and do not
overeat.

Regular Exercise helps improve blood

circulation, so that bloodstream will be able to
continuously supply oxygen and nutrients to the
vital organs of the body. Regular exercise also
helps reduce stress, increase energy, control
weight, and brighten your mood. Choose
exercises that suit your body. Start with SEVEN DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS
moderate activities and progress to vigorous Although fitness and health have their
ones. respective definitions, they are closely
interrelated. Together, they pertain and
promote wellness, and if we say wellness, it has
So, if you want to stay fit and to have a healthy seven dimensions that serves as an information
lifestyle, you must observe and practice the and a guide towards wellness, below are the
integration of the seven dimensions of well- The FITT principle of exercise or workout can
being. help you achieve your goal to stay fit.

Physical wellness refers to the health of your • Frequency

physical body
Refers to how often you will exercise. Find a
Emotional wellness pertains to your balanced exercise that provide challenge to the
psychological and emotional perspective above body and also allows enough time for rest and
yourself and the world around you. adapt and heal. Some exercise routines must be
down two to three or three to five days each
Intellectual wellness encompasses your open-
week.
mindedness and intelligent responses to stimuli,
decision-making skills, and lifelong learning • Intensity
Social wellness covers your interaction and Pertains to how much effort or work you will
relationships with others. exert in exercise. Be careful not to overload or
overstrain your body to avoid injury or burnout.
Occupational or Career wellness includes
Monitor your heart rate and resistance as you
personal satisfaction from your career or job
exercise.
and contribution as a productive member of
society. • Type
Environmental wellness relates to your Determine what kind of exercise will help you
responsibility to take care of the environment. achieve your fitness goal. Will it be for the heart
or for muscles? Running, cycling, and swimming
Spiritual wellness deals not only with your
are good exercises for the heart while lifting
religious beliefs and practices but more so with
weights is good for the muscles.
their effects on the other dimensions of your
well-being. • Time

Relates to how long you will exercise per

session. Will it be for 20, 30, or 60 minutes per
FITT Principles of Exercise
routine? Time is based on the intensity and type
Physical fitness is essential in cultivating the of exercise.
mind for learning for the reason that fitness
covers physical well-being, balanced mental
state, emotional stability, and spiritual WEEK 3 - STRESS MANAGEMENT
soundness of an individual.
Causes Of Stress
1. When you are fit and healthy, you
understand your lessons well. Stress is the body’s response to the various
2. You do your projects or task effectively mental, emotional, and physical demands made
and efficiently. on it. It felt unchecked, stress can damage your
3. You participate in school activities and concept of yourself, your outlook in life, and
enjoy bonding moments with your your behavior. Even though you are young, you
friends and families. are not spared from stress. You will experience
4. You are able to help with chores at stress in different ways and in different
home after class. situations; in your own home, personal issues,
in workplace and in school, particularly now
that you are a senior high school and will soon EFFECTS OF STRESS
enter college.
The main manifestations of stress vary from
You will maybe encounter competition for one individual to another. So, do the reactions
academic performances and recognitions, and of the body to stress. These reactions are
in addition to that the number of assessments, automatic and subconscious.
activities, assignments and projects that you
They range from sudden lack of appetite or
need to accomplish on time. These activities can
overeating to insomnia or oversleeping; unusual
take a toll on your wellness, especially if you do
sadness or happiness, anxiety or irritability;
not eat, sleep, or exercise properly. If these
developing migraine headache, heartburn,
situations were not addressed correctly, these
indigestion, frequent urination, and diarrhea or
may lead to more serious health problems.
constipation.

Stress affects the entire body. It can cause

Now, let’s identify the reasons or causes of major skin problems like acne and eczema. It
stress among the young generation today. can alter the heart rhythm, that may cause
chest pain, and weaken the immune system. it
can also cause irritable pains in the joints, bones
and muscles. Recognizing this health problems
will help you cope with stress easily.

Do you know that our body responds to stress

on three different stages? This response called
GAS or the General Adaptation Syndrome. It
was studied by Dr. Hans Selye he is a medical
doctor and researcher, that came up with the
theory of GAS. During an experiment with lab
rats at McGill University in Montreal, he
In addition, here are some of the common observed a series of physiological changes in
causes of stress in the general population. the rats after they were exposed to stressful
events.

1. Any change that upsets the accustomed With additional research, Dr. Selye concluded
pattern of life. that these changes were not an isolated case,
2. Advances in science and technology. but rather the typical response to stress. Selye
3. Long hours of work, heavy workload, identified these stages as Alarm, Resistance,
inconducive work conditions. and Exhaustion. Understanding these different
4. Wide range of choices and demands. responses and how they relate to each other
5. Overcrowding, different kind of may help you cope with stress.
pollution, environmental issues. Every stress leaves an undependable scar, and
6. Separation from loves ones for the organism for its survival after a stressful
economic reasons. situation by becoming a little order.
7. Social, political, and economic
landscape of the country. -Dr. Hans Selye
1. Alarm reaction stage 3. Exhaustion stage

The alarm reaction stage refers to the initial This stage is the result of prolonged or chronic
symptoms the body experiences when under stress. Struggling with stress for long periods
stress. You may be familiar with the “fight-or- can drain your physical, emotional, and mental
flight” response which is a physiological resources to the point where your body no
response to stress. This natural reaction longer has strength to fight stress. You may give
prepares you to either flee or protect yourself up or feel your situation is hopeless. Signs of
in dangerous situations. Your heart rate exhaustion include:
increases, your adrenal gland releases cortisol
• Fatigue
(a stress hormone), and you receive a boost of
adrenaline, which increases energy. This fight- • Burnout
or-flight response occurs in the alarm reaction • Depression
stage. • Anxiety
• Decreased stress tolerance
2. Resistance stage • Physical effects of this stage also
In this stage after the initial shock of a stressful weaken your immune system and put
event and having a fight-or-flight response, the you at risk for stress-related illnesses.
body begins to repair itself. Our body enters This is the reason why it is very important to
into a recovery phase, but sometimes it can check our loved ones, once in a while, because
remain on a high alert for a while. If we showing that you care makes them feel
overcome stress and the situation is no longer important. If stress is not being addressed
an issue, our body continues to repair itself until properly, it may lead to long-term or chronic
our hormone levels, heart rate, and blood stress, and likewise if this condition will not be
pressure reach a pre-stress state. apprehended immediately it may result into
Some stressful situations continue for extended more serious disorders like the following.
periods of time. If you don’t resolve the stress
and your body remains on high alert, it
eventually adapts and learns how to live with a General Adaptation Syndrome:
higher stress level. In this stage, the body goes
through changes that you’re unaware of in an
attempt to cope with stress.

