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 Fun
Facts About Music
By Diane Gudat
Improve your choreography by learning basic music theory
Music is vital equipment for dance teachers
and choreographers, both in the classroom and onstage. A basic
understanding of music theory is a powerful tool that allows
us to get the most out of the music we use. Over the years I
have gathered some “fun facts” about understanding and using
music. Here are my favorites.
1
The introduction section of most ballet barre music is usually
four measures long.
Count the beats of the introduction, divide the number of
counts by 4, and you have the top number of the time
signature. For example, let’s say the introduction is 16 beats
long. Divide 16 by 4 and the result is 4. This is the top
number (numerator) of the time signature; therefore, the music
is most probably 4/4.
Have your students count the introduction and try to figure
out the time signature. Of course, ballet class CDs include
the time signature for each band, so you can check their
answer and make yourself look smart!
2
How can you tell the difference between a 3/4 and a 6/8 time
signature?
When listening to music with a 3/4 time signature, you can say
the three-syllable word “pineapple” along with the beat. When
listening to music with a 6/8 time signature, you can
comfortably say both “pineapple” and the two-syllable word
“apple.” The downbeats in 6/8 and 3/4 time produce different
feelings and physical responses in dancers. Teachers must know
the difference in order to select appropriate music for the
desired movement. A piece written in 6/8, with its eighth
notes, feels much sharper and a bit quicker than one in 3/4
time, with its quarter notes.
3
Most of the music commonly used by dance teachers for jazz and
tap routines is written in a formula called a standard chorus.
The first verse (A) is followed by the second verse (also A),
whose melody matches that of the first. Then there is a break
or a new melody (B), and then the song goes back to the
original melody (A). Thus, the formula for the music becomes
AABA. If you want a more complex base for your dance, look
beyond the standard chorus; there are many other structures,
such as AAA, ABAC, AAB, ABA, and ABAB.
Most music in our culture is still written in this formula, or
at the very least in groupings of 32 counts (8 measures of 4/4
music) which is referred to as a “standard step.”
4
The music you choose for an exercise will affect the shape and
quality of the movement, so make sure to use a ballet barre CD
with a variety of time signatures.
Music with a time signature of 3/4 actually sounds “round,”
and music in 2/4 or 4/4 time sounds “square.”
Try this exercise: Put on a piece of music that is in 3/4
time, and draw a huge circle with your arm for each measure.
Then try to draw a square for each measure. You will probably
find it uncomfortable. Do the opposite experiment with music
that has a 2/4 or 4/4 time signature. The square will now feel
more comfortable than the circle. Young students can do this
exercise with crayons and paper or with dry-erase markers on
the mirror.
Teach your advanced dancers a combination with a 4/4 time
signature and then have them dance it to a piece of 3/4 music.
This can be done with any combination of time signatures and
can prove to be quite a challenge for the dancers.
5
When clapping to music, most people automatically clap
together.
But when they clap depends on the flavor of the music.
For example, with a polka, almost everyone will clap on the
odd beats, beginning with the downbeat of 1. With jazz music,
most people will clap on even counts, starting with 2.
6
The spirit or flavor of the music inspires and emotionally
affects the listeners.
For many dance teachers, music inspires us to move and get
others to do so. I once did an experiment at a teenager’s
birthday party. I played several slow songs and then a crazy
up-tempo song. The kids reacted immediately to the change. I
did this off and on—first slow music, then a fast song, for
almost an hour, and every time the mood of the partygoers
changed. Audiences, too, are affected by your musical
selections. Think about the order of the music for your
recital. Will it be emotionally pleasing to your audiences?
7
Many people hear or feel the space between rhythmic phrases
much more strongly than they do clusters of sound.
Setting a step to every beat of music sometimes bores
audiences. Avoid such a literal interpretation. For example,
have the dancers come to a complete stop after an aggressive
piece of movement or leave a period of silence for a few
counts of a tap piece. Experiment with musical and
choreographic tempos. Try mixing them up: Choreograph a fast
section of movement to music with a slow tempo, or slow down
the steps for an up-tempo song. This kind of variety can
result in an interesting contrast for the dancers and
audience.
Changes in rhythm and tempo will cleanse the audience’s palate
and prepare them to begin watching or listening in a fresh new
way. Good choreography is like Swiss cheese—fat in places,
skinny in others, with uneven edges and lots of
different-sized holes!
Most dance teachers are destined to a lifetime of
choreographing to prerecorded music. But a bit of knowledge
helps us manipulate this music to complement movement and the
dancers. It is a gift that we can pass along to our students
to help them excel in a field that is becoming ever more
competitive.
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