BM or BMus Bachelor of Music Dance & Music 5 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Romantic-era ballet, premiering in 1841, established the archetype of the 'white ballet' (ballet blanc) and featured supernatural female spirits called Wilis?
- Giselle (Correct answer)
- La Sylphide
- Coppélia
- Swan Lake
Correct answer: Giselle
Giselle (1841), with music by Adolphe Adam, is the quintessential Romantic ballet featuring the Wilisâvengeful spirits of jilted bridesâand white tutus.
Question 2: The Charleston, a popular American social dance of the 1920s, is most closely identified with which musical style?
- Jazz (Correct answer)
- Ragtime
- Blues
- Swing
Correct answer: Jazz
The Charleston is associated with 1920s jazz, particularly the syncopated rhythms and energy of the Harlem Renaissance jazz scene.
Question 3: In musical theater, which term describes a song that simultaneously advances plot AND reveals character, and is considered the highest form of the form?
- Integrated song (I want / action song) (Correct answer)
- Eleven o'clock number
- Charm song
- Comedy trio
Correct answer: Integrated song (I want / action song)
The 'integrated song' (or 'I want' / action song) serves double dutyâpushing the story forward while deepening our understanding of a character's psychology.
Question 4: The concept of 'Gesamtkunstwerk' (total art work), which deeply influenced ballet and music-theater, was formulated by which composer?
- Richard Wagner (Correct answer)
- Hector Berlioz
- Franz Liszt
- Giuseppe Verdi
Correct answer: Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner coined Gesamtkunstwerk to describe the ideal unification of music, drama, poetry, dance, and visual art in his opera-dramas.
Question 5: Which percussion instrument is central to Irish step dancing accompaniment and produces sound by striking its skin head and frame simultaneously?
- BodhrĂĄn (Correct answer)
- Frame drum
- Snare drum
- Bones
Correct answer: BodhrĂĄn
The bodhrĂĄn is the traditional Irish frame drum played with a tipper (beater), producing the driving rhythmic accompaniment for reels and jigs.
Question 6: In the context of music for dance, what does the term 'anacrusis' (or pickup) affect most directly in dance choreography?
- The preparation or 'breath' before a movement phrase (Correct answer)
- The climax of the dance
- The ending position of a phrase
- The dynamic level of the music
Correct answer: The preparation or 'breath' before a movement phrase
An anacrusis (upbeat or pickup) corresponds to the preparatory motion or breath a dancer takes before executing the main movement on the strong beat.
Question 7: Hip-hop dance culture, which emerged in the South Bronx in the early 1970s, developed alongside which foundational musical practice?
- DJing and breakbeats (Correct answer)
- Live jazz improvisation
- Gospel choir performance
- Funk band concerts
Correct answer: DJing and breakbeats
B-boying/breaking developed alongside DJs like Kool Herc who isolated and looped the percussion 'breakbeats' from funk and soul records.
BM or BMus Bachelor of Music Dance & Music 5
Which Romantic-era ballet, premiering in 1841, established the archetype of the 'white ballet' (ballet blanc) and featured supernatural female spirits called Wilis?