Your body continues to secrete the stress

hormone and your blood pressure remains
elevated. You may think you’re managing stress
well, but your body’s physical response tells a
different story. If the resistance stage continues
for too long of a period without pauses to offset
the effects of stress, this can lead to the
exhaustion stage.

Signs of the resistance stage include: Irritability,

Frustration, Poor Concentration
COPING WITH STRESS • Be positive and optimistic. If you
constantly look for the wrong in you or
"It is a key to recognize stressful situations as
in other around you, you will always
they occur because it allows you to focus on
find something, which often make you
managing how you react, “.”We all need to
feel even worse. Focus instead on the
know when to close our eyes and take a deep
positive and try to find some good
breath when we feel tension rising." This
about people and situations.
quotation of Dr. Stoll serves us a reminder that
• Laugh at yourself and try to maintain a
having an organized mind can control every
sense of humor no matter what the
situation. It is very important that we must take
situation. Laughter is the best medicine
care of our mental health like how we value our
and stress reliver as they say.
physical health.
• Accept the fact that you cannot control
Below are ways on how to cope with stress. everything in your life and realize that
your way is not always going to be the
• Be honest with yourself about all the
best way.
things that are going on in your life.
• Focus on the pleasant aspects of your
Share your thoughts and feelings with
life and ways to improve your situation.
someone you love, trust, and respect.
• Do not procrastinate. If you constantly
Establish a network of people, both
put off things that you do not want to
family and friends, who can serve as
deal with or are unpleasant but which
your emotional support especially when
you are going to have to address sooner
you feel stressed out.
or later, your level of frustration
• When you are feeling hassled and little
escalates, and you feel more stressed.
things readily upset you, take a deep
Deal with every situation as soon as you
breath, count to ten, and then put
can.
everything in perspective.
• Manage your time. Keep a list of your Aside from these ways of coping up with stress,
priorities for the day. Accept the fact having an active lifestyle is also an effective way
that there is only so much time in each to reduce the chances of having this disorder.
day and that as long as you are working We already know that exercise does make our
consistently, what you do not get done body good, but aside from this physical benefit
today you can finish tomorrow. it can also, serves as a stress reliever. Exercise
• Develop healthy lifestyle habits that will increases our overall health and our sense of
enhance your resistance to stress. Avoid well-being, which puts more vigor in our step
vices such as smoking and drinking every day. But exercise also has some direct
alcohol. Listen to music, read books, or stress-busting benefits like the following;
watch movies that calm your thoughts
• It pumps up our endorphins, making
and soothe your feelings. Make time to
our brain active and this substance is
relax every now and then.
responsible for making us free from
• Keep a diary of things that seems to
pain.
cause you stress, so that over a period
• It reduces negative effects of stress.
of time you can identify patterns of
Exercise can provide stress relief for
situations that cause problems and
your body while imitating effects of
prevent them.
stress, such as the flight or fight
 response, and helping your body and its Progressive Relaxation involves alternately
systems practice working together tensing and relaxing the muscles, moving
through those effects. through the body in a systematic fashion to
• It's meditation in motion. After a tense and relax all major muscle group.
physical activity you may often find that
Massage Induces Relaxation Touch is a form of
you've forgotten the day's irritations
nonverbal communication that covey’s
and concentrated only on your body's
reassurance and calms down anxiety.
movements. As you begin to regularly
shed your daily tensions through Biofeedback Therapy trains patients to become
movement and physical activity, you aware of and control some physiological
may find that this focus on a single task, processes such us heart rate, blood pressure,
and the resulting energy and optimism, and muscle tension to achieve relaxation.
can help you stay calm, clear and
focused in everything you do.
• It improves your mood. Regular B. Mind-to-Muscle Techniques controls the
exercise can increase self-confidence, level of stimulation along the nerve pathway
improve your mood, help you relax, and coming from the brain to the muscles.
lower symptoms of mild depression and
anxiety. Yoga uses several positions for the body
through which you may begin with the simplest
Now that you already learned the different position moving to complex positions. The
ways of coping stress, I hope that this will help purpose of various positions is to increase
you to manage and understand stress well. I mobility and flexibility of the body. Slow, deep
know that we have our own struggles in life and diaphragmatic breathing can help alleviate
sometimes, we are the only soldier of our own stress and lower blood pressure and heart rate.
battles, but instead of drowning ourselves into It also increases the production of endorphins,
negativity, let’s make this situation as a test of the body’s own natural, morphine-like
faith. Whenever we are experiencing hardship, painkilling substance.
let us draw ourselves closer to God, because as
we say, everything is possible in His presence.
Always remember that we are also responsible Meditation uses mind-focusing exercises to
for our own mental, emotional and physical control or concentrate one’ attention while
responses to stress. Our perception of events is breathing slowly and rhythmically to decrease
under our control. Hence in addition to physical respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, and
exercise, managing your thought processes can muscle tension.
be an effective method to deal with stress.
Imagery can be used as a means of relaxation to
Here are some techniques to help you relieve cope with stressful situations. Images are
stress. pictures formed with the mind. You simply sit
with eyes closed and concentrate on a
particular image.
A. Muscle-to-Mind Techniques control the
level of stimulation to the brain from muscle.
Autogenic Training (Hypnosis) involves a series people and it showed that dancing already held
of specific exercises and autohypnosis that are a big part in their culture during that time.
designed to achieve a deep mental and physical However, dancing in this era was not fully
state of relaxation recorded.

As we stated in the pre-historic era, dancing

was not yet fully recorded. It was only during
WEEK 4: HISTORY OF DANCE
the pre-Christian era that the real knowledge of
DANCE dance came about within the great
Mediterranean and middle east civilization.
A set of movements that can be either
locomotor or non-locomotor but don’t forget In this era, we are going to learn the functions
that dancing is different from other activities and importance of dance in these three
like athletic activities or daily activities because countries namely; Egypt, Greece and Rome.
it focuses primarily on aesthetic or even
entertainment experience. It provides variety of
functions throughout history due to its • ANCIENT EGYPT
multidimensionality. Although if we talk about
In Egypt, the record of dance was full-blown
history, we are referring to a huge array of
and was richly recorded because it was
events resulting to have a different believes and
reflected in their wall paintings, relics and in the
records, likewise in dancing. But there are main
literary record in Hieroglyphics. But most
reasons why people still dance even during up
dances of the Egyptians during this era was
to this day.
chiefly a medium of religious expression. They
The reasons are the following: dance to please their gods and the pharaoh.

