Dance and Music: A Guide to Dance Accompaniment for Musicians and Dance Teachers

445 Pages·2001·5.99 MB·English

by  Harriet Cavalli

DA N C E
A N D
M U S IC
A Guide to Dance Accompaniment
 
Dance and Music
UWF UNIVERSITYPRESS
FSU FAMU UNF OF
TAETS UF UCF FLOARDI
U USF
NIVERSITYSYSTEM FGCUFIFUAU
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton
Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers
Florida International University, Miami
Florida State University, Tallahassee
University of Central Florida, Orlando
University of Florida, Gainesville
University of North Florida, Jacksonville
University of South Florida, Tampa
University of West Florida, Pensacola

Dance and Music
(cid:1)
A Guide to Dance Accompaniment
for Musicians and Dance Teachers
Harriet Cavalli
University Press of Florida
Gainesville ·Tallahassee ·Tampa ·Boca Raton
Pensacola ·Orlando ·Miami ·Jacksonville ·Ft. Myers
Copyright 2001 by Harriet Cavalli
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
All rights reserved
First printing in German as Tanz und Musik: March 1998, to commemorate the 25th
anniversary of the Swiss Ballet Teachers’ Association (SBLV), Armin Wild, president.
German translation by Barbara Hesse, Binz, Switzerland
Illustrations by Thomas Ziegler, Bern, Switzerland
06 05 04 03 02 01 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 0-8130-1887-0
CIP data available.
The University Press of Florida is the scholarly publishing agency for the State
University System of Florida, comprising Florida A&M University, Florida Atlantic
University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, Florida
State University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of
North Florida, University of South Florida, and University of West Florida.
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611–2079
http://www.upf.com
To my family, the Weymouths, and especially my daughters, Celia and Beth.
To the memory—and in honor—of three people who still have a profound
effect on my professional life:
·
Maxine Cushing Gray, editor and publisher of Northwest Arts (Seattle),
who gave me my first professional writing opportunity, and whose com-
mitment to quality is still an inspiration;
·
Vera Volkova, a tiny dynamo with a monumental knowledge of dance,
dancers, and psychology, who challenged me to break bad habits; and
·
Perry Brunson, who taught me most of what I know about dance accom-
paniment, ballet technique, discipline, and commitment.
And never-ending thanks to
·
Donna Silva, for keeping Perry Brunson’s legacy alive; and
·
Martin Schläpfer, for his trust, respect, integrity, and honesty.

Contents
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
1. What Is Dance Accompaniment? 1
2. Essential Elements of Music for Dance 4
Rhythm 4
Meter/time signature 5
Melody 6
Tempo 8
Harmony 8
Tonality 9
Phrasing 9
Dynamics 11
Line 11
Style 12
3. Musical Forms for Dance and How to Count Them 15
C
2/4 or - Examples 3–12: all are twos 17
Tango (habañera, beguine, zapote, samba, rumba, etc.) -
Examples 3 and 3a 17
March (to be discussed under 4/4s) 17
Rag - Example 4 17
Polka - Example 5 18
Coda, galop, can-can (sometimes even “circus music”) -
Examples 6 and 7 18
Czardas-friszka - Example 8 19
Miscellaneous - Examples 9–12 19
3/4 - Examples 13–29: sixes and threes 20
Sarabande - Example 13: six or three 20
Polonaise/Polacca - Examples 14 and 15: six 20
Bolero - Example 16: six 21
Minuet - Example 17: six or three 22
Ländler - Example 18: three (sometimes six) 22
Mazurka - Examples 19–21: three (occasionally six) 23
Waltz - Examples 22–28: three 24
Slow waltz - Example 22 24
Medium-tempo waltz - Example 23 24
Spanish waltz - Example 24 24
Viennese waltz 25
Fast waltz - Example 25 25
“Big waltz” or “grand allegro waltz” - Examples 26–28 25
Miscellaneous - Example 29: six 27
3/8 - Examples 30–33: all are threes 27
Medium-tempo - Examples 30 and 31 27
Allegr o - Examples 32 and 33 28
c
4/4 or - Examples 34–39: all are twos 28
Czardas-lassú - Examples 34a and 34b 29
March - Example 35 29
Gavotte - Example 36 30
Stop time - Example 37 30
Miscellaneous - Examples 38 and 39 30
6/8 - Examples 40–48: all are threes except the 6/8 march (two) 31
Barcarolle - Example 40: three 31
March - Example 41: two 31
“Big waltz” or “grand allegro waltz” - Examples 42 and 43: three 32
Tarantella - Example 44: three 32
Miscellaneous - Examples 45–48: all are threes 33
9/8 - Example 49: six 34
12/8 - Example 50: three 34
The adagio - Examples 51–64 35
2/4 adagio - Example 51: two 37
3/4 adagio - Examples 52–55: threes and sixes 38
3/8 adagio - Example 56: three 39
c
4/4 or adagio - Examples 57–60: twos 39
6/8 adagio - Example 61: three 40
9/8 adagio - Example 62: six 40
12/8 adagio - Examples 63 and 64: two (rarely, three) 40
4. For Dance Teachers 44
Music and you 44
Music and your students 55
How a new dance teacher deals with an accompanist 61
Learning to count correctly 63
Face to face with your accompanist in the studio 68
Where to demonstrate 68
What to say during a demonstration 69
How to get a combination started 73
Preparations (introductions, “four-for-nothings,” lead-ins, etc.) 74
How to correct faulty tempos 75
The second side of barre combinations 76
How to continue a combination 76
How to stop a combination 77
How to finish a combination 78
How to organize groups of students in the center 79
How to mark clearly 80
Dos and don’ts for dance teachers 81
Dos 81
Don’ts 83
Checklist 86
5. For Accompanists 87
Background information for beginning accompanists 95
Classroom etiquette 95
The structure of a dance class 96
The barre (sometimes called side practice) 97
The center (sometimes called centre practice) 98
How teachers demonstrate 99
Qualities of steps and movements 100
At the barre 102
Pliés 102
Tendus 104
The dégagé family 104
Ronds de jambe à terre 105
In two 105
In three 105
Fondus 106
Frappés 106
Adagios/Développés 107
Petits battements serrés and battus 108
Ronds de jambe en l’air 108
Grands battements and battements en cloche and en balançoire 109
Grands battements with the leg going up on the count 109
Grands battements with the leg going up on “and” 109
Grands battements en cloche and en balançoire 109
Stretching 110
The cambré family 110
Cambrés and circular ports de bras within plié combinations 112
Medium-tempo waltz 112
Slow waltz, slow 3/4, or 9/8 112
Cambrés and circular ports de bras added onto rond de jambe à
terre combinations 112
Slow waltz 112
Moderato two or tango 113
Medium-tempo waltz 113