Dance Lessons Music, Rhythm, and Musicality in Dance 2

Question 1

In salsa dancing, dancers traditionally start their movement on which beat?

Accepted Answer

Beat 1 (On1) or Beat 2 (On2) depending on the style

Answer

In salsa, dancers may start on Beat 1 (Los Angeles style/On1) or Beat 2 (New York style/On2), and the style significantly affects the feeling and technique of the dance.

Question 2

What is a 'musical accent' and how do dancers use it?

Accepted Answer

A moment of emphasis or stress in the music that dancers can highlight with a sharp movement or pause

Answer

A musical accent is a moment of emphasis or stress in the music, and dancers often mark these moments with sharp movements, pauses, or changes in energy to create dynamic contrast.

Question 3

What does 'rubato' mean in music and how might a contemporary dancer respond to it?

Accepted Answer

A flexible tempo where time is 'stolen' — a dancer might move fluidly with the music's ebb and flow

Answer

Rubato ('robbed time' in Italian) refers to a flexible tempo where the performer can speed up or slow down expressively, and dancers may respond with fluid, organic phrasing that breathes with the music.

Question 4

Which time signature gives Waltz its distinctive swaying quality?

Accepted Answer

3/4

Answer

Waltz is danced in 3/4 time — three beats per measure with emphasis on the first beat — which creates the characteristic swaying, circular quality of the dance.

Question 5

What is the 'downbeat' in music, and why do dance teachers often cue dancers to start 'on the downbeat'?

Accepted Answer

The first and typically strongest beat of a measure

Answer

The downbeat is the first and typically most accented beat of a musical measure, and starting movement on the downbeat ensures dancers align with the music's natural emphasis points.

Dance Lessons Practice Test

Dance Lessons Practice Test

Dance Lessons Music, Rhythm, and Musicality in Dance 2