• To please gods
• To please others
• ANCIENT GREECE
• To please themselves or self-
expressions They always fight together for the reason that
• To build community within an ethnic they always have a different perspective in all
group or social interaction aspects.

But in dancing, these two groups of people in

PRE-HISTORIC ERA Greece namely Athenians and Spartans were
similar. Dancing was perceived as an aid for
In the pre-historic era, the main purpose of
military education among the boys of Athens
dancing is to please their gods, and people
and Sparta, and it is also a form of
dance in this era because they believe that, if
entertainment and display.
they are going to offer a dance, they will
appease the forces of nature and it will give For Athenians, they emphasize more the
them super powers or new powers. importance of dance in their education.
According to these three great philosophers;
Anthropologists strongly believe that dancing is
Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, dancing is art and
the oldest form of art, for the reason that it has
also an integration of body and soul.
already existed during primitive era. It was
reflected on the cave wall paintings of primitive ANCIENT ROME
In Rome, the existence of dancing was a little bit character which marked the beginning of social
different. The Romans misused dancing. If we dancing. These are the round dance and couple
try to go back from Pre-Historic era up to dance
Ancient Greece, dancing was used either for
After the common people created their own
religious purposes or educational purposes, and
dances, court people also created their own
it holds a very important part in their culture.
type of dances. In this era, two dances were
But in Rome, dancing turns less significant, and
emerged and these two dances became a part
it became brutal and sectionalized.
of chivalric life.
They used it for gruesome purposes and in
• COURT DANCE
every country that they colonized, dancing was
mainly for entertainment through their slaves This is the dance of court people. The dance
and captives. The early Christians condemned step was limited to gliding, curtseying, and
dancing because of its negative reputation and posing as they were not able to move freely.
for the reason that it became a part of The noblemen danced in smooth floor or wood
corruption in the latter days of Roman Empire or polished marble called the ballroom.
making this era as the Dark ages of Rome.
• PEASANT DANCE
• ANCIENT EUROPE
Have large movements and wide-stepping
Dancing in some part of Europe started to gain figures due to their less elaborate costumes
positive insights in the development of Catholic allowing bigger movements. They also danced
church in Europe that it transformed the history on grass or on the beaten earth of the town.
of dance. During this time, the church was the
main custodian of learning and education as EARLY RENAISSANCE
well as the source of morals. Dance then was accepted in the courts as the
But for Christian Emperors, dancing and gradual increase of the capitalist clan produced
theatrical plays are still prohibited. However, lots of learning and art in Europe.
dancing can be considered good and lawful as Dance and art in general gained impetus.
long as it is for religious ceremonies and the Entertainers became valuable appendages to
Christian fathers approved the use of dance the courts of Italy and France.
provided that its form and intent were holy and
profound. THE 15TH AND 16TH CENTURY

DARK AND EARLY MIDDLE AGES The Rise of Ballet in France was one of the
highlights in this era. Dancing was already
Even dancing is still prohibited in this era, some socially accepted and free resulting to make
performers, singers, poet, actors, musicians, other dance forms also came to life and have
jugglers and dancers continue to wander why been widely recognized worldwide
dancing is an unlawful activity. They began to
perform in village squares and were eventually From then on, several other dance forms
welcomed in castes and chateaus of feudal continued to sprout and spread across several
lords. countries. Contemporary dances that were
stylistic variations of ballet emerged and
At the same time, common people amused evolved in Europe.
themselves by doing dances that were social in
As we stated at the beginning of our lesson, • Helps improves and maintain and bone
dancing is different from other physical density, thus helps prevent
activities for the reason that it doesn’t only osteoporosis
focus on physical development, or not just to • Helps recover coordination and
indicate that we are done with something. But neuromuscular skills after injury
what makes it different is that it is also an
illustration of expression, art and a symbol of Mental/Emotional
culture. • Helps keep the brain
“Before man can do anything, he must draw • sharp Decreases incidence of dementia
breath, he must move. Movement is the source and Alzheimer's diseases
of life. To dance is to be yourself. Larger, more • Decreases depressive symptoms
beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is • Increases self-esteem and improves
glory on earth and it is yours for the taking” body image Aids in releasing emotional
Agnes de Mille (1963) and physical tension

Social

Maybe, some of us viewed dancing as a simple • Gives sense of togetherness within a

activity or perceived it as an alternative but group Encourage positive social
effective physical activity in order to maintain a interaction and interpersonal
physically fit physique or body. But, aside from relationship in a group
these functions of dancing, one of its significant • Contributes to the individual's potential
purpose is that, dancing is considered as a for self-actualization in society
medium of expression to relay stories to other
Cultural
people, dancing is literature for the reason that
it is reflection of culture, making us aware or • Promotes cultural values
informed about the distinct characteristic of • Strengthens cultural values
each race or nationality. • Develops sense of patriotism to your
own culture Promotes cooperation

BENEFITS OF DANCE
WEEK 5: ELEMENTS OF DANCE
Physical
ELEMENTS OF DANCE
• Develop cardiovascular and musical
These refer to the foundational concepts and
endurance
vocabulary that help us to develop movement
• Improve coordination, balance,
skills and understand dance as an artistic
flexibility, and body composition
practice.
• Lower risk cardiovascular diseases
Lower body mass index This framework is a way to discuss any kind of
• Lower resting heart rate movement. While different dance styles call for
• Improves lipid metabolism specialized skills and stylization choices, the
• Enable joint mobility (hip motion and underlying elements of dance are visible in all
spine flexibility) dance experiences.
BODY ACTION

It is considered as the mobile figure or shape It is any human bodily movement. It can be
that can be felt by the dancers or seen by the referred to dance steps, facial movements,
audience. It is can be relatively still or changing partner lifts gesture and even everyday
sometimes depends on the desired movement movement such as walking.
of the dancers.
Dancing is made up of various movements and
It can also emphasize specific part of the body pauses. It doesn't only refer to steps and
or use the whole body all at once. Another way sequences, but also to pauses and moments of
to describe the body in dance is to consider the relative stillness.
body systems-muscles, bones, organs, breath,
Dancers may use movements that have been
balance, reflexes.
choreographed or traditional dances taught by
Symmetrical - balance shape, movements are others who know the dances. Depending on the
practically identical or similar on both sides. dance style or the choreographer's decision,
dancers may also revise or embellish movement
Asymmetrical - unbalanced shape, movements
they have learned from others.
of two sides of the of the body do not match or
completely different from each side. It also Movement can also be improvised, meaning
applies in group shapes, such as wide, narrow, that the dancers make it up "on the spot" as
rounded, angular symmetrical or asymmetrical. they spontaneously dance. Movement that
If the dancers demonstrate any of these shapes travels through space is broadly called
the viewers or audience perceived it as one locomotor movement in contrast to axial
total picture or an arrangement within a picture movement, which occurs in one spot.
frame.

