African Dance

BTEC Subsidiary Diploma in Performing Arts Unit 49: Developing Movement Skills

AFRICAN DANCE WORKBOOK Tutor: Gina Mayolin

Name : Student number: Submission date:

Find some Dance

information about African

African Dance

What are the features of this style?

AFRICA - A LAND OF CONTRASTS Name two great deserts of the African continent 1 2 Where are the tropical rain forests to be found? Name 2 mineral resources to be found in Africa. 1 2 How have African people traditionally made their living?

African Dance

Name some of the countries:

MASKS

Masks are used for many social events and rituals. They are worn with a costume, which often hides the real identity of the wearer. Find out some more information about masks:

Find some pictures of masks and draw or stick them here:

African Dance

Design and colour your own mask: What materials would you use?

Dance sense: Find out what these words mean: Mirroring Copying Complementing Contrasting Draw a moment in your choreography of each of the above:

African Dance

Mirroring

Copying

Complementing

Contrasting

Floor Patterns

African Dance

In African dance different group patterns such as circles, lines or wedges are used to add visual interest.

Draw and write about the floor pattern you dance. Use the following symbols: Male dancer Female Start Finish Use arrows to show the direction of travel. Upstage

used in your own Dancer

Stage Right Stage Left

Downstage Why did you choose this floor pattern?

Themes in African Dance

Often African dance will tell a story. It can also be used as a preparation for battle, to reinforce a peoples sense of identity, to mark major changes or commemorate an important event. The dance is used to communicate and express feelings that are difficult to convey in other ways. Tell your own story and draw a picture:

African Dance

African Dance A choreographic interpretation by Carl Cambell How does the dance begin? Describe the costumes

What images are shown during the dance?

What floor patterns were used? Circles? Lines? Wedges?

What levels were used in the dance? Low? Medium? High? Describe a movement using each one.

African Dance Did you see any of the following? Unison? Canon? Complement? Contrast? Explain. How does the dance end? Give your opinion about the dance.

Learner ASSESSMENT SHEET: AFRICAN DANCE National Subsidiary Diploma in Performing Arts Composition 1. Which movement ideas did you contribute to the story? 2. What did these represent? How did you make them more dance-like? 3. What floor patterns did you use to make your movement more interesting? 4. How well did you keep to the rhythm? 5. Did your composition contain any moments of unison/canon/mirroring/copying? Performance 6. Did you maintain a low body and flat feet throughout the dance? 7. How well did you use the stage space? 8. Did you maintain focus and energy throughout the dance? 9. How could the whole group improve the dance? 10. What do you think was particularly good about your performance? Why?

African Dance Targets for Improvement: