Description

Dance Phrases CD 4 – From Dance Phrases II – Variations by June Olsson

Dance Phrases CD Series is a collection of musical pieces written for Modern Dance classes.  The music is composed in groups of musical phrases which have tempos, meters, and structures based on patterns of tension and release found in dance combinations.  Each musical piece has an Introduction, a Section (which is repeated a number of times), and an Ending.  the term Section refers to a specific grouping of musical phrases that correspond to a basic dance combination.  The Section is repeated a number of times like a bsic combination might be repeated in various positions or as groups of dancers move across the floor.  Sections are easy to recognize when they repeat even though there are slight musical variations to add interest.

Additionally, count books, written in dancer’s counts, are provided as visual aids for organizing the counts and phrases of each piece.  By using phrase outline in the COUNT BOOKS and becoming familiar with the musical Sections, a dance instructor can easily create interesting combinations that fit exactly with the music.  This can be especially helpful when teaching rhythmic accuracy and counting meters.

Each CD is organized to follow a basic class and contains a variety of odd/even meters and phrases structures for variety

DANCE PHRASES includes CD and count book.

ALSO see: Dance Phrases – 2 CD set (cds 1&2) &
Dance Phrases II – Variations – 2 CD set (cds 3&4)

DANCE PHRASES Single CDs

Dance Phrases CD 1
Dance Phrases CD 2
Dance Phrases CD 3
Dance Phrases CD 4

SHEET MUSIC BOOKS AVAILABLE

Piano Music for Modern Dance Class – Volume 1 – Dance Phrases
Piano Music for Modern Dance Class – Volume 2 – Dance Phrases

Includes a Count Book which detail the phrases of the music.
Count book example is at the bottom of the page.

Dance Phrases CD4 – Variations links one or more musical sections together as either Add-Ons, Extensions, or Variations.

• An Add-On takes a Section and adds a new Section of music to the end of the first Section thereby allowing new material to be added at a later date to a learned combination. An example is an original 8888 combination repeating 4 times and then adding an additional 88 combination repeating 4 times.
• An Extension adds material to the middle of a phrase group so phrases can be added to a learned combination to make it longer before repeating on a second or third side.  An example is an 88 4 combination becoming an 884-88 combination and then repeats.
• A Variations uses similar music but the counts are altered.  An example is a 3336 combination repeating.  A second combination with similar music becomes a 3335 combination.  Helping student to count.

There are even and uneven phrases for floor work, Across the floor, plies, etc.  Instrumentation includes piano, strings, clarinet , bells and percussion.

Count books detail lengths and tempos.

CONTENTS:

Track	Title	Combination	Meter	Phrase	Length	DEMO
1.	882	Opening / Bounces	2/4	882 or 88.88.4	3:04
2.	77	General Opening	7/2	7777	2:23
3.	Arms 1	Center Combination / Tendus	4/4	4444.88	2:24
4.	Abdominals	Abdominals / Rond de Jambes	4/4	8888	1:21
5.	Hip Flexors	Center Floor Work/ Frappes	4/4	8888.88	1:46
6.	888	General Combination / Bounces	slow 2/4	888	2:50
7.	8 Sixes	General Combination / Leg Swings	2/4	6666 staccato 6666 Legato	2:17
8.	16 Three’s	General Combination	3/4	3333.4	2:29
9.	3336*	Across the Floor	3/4	333.6	2:08
10.	3335*(Variations)	Across the Floor	3/4 + 5/4	333.5	2:00
11.	3334* (Variation)	Across the Floor	3/4 + 4/4	333.4	1:51
12.	335*	Across the Floor	3/4 + 5/4	33.5	2:11
13.	335 . 3354* (Extended)	Across the Floor	3/4 + 5/4	33.5 / 33.5.4	2:02
14.	43-34	Across the Floor	7/4	4-3. 3-4	2:11
15.	5555 Accellerando	Center Combination	5/4	5555	3:02
16.	Combo 1A*	Across the Floor	3/4	8.44	2:30
17.	Combo 1B* (Extended)	Across the Floor	3/4	8.44.44.43.4	3:15
18.	1,2 Turn	Turn Combination / Across the Floor	in 3	66	1:59
19.	Backturn 6*	Across the Floor	in 3	66	2:03
20.	Backturn 7* (Variation)	Across the Floor	3-4	3-4	2:08
21.	10 Three’s	Across the Floor	3/4	10 / 8+2	2:38
22.	Slo 888	Across the Floor / Center Combination	4/4 with triplets	888	2:54
23.	Short Waltz	Across the Floor	3/4	8	2:28
24.	Walks	Across the Floor	4/4	88.88.88.8	3:32
25.	Melancoly	Across the Floor or Center Combination	Slo 3/4	8	2:08
26.	44332	Across the Floor / Prances	4/4	8.332	2:06

DANCE PHRASES CD4 _ VARIATIONS

Sample Countbook page

 

Play this excerpt Quarter Turns from DANCE PHRASES CD3 – Variations and follow along with the counts on the sample page.

   The music begins with an introduction, 4 measures of three beats, counted 123,223,323,423.  

   The first phrase is 6 measures long (123,223,323,423,523,623).
The phrase is organized as 4 measures followed by 2 measures (123,223,323,423 – 523,623).
This 6 measure phrase repeats 4 times. The end of this section is marked by the // lines on the count book page.

The second section is a 9 measure phrase in 3. ( 123,223,323 . 423,523,623 . 723,823,923. ).  This phrase of 9 repeats twice in the excerpt. (The whole song is longer – this excerpt fades out)

The entire exercise would then repeat again, as indicated by 2 Reps after Basic Combo on the heading.

Advanced students can dance combinations with rhythms following the phrases but working against the accent pattern.  

For example, in section 1, instead of dancing to 123,223,323,423 – 523,623 as is; the danced phrase could be 123,223,323 – 423,523,623, with a strong accent on the 4th measure instead of the 5th measure as accented in the music.  The dance combination could have accents on unaccented measures of the music.
A more difficult example might be applied in section 2 by showing a dance phrase of 123,223 – 323,423 – 523,623 – 723,823,923 against the music.  In this example, the dance combination would show accents every 2 measures, going against the flow of the music which is showing an accent every 3 measures.  They would then come together for the last 3 measures of each group.  

These techniques can be applied to all the selections in DANCE PHRASES & DANCE PHRASES II – Variations series and can help students to develop rhythmic independence.