In dance, the body is the mobile figure or shape

SPACE
which is felt by the dancer and seen by others.
The body is sometimes relatively still and Space refers to the area the performers occupy
sometimes changing as the dancer moves in and where they moved when they are dancing.
place or travels through the dance area.
Dancers may emphasize specific parts of their Shape - the design of the body: open/closed,
body in a dance phrase or use their whole body symmetrical asymmetrical, angular/curved
all at once. (individual and group shapes)

The body is the conduit between the inner Focus - audience (where viewer's eye is drawn),
realm of Intentions, ideas, emotions and dancer may change their focus by looking at
identity and the outer realm of expression and different directions (single focus - looking in
communication. Whether watching dance or direction of movement; multi-focus - changing
dancing ourselves, we shift back and forth head/eye focus during movements)
between the inner/outer sense of body. Size - use of size in given space or range of
motion Level - the vertical distance from the
floor (high, medium or low)

Direction - the dancers can go forward,

backwards, up, down, diagonal and sideward,
and they can face any direction while executing throughout the world. Dance movements may
a movement or several phase. also show different timing relationships such as
simultaneous or sequential timing, brief to long
Pathways - patterns we make as we move
duration, fast to slow speed, or accents in
across the floor: straight, curved
predictable or unpredictable intervals.
Dancers interact with space in numerous ways.
They may stay in one place or they may travel
from one place to another. They may alter the Time may also be organized in other ways
direction, level, size, and pathways of their including:
movements.
Clock time: The dance is based on units of
The relationships of the dancers to each other seconds, minutes, and/or hours. For example, a
may be based on geometric designs or rapidly certain section of a dance may be assigned a
change as they move close together, then apart. time such as 30 seconds into which all the
Even when a dancer is dancing alone in a solo, choreographed movement must fit. A
the dancer is dynamically involved in the space performance in a public setting may be set up
of the performing area so that space might to repeat continuously between 12:00 noon
almost be considered a partner in the dance. and 1:00 pm.

Sensed time: Dancers pick up on each other's

timing such as gradually increasing from a
TIME
walking tempo to a running tempo by cueing off
Refers to the relationship of one movement to each other rather than a music score. Another
another. example happens when dancers hold a group
shape then spontaneously move out of it based
Rhythm - a pattern of beats on the group's organic impulse.
Tempo - steady beat, fast or slow (the speed of Event-sequence: An internal or external event
the movement) signals a change such as repeating a traveling
Duration - the length of time the movement phrase over and over until everyone arrives at a
lasts corner of the stage. You also see this at sports
events when a touchdown triggers a dance
Pulse - accented/highlighted beat or heartbeat cheer.
of the rhythm Phrases - longer sequences of
movement.

Your keyword for the element of time is ENERGY

“when?” Human movement is naturally The use of more or less energy while moving.
rhythmic in the broad sense that we alternate
activity and rest. Breath and waves are Tension/relaxation - tension feels hard and
examples of rhythms in nature that repeat, but tight, relaxation feels soft, loose and floppy,
not as consistent as in a metered rhythm. (soft/hard, light/heavy, sharp/smooth).

Rhythmic patterns may be metered or free Bound Flow/Free Flow - when energy is
rhythm. Much of western music uses repeating released in a controlled, restrained manner it is
patterns (2/4 or 3/4 for example), but concepts bound flow; when energy is released freely the
of time and meter are used very differently movement is free flow.
Weight - strength (force) or lightness James K. Feibleman

Energy is about how the movement happens. According to Thomas Munro and Kraus and
The choices about energy include variations in Gaufman in 1981, “Dance is an art of rhythmic
movement flow and the use of force, tension, bodily movements that projects ordered
and weight. An arm gesture might be free sequence of moving visual patterns of line, solid
flowing or easily stopped, and it may be shape, and color.” The posture and gesture of
powerful or gentle, tight or loose, heavy or which these visual patterns are created suggest
light. A dancer may step into an arabesque kinesthetic experiences of tension, relaxation,
position with a sharp, percussive attack or with and emotional moods and attitudes associated
light, flowing ease. Energy may change in an with them. Some of these dances that are
instant, and several types of energy may be considered an art are the following folk dance,
concurrently in play. ballet and contemporary dance.

Saying that a dance "has a lot of energy" is

misleading. All dances use the element of
INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCE
energy, though in some instances, it may be
slow, supple, indirect energy - not the punchy, What is Folk Dance?
high-speed energy of a fast tempo dance.
Folk dances are traditionally a dance of a
Energy choices may also reveal emotional country which evolved naturally and
states. For example, a powerful push might be spontaneously in connection with everyday
aggressive or playfully boisterous depending on activities and experiences of the people.
the intent and situation. In the elements,
energy taps into the nonverbal yet deeply A genre of dance handed down from generation
communicative realm of dance. to generation that depicts the tradition, culture
beliefs, occupations and ways of life and the
characteristics of people living a certain nation.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ELEMENTS OF DANCE Folk dance is also considered as an expression
of emotions and ideas which were peculiarly
In order to create a good dance performance,
significant or the re-enactment of customs and
we must always include the five elements of
events constituting an important part of the
dance, for the reason that these elements of
history of specific group of people
dance are considered as the foundation of
dance routines. It will command the degree of Every country in the world has their own
emotions and movements that a dancer must expression of giving enrichment for their
performed in order to demonstrate a correct respective cultures. One popular way of
and appealing dance routine, that will result expressing the culture of various places is
into a more interesting and relatable dance through folk dances or traditional dances. The
performance. Philippines has approximately 7,101 islands and
divided into three groups of islands: Luzon,
Visayas and Mindanao. There are numerous
WEEK 6: PHILIPPINE FOLK DANCE places in these regions where different folk
dances express diverse meaning.
“Dance is an art which deals with the motions of
the human body”
Lopez (2006) defined Philippine folk dance as a Pandango Ilocano Jota Moncadena
“traditional mode of expression that employs Pandango Ivatan Jota Rizal
bodily movements of redundant patterns linked Pandango Visayan Jota Tuguegarao
to definitive features of rhythmic beats or Pandango Jota Manila
music. Dumagueteño

