BSEH Secondary Dance cheat sheet

Natyashastra (attributed to Bharata, roughly 200 BCE–200 CE) treats dance as part of a unified performing art and sets out the concepts of nritta (pure rhythmic movement), nritya (expressive dance), and natya (drama).

Rasa theory names nine rasas: shringara (love), hasya (mirth), karuna (compassion), raudra (anger), veera (heroism), bhayanaka (fear), bibhatsa (disgust), adbhuta (wonder), and shanta (peace).

Abhinaya has four modes: angika (body), vachika (speech or song), aharya (costume, makeup, décor), and sattvika (inner emotional state).

Tandava denotes vigorous, energetic movement associated with Shiva; lasya denotes graceful, tender movement associated with Parvati.

The Natyashastra's two basic body positions are sama (balanced, symmetrical) and staunchaka or vaishnava (with weight shifted and hips deflected).

Key Western milestones: court ballet under Louis XIV, the 1661 Académie Royale de Danse, Romantic ballet's pointe work, and the Diaghilev Ballets Russes era from 1909.

Labannotation records movement through body, space, and effort symbols; the effort factors are weight, space, time, and flow.

Terminology check: 'adagio' means slow, sustained movement; 'allegro' means fast, brisk movement; 'plié' is a knee bend and 'tendu' a stretched, extended leg.

Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu) uses aramandi (half-seated, turned-out stance), a repertory running alarippu–jatiswaram–shabdam–varnam–padam–tillana, and nattuvanar-conducted ensembles.

Kathak (North India) is distinguished by tatkar footwork, chakkars (spins), the ghunghroo-bell ankle, and the Lucknow, Jaipur, and Banaras gharanas.

Kathakali (Kerala) uses large headgear, painted faces coded by character type (green for noble heroes, red-streaked for villainous figures), and mudras performed largely with the hands.

Mohiniyattam (Kerala) is a lasya-dominant solo form with side-to-side sway, white-and-gold costume, and lasya-oriented repertoire.

Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh) grew from the Bhagavata Mela tradition, includes the tarangam (dance on a brass plate), and allows some spoken dialogue.

Odissi (Odisha) is characterized by the tribhangi (three-bend) posture, the chowk (square, Shiva-like stance), and the Mangalacharan–Batu–Pallavi–Moksha sequence.

Manipuri comprises Ras Leela, Lai Haraoba, and the Cholom; Pung cholom is the drum dance, and the form emphasizes rounded, circular body lines.

Sattriya (Assam) originated in Vaishnava satras founded by Srimanta Sankardeva and uses the khol drum and cymbals in its repertoire.

Bhangra (Punjab) is a harvest dance with the dhol as its main drum; Giddha is its women's counterpart with clapping and boliyan couplets.

Garba (Gujarat) circles a central lamp or image during Navratri; Dandiya Raas uses paired sticks, and both are traditionally performed in concentric circles.

Ghoomar (Rajasthan) is a women's swirling-circle dance associated with the Bhil community and Rajput courts.

Bihu (Assam) marks the Assamese new year and harvest, with the pepa (hornpipe) and dhol as characteristic instruments.

Chhau has three regional styles - Seraikella (Jharkhand), Purulia (West Bengal), and Mayurbhanj (Odisha) - and uses masks in the Seraikella style.

Lavani (Maharashtra) is a fast, rhythmic form with dholki accompaniment; Tamasha is the broader folk-theatre tradition in which Lavani appears.

Yakshagana (Karnataka) is a night-long dance-drama with elaborate headgear and chande drum accompaniment.

Lai Haraoba is a pre-Vaishnava ritual festival of Manipur featuring the Khamba-Thoibi dance and maibi priestess dances.

Warm-up order: light aerobic activity, then joint mobility, then dynamic stretching, then technique-specific drills; static stretching belongs after the session.

Turnout comes from hip external rotation (about 45–60 degrees per hip in trained dancers); forcing it from the knees or feet causes medial knee stress.

A dancer's jump is a plyometric action; depth jumps and high-volume bounding should be limited to about 1–3 sessions per week with full recovery.

