Dance Lessons Dance Terminology 3 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'chassé' in dance?
- A jump from two feet to two feet
- A gliding step where one foot chases the other (Correct answer)
- A slow drag of the foot along the floor
- A backward step with a dip
Correct answer: A gliding step where one foot chases the other
A chassé is a gliding step where one foot literally 'chases' the other, with the feet briefly coming together before the leading foot steps out again.
Question 2: In ballroom dance, what is the 'rise and fall'?
- Increasing and decreasing the speed of a dance
- The movement of the body up onto the toes and back down through the feet (Correct answer)
- The emotional arc of a performance
- Moving from a low to a high level and back
Correct answer: The movement of the body up onto the toes and back down through the feet
Rise and fall describes the characteristic movement of rising onto the balls of the feet and lowering back through the heel, creating a flowing, wave-like quality.
Question 3: What does 'turnout' mean in classical ballet?
- The number of audience members at a performance
- The outward rotation of the legs from the hip sockets (Correct answer)
- Exiting from the stage
- The final position after a turn
Correct answer: The outward rotation of the legs from the hip sockets
Turnout is the outward rotation of both legs from the hip joint, ideally achieving 90 degrees to each side, and is fundamental to classical ballet technique.
Question 4: What is 'musicality' in the context of dance?
- The ability to play a musical instrument
- A dancer's sensitivity to and expression of the music through movement (Correct answer)
- Dancing only to classical music
- The volume level of the accompaniment
Correct answer: A dancer's sensitivity to and expression of the music through movement
Musicality is a dancer's ability to interpret and reflect the nuances of musicâits rhythm, phrasing, dynamics, and emotionâthrough their movement.
Question 5: In hip-hop dance, what is 'waving'?
- Greeting the audience during a performance
- A fluid movement that creates the illusion of a wave traveling through the body (Correct answer)
- Side-to-side swaying of the hips
- A style of arm circles
Correct answer: A fluid movement that creates the illusion of a wave traveling through the body
Waving is a hip-hop technique where a continuous, fluid motion travels sequentially through the body, creating the visual effect of a wave.
Question 6: What does 'adagio' mean in a dance class setting?
- A fast combination of turns
- Slow, sustained, controlled movements emphasizing balance and extension (Correct answer)
- Floor stretching exercises
- Partner lifting exercises only
Correct answer: Slow, sustained, controlled movements emphasizing balance and extension
Adagio refers to slow, controlled movements that challenge a dancer's balance, strength, and extension, often including sustained balances and développés.
Question 7: What is a 'ball change' in tap or jazz dance?
- Switching partners during a social dance
- A two-beat step where weight transfers to the ball of one foot then the other (Correct answer)
- Changing the direction of a jump
- A foot position with weight on the heel
Correct answer: A two-beat step where weight transfers to the ball of one foot then the other
A ball change is a two-beat movement where the dancer steps onto the ball of one foot and then shifts weight to the other foot.
Dance Lessons Dance Terminology 3
What is a 'chassé' in dance?