She further stated that in order to classify a

dance as Philippines folk dance, it should have Ethnic Dance
the following characteristics: • Dances that are performed in primitive
• It is traditional. tribes and have retained their close
• It has an expressive behavior. kinship with religious ritual and
• Simple, basic rhythm dominates the folk community custom.
dance and establishes the pattern of Ritual Dance
movement.
• It is created by an unknown • Dances that depict ritual ceremonies.
choreographer or by communal efforts. • Example: Dudso (Bukidnon) , agdiwata
• It performs a function in the life of the (Palawan)
folk/people. Life-Cycle Dance
based from the definitions above, we can • Dances relating to cycle of human life
simply say that folk dance is a genre of dance such as birthing, courtship, wedding
that reflects the culture, beliefs and customs of and funeral.
a certain group of people. But oftentimes the • Example: Salip (Apayao), Binasuan
term folk dance is being confused or used (Pangasinan)
interchangeably with Ethnic and national dance.
Occupational Dance

• Dances that exhibit work and

What is the difference among Folk, National
occupation of the dancers.
and Ethnic Dance?
• Example: Mananagat (Cebu)
Folk Dance

• Dances that are found in a certain

Did you know?
country.
• example: Tinikling and Sayaw sa Bangko The first National Artist for Dance and the
Mother of Philippine Folk Dance is Francisca
National Dance Reyes-Aquino. Mrs. Aquino is acknowledged as
• It is also traditional in nature but have a the pioneer of folk dancing in the Philippines.
national scope. It is popularly and She began her research on folk dances in the
widely danced throughout a given 1920s, making trips to remote barrios in Central
country and often has a varied number and Northern Luzon. Her research on the
of variations unrecorded forms of local celebration, ritual,
• example: Pandango, La Jota, and and sport resulted in a 1926 thesis titled
Carnosa. “Philippine Folk Dances and Game. Because of
her dedication in discovering and cultivating
different folk dancing making her as the first Philippine folk dances, regardless of their
National Artist for Dance. classification, may be categorized as:

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR DANCE 1. Life-cycle Dances - Dances that serve as

ritual as one passes to a different stage
• Francisca Reyes Aquino - First National
in life such as from birth to childhood to
Artist for Dance and the mother of
adulthood; from singlehood from
Philippine Folk Dance
marriage; and from life to death.
• Alice Reyes - Contemporary dance
• Leonor Orosa-Goquingco - Mother of example: Dugso, Carinosa, and Kuratsa
Philippine Theater Dance
• Lucrecia Urtula - Ethnic Dances
• Ramon Obusan - Ramon Obusan 2. Festival Dances - Dances that are either
Folkloric Group (ROFG) religious or secular and are connected
with the celebration of recurring events
What are the different types of Philippine Folk of special significance.
Dances?
example: Afi Festival, Panagbanga Festival,
There are several ways to classify Philippine folk Dinagyang Festival and Sinulog.
dances. According to Francisca Reyes-Aquino,
folk dances may be classified by geographical; 3. Occupational Dances - Dances that
extent of origin, nature, speed of movement depict the means of the livelihood of
formation, and distinguishing feature. Lately, the Filipino people. Wherein dancers
folkloric socialists merged regional functional portray different steps in rice growing
classifications to sort out the different dance to winnowing (Aquino, 1979)
materials.
example: Pasiguin, Manangauete, and Tinikling

4. Ritual and Ceremonial dances - Dances

The three major regional Types of Philippine performed as part of the rituals and
folk dances ceremonies of a certain tribe or group
of people.
Tribal Dances – From the Cordilleras-include
non-Christians dances from the Cordilleras. Example: Mandawak

Lowland Christian Dances – Dances coming 5. Game dances - Derivations from local
from places with Western influences as that of folk games.
the Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Pampaguenos,
Example: Kadang-Kadang
Pangasinense, Bisayans, and Bicolonas. These
dances are influenced by Hispanic and 6. Joke and trickster Dances - Include
European cultures. jokes or tricks played by a dancer on
another or a group of dancers who is
Muslim Dances – Dances from the people of
one of them. The intention is to render
the Southern Islands of the Philippines such as
that individual ‘to a physical or mental
in Mindanao and Sulu. These dances are
indignity or discomfort’ (Lopez, 2006).
influenced by Arabic and Indo-Malayan
cultures.
 7. Mimetic or Drama Dances - Dance that Second Position
mimic animals, inanimate objects, or
The arms are placed sideways a little below
other people. The Lapay Bantigue and
shoulder with palm facing upward or in
Itik-Itik dance from Surigao is an
supine position.
example of a mimetic dance as it
imitates the movements of a duck. Third Position
Example: Lapay Bamtigue The right arm is raised above the head
forming half circle (amplified position),
8. War dances - Dances that express feud
while the left hand remains in second
enmity featuring two male dancers
position.
engage in physical combat with
spartan-like intensity. Example: War Fourth Position
Dance of Coldilleras
9. Social Amenities Dances - Dances that The right arm is still raised and remains in
express social graces, hospitality and an amplified position, while the left arm is
offerings to a friend. placed in front the chest, as in the first
position.
Example: Balse
Fifth Position

Both arms are raised forming a circle over

FUNDAMENTAL DANCE POSITIONS the head in an amplified position.
The five fundamental dance positions, are
basically dance positions focus in the arms
and feet. As you read the following FEET POSITIONS
descriptions of each fundamental positions First Position
on the table below you may execute it.
Always remember that in folk dancing Both heels are together while toes are apart
posture is very important, so as you at an angle of about 45° or more.
demonstrate the five basic positions make Second Position
sure that you should stand erect, make your
chest out and always make your chin in Both feet apart sideward about a pace
upward position. distance. Heels are parallel to each other.

Third Position

ARMS POSITIONS The right foot is forward about a pace

distance with toes out.
First Position
Fourth Position
Arms are raised forward forming a circle in
front of the chest with fingertips of both The right heel of one foot is close to the
hands about an inch apart. instep of the left foot.
Fifth Position • Rhythmic Patten
The right foot is placed in front of the left It refers to the succession of musical events
foot while the right heel is close to the toes of contained within a single metric unit that
the left foot. correspond to a single main beat.

Rhythmic patterns are made up of set of BEATS

WEEK 7: BASIC DANCE STEPS IN PHILIPPINE
FOLK DANCE

Basic Steps of Philippine Folk Dance

Most folk dances are based on several

fundamental dance positions. According to
Lopez (2006), Philippine folk dances should • Measure
have simple, basic rhythm that dominates the
dance and establishes the pattern of In music, there are typically 4 counts, or beat
movement. With this, it is imperative to review per measure.
and learn the different fundamental dance In dancing, measure is usually musically paired
steps in order to perform several folk dances. with a second measure, these two measures
The origin of these steps varies and depends on equal to 8 counts, which why dancers count in
the influences of the different culture. sets of eight.