Ankle sprains are the most common dance injury; the anterior talofibular ligament is most frequently affected, and proprioceptive retraining follows acute care.

Snapping hip syndrome in dancers usually involves the iliopsoas tendon or iliotibial band; weak hip abductors and poor lumbopelvic control are contributing factors.

The female athlete triad involves low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density; it is a red flag requiring medical referral.

Cool-down includes low-intensity movement and static stretching held about 15–30 seconds per muscle group.

Cross-training targets: core stability, hip abductor strength, calf endurance, and single-leg balance; all four are directly protective for turnout and landing.

Tala is the rhythmic cycle; a tala of n beats is written with sam (beat 1), tali (clap points), and khali (wave point).

Teentaal has 16 beats in four vibhags of 4 (sam on 1, tali on 1, 5, 13, khali on 9); Ektaal has 12 beats in six vibhags of 2.

Jhaptaal has 10 beats (2+3+2+3), Rupak has 7 beats with khali on the first beat, and Keherwa has 8 beats (4+4).

Laya is tempo: vilambit (slow), madhya (medium), and drut (fast); layakari is the deliberate subdivision or multiplication of the beat.

A tukda is a short rhythmic composition; a tihai is a phrase repeated three times so that it resolves on sam.

In Bharatanatyam, the nattuvanar sets the tala with cymbals while the mridangam and vocalist accompany; the dancer's syllables (sollukattu) mirror the drum.

In Kathak, the tabla and padhant (spoken bols) are central; the dancer recites and then executes the same bols.

A 3/4 time signature has three quarter-note beats per bar; a waltz rhythm accents beat 1, while a 4/4 march accents beats 1 and 3.

Unison, canon, and counterpoint are the three basic group texture devices; canon involves the same phrase offset in time between dancers.

Formal devices: repetition, inversion (mirroring), retrograde (reversing the phrase), augmentation (slowing), and diminution (speeding up).

Choreographic structure options include ABA, rondo, theme and variation, narrative, and chance or improvisational scoring.

Levels (low, middle, high), pathways (straight, curved, zigzag), and facings are the core spatial variables to vary deliberately.

Motif development means taking a short movement idea and transforming it through changes of size, speed, direction, or body part.

Phrase lengths in dance commonly follow musical counts of 4, 8, or 16; a phrase that resolves off the count creates tension.

A climax should be placed by design - often around two-thirds through the work - and the ending should resolve or deliberately refuse resolution.

Transitions require linking material; abrupt cuts and smooth blends are both choices, but each should be consistent within a section.

Demonstration, command, exploration, and guided discovery are distinct teaching styles; the choice depends on whether the goal is reproduction of form or creative response.

Class structure: warm-up, technique or set material, creative or repertory work, cool-down, and closure - each with a stated learning objective.

Mirroring (teacher facing students) reverses left and right; shadowing (teacher with back to students) preserves it and is standard for spatial accuracy.

Correction should be specific, observable, and limited to one or two points per student at a time.

Mixed-level classes need layered tasks: the same phrase with a simplified base version and an extended version for advanced students.

Safeguarding basics: teach in a visible space, keep a register, obtain parental consent for contact, and never be alone with a minor behind a closed door.

Progression should follow the ACSM-style principle of gradual overload - increase volume or difficulty by roughly 10 percent per week rather than jumping.

Assessment can use video review, peer feedback, self-assessment rubrics, and criterion-referenced checklists tied to the stated objective.

Stage areas: center stage, stage right and stage left are named from the performer's perspective facing the audience; upstage is away from the audience.

Lighting: front light gives visibility, side light sculpts form, back light separates the dancer from the backdrop, and a follow spot tracks a soloist.

Gel changes color temperature; diffusion softens shadows; a gobo projects a pattern; blackout means all stage light off.

Sound check essentials: gain before feedback, monitor mixes for the dancers, and a backup playback device with the music pre-loaded.

Costume decisions must allow full range of motion; heavy headgear affects balance and requires rehearsal in full costume.

A cue sheet lists every light, sound, and fly cue in order with the trigger word or count, and is called by the stage manager.

Rider and technical requirements should be confirmed in advance: stage dimensions, floor type (sprung vs. concrete), power supply, and dressing rooms.

