Rhythmic Activities and Rhythm Basics

Study Notes

Rhythmic activities are a physical expression of mental and emotional responses to rhythm.
They are often synchronized dances with planned movements.
Examples include line dancing, waltz, and other social dances.

Rhythm is a quality of movement.
It's a measured motion or flow with recurring elements like beats, sounds, and accents.
Every individual has a natural rhythm that can be seen in nature.
Rhythm is most observable in dance.

Everyone expresses rhythm through physical actions like head swaying, foot tapping, etc.
These actions are physical responses to music or rhythm.

Through rhythmic activities, individuals acquire skills and a sense of rhythm.
Feelings are expressed, and the basic principles of time, space, and force are experienced.

In dance, fundamental knowledge and rhythmic skills are important for efficient body movements.

Beat: The underlying pulse of a rhythm; a steady sound where all rhythmic structure is based. The beat dictates the time signature of music/movements.
Tempo: The speed of movements.
Intensity: The variation in stress or force of movements (e.g., heavy or light).
Pitch: The lowness or highness of a tone.
Accent: Emphasis on certain beats.
Meter: Regular recurrence of beats that divide a musical piece into measures.
Phrase: Measures grouped together that create a sense of unity; the end can signal a change in movement direction.
Bar: A vertical line in music that divides the music into measures of time.
Count: A pulse beat, a time limit.
Note: A symbol representing a musical tone.
Measure: A group of pulse beats.
Note Pattern: Specific notes (with or without rests) used in a particular dance step.
Step Pattern: The movements performed for each step in a dance.