Let’s Have a Review COMMON DANCE TERM USED IN FOLK

• Time Signature DANCING

It tells us how music is to be counted. The time The following terms are necessary in
signature is written at the beginning of the staff understanding the principles of folk dancing and
after the clef and key signature. in executing steps.

Time signatures consist of two numbers written

like a fraction. Philippine Folk Dance

1. Abrasete

Girl at the side, hold R arm of partner with her L

hand, free hands down at the sides.

2. Arms in Lateral Pasition

Both arms at one side, either right or left; at

should, chest, or waist level.

3. Arms in Reverse “T”

Arms are side horizontal, elbows bent at the

right angles, forearms parallel to head,
 palms forward or facing inward, fists loosely 12. Kumintang
closed.
Moving the hand form the wrist either in
4. Bilao clockwise or counter clockwise direction.

turn palms of hands up and down alternately, 13. Salok

hands a waist level in front, elbows close to
Swinging the arm downward – upward passing
waist.
in front of the body as if scooping; the trunk is
5. Brush bent forward following the movement of the
arm doing the “salok”
Weight on the foot, hit the floor with the ball or
heel of the other foot and lift that foot from the 14. Saludo
floor to any direction.
Partners with the feet together boe to each
6. Clockwise other, to the audience, opposite dancers, or the
neighbors.
Like the motion of the hands of the clock, right
shoulder is toward the center of an imaginary 15. Sarok
circle. When facing center, movement is toward
Crossing the right (left) foot in front of the left
the left.
(right) bend the body slightly forward and cross
7. Counter Clockwise the hand down in front with the right (left)
hand over the left (right) hand.
The reverse direction of clockwise, left shoulder
toward center. Movements are toward right
when facing center of circle.
BASIC DANCE STEPS IN FOLK DANCE
8. Crossed Arms
Basic Dance Steps in 2/4 Time Signature
Partners facing each other or standing side by
Note Pattern: = 1 measure
side join their left hands together and the right
hands together; either right over left or left Counts: 1, 2
over right hands.
ORDER:
9. Cut
DANCE STEP
displace quickly one foot with other foot.
TIME SIGNATURE
10. Do-si-do
RHYTHMIC COUNT, MEASURE
Partners advance forward, pass each others’
right (or left) side, step across to the right (or STEP DESCRIPTION
left) move backward without turning around,
pass each other left (or right0 side to proper
places. 1. Bleking Step

11. Hayon-hayon 2/4 time

Place one forearm in front and the other at the 1, 2

back of the waist.
(count 1) step your right (left) heel in fourth 4. Polka
position (count 2) step your right (left) foot
2/4 time
close to your left (right) foot in first position Or
1 and 2, and
(count 1) place the R (L) heel in fourth position
while a jump, reverse the position of the feet (count 1) step left (right) foot in fourth in front,
(count 2) that is placing the R (L) heel in front
and the R (L) in position. (count and) step right (left) close to right (left)
foot in third position in rear,

(count 2) step left (right) foot in fourth position

2. Gallop in front.
2/4 time

1, ah 2, ah 5. Brush Step
(count 1) step right (left) foot in fourth position 2/4 time
in front,
1, 2
(count ah) cut the right (left) foot with the left
(right) thus displacing it and at the same time (count 1) step your right (left) foot in second
taking the weight of the body with the left position and (count 2) brush your left (right)
(right) foot, foot in fourth position in front of your right
(left) foot.
(count 2 ah) repeat count 1 and ah, this is
executed with one foot always leading and may
be done in any direction. 6. Close Step

2/4 time
3. Change Step or Two – Step (Allegro/Fast)
2/4 time 1,2
1 and 2 (count 1) step right (left) foot in fourth position
(count 1) step right (left) foot in fourth position in front,
in front, (count 2) close left (right) to right (left) foot in
(count and) step left (right) foot close to right third or first position rear
(left) foot in third position rear or in first Note: when done sideward, one-foot leads to
position, the section of the step.
(count 2) step right (left) foot quickly in fourth
position in rear.
7. Touch Step

2/4 time

(Allegro/Fast)

1, 2
(count 1) point right (left) foot in fourth position
in front,
Basic Dance Steps in 3/4 Time Signature
(count 2) step right (left) foot close to left (right)
Note Pattern: = 1 measure
foot in first position. Or
Counts: 1, 2, 3
(count 1) hop one left (right) and point right
(left) foot in front,

(count 2) with a spring reverse the position of

the feet that is pointing the left (right) in front
and right (left) taking the weight of the body.
This is taking one count for every change of 10. Mazurka
position of the feet.
¾ time

1,2,
8. Hop Step
(count 1) slide right (left) foot in second
2/4 time position,
1, 2 (count 2) cut right (left) foot sideward with the
A spring from one-foot landing on the same left right,
foot in place or in any direction, the other foot (count 3) hop on the left (right) foot and beat in
the other foot maybe raises in any direction, in rear or in front the right (left) to close to the
front, in rear, in sideward or across. ankle of the left (right) foot
(count 1) step your right (left) foot in forth This is executed with one foot always leading
position, raise your left (right) foot in front of and may be done in any direction.
your right (left) (count 2) and hop/spring your
right (left) foot in place or in any direction
11. waltz

9. Leap ¾ time

2/4 time 1, 2, 3

1, 2 (count 1) Step left (right) foot in fourth position

in front,
A spring from one-foot landing on the other
foot in place or in any direction, the other foot (count 2) step right (left) foot close to left (right)
the other foot maybe raises in any direction, in in first/third position in rear,
front, in rear, in sideward or across. (count 3) step left (right) in fourth position in
(count 1) step your right (left) foot in forth front.
position, raise your left (right) foot in front of
your right (left) (count 2) and hop/spring your
right (left) foot in place or in any direction 12. Sway Balance (With a close point,
brush, hop, raise waltz)
¾ time 14. Touch Step

1, 2, 3 to a measure ¾ time

(2 measure) (Moderato/Moderate)

Footwork: 1,2,3

(count 1, 2) step right (left) foot obliquely (count 1) point right (left) foot in fourth position
forward right (left) in front,

(count 3) step left (right) foot across the right (count 2, 3) step right (left) close the left (right)
(left) foot in front, in first position. or

(count 1, 2) step right (left) obliquely backward (count 1, 2) point right (left) foot in fourth
right, position in front,

(count 3) close/point/brush/hop/raise/waltz left (count 3) step right (left) foot close to left (right)
foot in first position.
(right) foot in fourth position or third position in
front.

15. Close Step

Arms: ¾ time

Arms in first position to second to fourth (Moderato/Moderate)

position.
1,2,3
Three – step turn
(count 1, 2) step right (left) foot in fourth
position in front,

13. Waltz turn (count 3) close left (right) to right (left) foot in
third or first position rear. Or
¾ time
(count 1) step right (left) foot in fourth position
1, 2, 3
front,
(count 1) step right (left) foot in second
(count 2, 3) close left (right) to right (left) foot in
position,
third or first position in rear.
(count 2) Turn left (right) about and step right
(left) foot to second
WEEK 8: SAFETY AND INJURY PREVENTION
(count 3) turn left (right) about and step right
PERFORMANCE
(left) to second to face the front.
Safety and injury prevention in Performance
(count 1) close right (left) foot to left (right) foot
Preventing injury and exercising safety are keys
(count 2, 3) pause.
to undertaking success in performance.
Through scientific and well-managed trainings,
one’s performance may be enhanced and avoid
acute injury occurrence. It is important to be Where to get help?
always aware of the safety, prevention and
• School Nurse
precautions in performance so that enjoyment
and leisure will always be achieved at all times. • Dance Instructor
Preventive measures must be practiced and • Physiotherapist
familiarized as a dedication to safety and injury • Doctor
prevention. Without proper management of
injuries, condition may be worsened and
performance will be greatly affected. Things to Remember

The following discussions in this module will • Choose a dance style that is appropriate
help you on how to prevent injury and stay safe to your level of fitness.
during your dance performance. • Wear professionally fitted shoes
appropriate to your style of dance.
• Warm up thoroughly before you start
Emergency Resource dancing and include stretches.
• Check with your dance instructor that
It takes a true emergency to make immediate you are using the correct posture or
response to such illness, injury or disaster. technique.
Being familiar and aware of the connections
with the safety and prevention institutions may
lessen the chances of having severe conditions. Etiquette for Safety
Education in basic life support, first aiding and
People dance for a variety of reasons: for fun,
immediate response is highly encouraged to
recreation and for health. Dance can be social
everyone to be ready in case of unexpected and
or performed for an audience. It can also be
life-threatening incidents. It is essential to look
ceremonial or competitive. Dancing offers a
up to contact numbers of individuals or
wide range of physical and mental benefits.
agencies (hospital, clinic, and bureaus for
Dance styles range from ballroom and jazz,
safety) who are experts in immediate response
ballet to hip-hop and popular dancing, so you
to injuries and accidents that are nearest to
have a wide array of choice what particular
your locale, residents or state.
genre of dance that suits you.

Though the array of body movement, repetition

Basic Response to Dancing Injury and speed of movement can put you at risk of
an injury, particularly if you are new and
If you injure yourself when dancing, learning unfamiliar steps, you can help reduce
suggestions include: your risk of injury by being aware of some of
• Stop if you feel pain. Continuing to these risk factors.
dance will only make the injury worse.
• Perform the R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice,
Compression, and Elevation). Using Reducing the Risk of Dance Injuries
these four immediate first aid measures You can reduce your risk of injury when dancing
can relieve pain, limit swelling and if you follow some simple guidelines.
protect the injured tissues, all of which
help speed healing
1. See your doctor for a check-up if you 12. Sit down and watch, sometimes you can
have a medical condition; are learn more from watching than actually
overweight; are over 40 years of age or doing something for the first time.
haven’t exercised regularly for a long 13. Make sure you take sufficient rest
time. between dance sessions, especially if
2. If you have a pre-existing problem or you are new to dancing or are not very
injury especially to the foot, ankle or fit. This will help minimize muscle
lower back, consult your doctor before soreness or stiffness.
starting any dance program.
3. Choose a dance style that is appropriate
Dance Injury Risk Factors
for you. Have a basic awareness of your
own body and your own personal limits Some of the factors that can increase your risk
and boundaries. For example, high of dance injury are the following:
impact dance style that involve jumping
and vigorous movements are not • Inexperience
appropriate for person with arthritis. Beginners may be vulnerable to injury because
4. Warm up thoroughly before you start they don’t have the skills or techniques to meet
dancing and include stretches. This is the physical demands of their chosen dance
important in preparing the body for style. Make sure you follow the instructions of
dancing. your dance teacher.
5. Cool down after a dance session and
stretch again. • Poor fitness
6. Drink plenty of water before, during
Weak muscles are more likely to be injured
and after dancing.
when challenged or stretched. Controlled
7. Wear layers of clothing that you can
progressions will improve your fitness and
take off as your body warms up
muscle strength.
8. Wear professionally fitted shoes
appropriate to your style of dance. • Poor techniques
proper dance shoes distribute load,
Example: Bringing your foot down to the floor
absorb impact, and support your foot.
with more force than necessary can injure soft
9. Don’t push yourself too far or too fast,
tissue and bone.
especially if you are beginner.
10. Concentrate on your correct posture • Poor posture
and dance technique. The way a dancer
connects one movement to another Weak muscles in the back and abdomen
must be technically correct so as not to increase the risk of injury to all areas of the
twist the body incorrectly, or strain body including the spine and legs.
muscle. • Fatigue
11. Talk with your dance instructor if you
have problem or injury. They may be A tired dancer tends to lose form. Falls and
able to modify the move and teach you injuries caused by sloppy technique are more
variation to reduce the risk factors. likely.

• Hazardous environment
For example, worn or ripped carpet, hard floor, Tips on choosing the proper dance gear:
uneven floor, split liquids or fittings close to the
Determine the type of dance to perform –
dance area such as stairs.
dance wears must depend on the type of dance
• Overtraining to be performed.

Dancing for too long or too often can lead to a Right clothes for body type – to avoid wardrobe
wide range of overuse injuries. Shin splints and malfunction, a good and comfortable fit of
stress fractures in the feet are common dance- clothes must be identified in order to lessen
related overuse injuries. movement restriction.

• Failure to rest an injury Choose clothes that will enhance your physical
features – clothing is vital part of dancing
Turning to dance before an existing injury has wherein it also helps to enhance the visual
healed can aggravate the condition. presentation of movements. It also gives affect
and language to a particular dance that is being
performed by dancers.
Common dance injuries include:
Check clothing quality – clothing must be also
• Sprain and strain – where muscles and designed to protect individual from injury. Good
ligaments are overstretched or twisted. quality dance gears usually last long.
• Impact injuries – such as bruises caused
by failing over, bumping into another Good match to dance performance – the dance
dancer or tripping over props gears must be relevant to the dance in order to
• Blister, bruising and ingrown toenails – carry the message of the performance.
ill-fitting shoes can cause all of these
foot problems.
WEEK 9 - DANCE AS AN AEROBIC EXERCISE

Wearing the Proper gear

Health Benefits of Dancing as an Aerobic
Due to diversity in dancing, proper attire and Exercise
dance wear may vary depending to the dance
discipline. Dancing is a physical activity that 1. Improved condition of your heart and lungs
requires physical effort, so comfort must not be 2. Improved muscle tone and strength
compromised when choosing a proper gear.
Although, choosing the proper attire is always a 3. Better Social Skills
challenging task to a lot of dancers. Aside from
4. Improved mental functioning
the safety benefits, it also helps to boost self-
confidence and good presence on the dance 5. Greater self-confidence and self-esteem
floor. Proper clothing may interpret unseen
6. Weight management
ideas in dances to the audience. It must also
stay in place even when leaping, kicking,
jumping, flooring and other dancing moves.
Are you familiar with aerobic exercise? the pumping chambers become stiffer and may
work less efficiently.
Aerobic is a system of exercises done with
accompanying music. Aerobic exercise improves • Gender
cardiovascular fitness, respiratory capacity, and
Men are greater risk of heart disease than the
muscular endurance. They can also lower blood
pre-menopausal women. Once past the
pressure and cholesterol level. They enhance
menopause. A woman’s risk is similar to a
the ability of the body to move air into out of
man’s. the risk of strokes, however, is the same
the lungs and boosts the flow of blood to all
for both men and women.
parts of the body.

Now that you already refreshed your mind on

how dancing became an effective way to attain Risk Factors that Can Be Controlled, Changed,
fitness and wellness, let’s now identify the or Treated
different aerobic dancing exercise risk factors
under cardiovascular endurance. • Smoking
• Drinking alcohol
• Illegal drugs
RISK FACTORS UNDER CARDIOVASCULAR • Hypertension
ENDURANCE • High cholesterol
• Physical Inactivity
Cardiovascular Risk Factor • Obesity
A cardiovascular risk factor is a condition that is • Diabetes
associated with an increased risk of developing • Stressful living
cardiovascular disease. The risk factors may be
classified as those that cannot be changed and
those that can be changed, controlled or PRINCIPLE OF BALANCE
treated.
There are many aerobic exercises that
qualify for an effective aerobic program. These
don’t only pertain to rhythmic activities. These
Risk Factors that Cannot Be Changed
include brisk walking, running, hiking, dancing
• Family History roller skating and kickboxing. You can also
consider Zumba or Tae-bo and almost any
If a first-degree blood relative has had a activity that will pump your heart rate to the
coronary heart disease or stroke before the age level where, over a sustain period of time,
of 55 years (for a male relative) or 65 tears (for beneficial changes can take place in your
a female relative), you might be at risk of cardiovascular system. At the center of any
contracting the same disease. effective aerobic exercise program is the basic
• Age principle of balance. This principle encourages
the right combination of proper diet, regular
Through the years, the heart undergoes subtle exercise, and healthy lifestyle to attain well-
physiological changes even in the absence of being. It also applies to moderation in all
disease. The muscle of the aged heart may relax aspects of life.
less completely between beats, and as a result,
 ➢ DIET resulting in fatigue, apathy, and decreased
performance. A fluid intake of two liters or eight
Diet plays a crucial role in achieving and
glasses daily is recommended to keep the body
sustaining health and fitness. Exercise, rest, and
functioning efficiently. In addition to water and
vitamins and supplements will not do you much
beverage, juicy and watery fruits and
good in your effort to develop a healthy body
vegetables as well as soup can keep you well
without proper diet. In fact, without proper
hydrated.
nutrition, you may not even have the energy to
participate in a regular exercise. The condition
of your body and the effectiveness of your
➢ OVERLOAD PRINCIPLE
workouts are directly related to the quality and
quantity of the food that you take. The overload principle in exercise means that
the body will adjust to the weight that is placed
Calorie balance is the balance between the
on it. During physical activities, the heart beats
calories from the food and drinks that you
faster, the lungs work harder, and the muscles
ingest (Calories IN) and the calories that you
take on more strain than they usually do. Hence
burn through basic body functions and exercise
you will find the first days of exercise so difficult
(Calories OUT).
that you experience various body pains.
Your eating habits play a very important role in Nevertheless, as you continue with the exercise,
the quality of your life. Food is a source of the body is able to adapt to load and overcome
nutrients and at the same time can be a source the stress. After sometime, you will be able to
of happiness and pleasure. Nevertheless, more do the exercise with less effort than when you
and more instant food and preserved food started. Then, you can eventually increase the
without significant amount of nutrients flood load, lengthen the time, and progress to more
the market and are now available to people advanced routines. The body’s adaptation,
who are so busy and have no time to prepare growth, and development take place after the
and eat healthy meals. A good balance diet workout, not during. Thus, exercising every
helps make and keep the body healthy and fit. It other day is effective to give the body time to
also helps lower the risk of developing diet- adapt, rest recover, and develop.
related chronic degenerative diseases as you
age.
➢ REST AND RECOVERY

Rest and recovery help the body reach its

➢ HYDRATION
optimal level of development and performance.
Hydration is another essential factor in keeping during workouts you place demands on your
the body fit and healthy while preventing the body beyond normal. Hence, it needs to rest
development of kidney stones and bowel and recover from the physiological changes that
cancer. The lack or lose of fluid in the body take place. Rest enables the body to repair and
causes dehydration, which stresses the heart strengthen itself. Recovery allows it to replenish
and blood vessels. The body finds it more energy, repair damage tissues, and remove
difficult to rid itself of excess heat. Severe chemical that build up as a result of cell activity
dehydration or when water losses are more during exercise. One way to achieve rest is
than two percent of the body weight, can through good sleep which promotes physical
increase the pulse rate and body temperature, and mental health including hormonal balance.
Recovery can be achieved through diet and
hydration, among others.

Achieving a healthy lifestyle is a serious

matter, it consists of the 3D’s; direction,
dedication and discipline. If you apply these
3D’s in your plan, surely you will achieve a
healthy lifestyle.

1. First, you must have a direction. You

must have clear objectives, you must
know what are the things that you want
to develop, the things that you want to
achieve or attain, and always assess
that your objectives must be rooted
with your personal will.

2. Next is dedication, this D is essential for

the reason that this will be your driving
force to continue to your plan. Without
this, you will view or perceived your
plans and objectives as an obligation
that may leads into frustration. If you
really want to have a healthy lifestyle
you must do everything you’ve plan
with willingness.

3. And the last D is discipline. It is also

considered important because it will
dictate how dedicated you are, and will
serve as measurement on how
committed you are from your plans or
goals.