Curtain call order typically runs from ensemble to principals, with the choreographer or company acknowledged last.

Natyashastra (attributed to Bharata, roughly 200 BCE–200 CE) treats dance as part of a unified performing art and sets out the concepts of nritta (pure rhythmic movement), nritya (expressive dance), and natya (drama).

Rasa theory names nine rasas: shringara (love), hasya (mirth), karuna (compassion), raudra (anger), veera (heroism), bhayanaka (fear), bibhatsa (disgust), adbhuta (wonder), and shanta (peace).

Abhinaya has four modes: angika (body), vachika (speech or song), aharya (costume, makeup, décor), and sattvika (inner emotional state).

Tandava denotes vigorous, energetic movement associated with Shiva; lasya denotes graceful, tender movement associated with Parvati.

Key Western milestones include court ballet under Louis XIV, the 1661 Académie Royale de Danse, Romantic ballet's pointe work, and the Diaghilev Ballets Russes era from 1909.

Labannotation records movement through body, space, and effort symbols; the effort factors are weight, space, time, and flow.

Terminology check: 'adagio' means slow, sustained movement; 'allegro' means fast, brisk movement; 'plié' is a knee bend and 'tendu' a stretched, extended leg.

Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu) uses aramandi (half-seated, turned-out stance), a repertory running alarippu–jatiswaram–shabdam–varnam–padam–tillana, and nattuvanar-conducted ensembles.

Kathak (North India) is distinguished by tatkar footwork, chakkars (spins), the ghunghroo-bell ankle, and the Lucknow, Jaipur, and Banaras gharanas.

Kathakali (Kerala) uses large headgear, painted faces coded by character type (green for noble heroes, red-streaked for villainous figures), and mudras performed largely with the hands.

Mohiniyattam (Kerala) is a lasya-dominant solo form with side-to-side sway, white-and-gold costume, and lasya-oriented repertoire.

Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh) grew from the Bhagavata Mela tradition, includes the tarangam (dance on a brass plate), and allows some spoken dialogue.

Odissi (Odisha) is characterized by the tribhangi (three-bend) posture, the chowk (square, Shiva-like stance), and the Mangalacharan–Batu–Pallavi–Moksha sequence.

Manipuri comprises Ras Leela, Lai Haraoba, and the Cholom; Pung cholom is the drum dance, and the form emphasizes rounded, circular body lines.

Sattriya (Assam) originated in Vaishnava satras founded by Srimanta Sankardeva and uses the khol drum and cymbals in its repertoire.

Bhangra (Punjab) is a harvest dance with the dhol as its main drum; Giddha is its women's counterpart with clapping and boliyan couplets.

Garba (Gujarat) circles a central lamp or image during Navratri; Dandiya Raas uses paired sticks, and both are traditionally performed in concentric circles.

Ghoomar (Rajasthan) is a women's swirling-circle dance associated with the Bhil community and Rajput courts.

Bihu (Assam) marks the Assamese new year and harvest, with the pepa (hornpipe) and dhol as characteristic instruments.

Chhau has three regional styles - Seraikella (Jharkhand), Purulia (West Bengal), and Mayurbhanj (Odisha) - and uses masks in the Seraikella style.

Lavani (Maharashtra) is a fast, rhythmic form with dholki accompaniment; Tamasha is the broader folk-theatre tradition in which Lavani appears.

Yakshagana (Karnataka) is a night-long dance-drama with elaborate headgear and chande drum accompaniment.

Lai Haraoba is a pre-Vaishnava ritual festival of Manipur featuring the Khamba-Thoibi dance and maibi priestess dances.

Warm-up order: light aerobic activity, then joint mobility, then dynamic stretching, then technique-specific drills; static stretching belongs after the session.

Turnout comes from hip external rotation (about 45–60 degrees per hip in trained dancers); forcing it from the knees or feet causes medial knee stress.

A dancer's jump is a plyometric action; depth jumps and high-volume bounding should be limited to about 1–3 sessions per week with full recovery.

Ankle sprains are the most common dance injury; the anterior talofibular ligament is most frequently affected, and proprioceptive retraining follows acute care.

Snapping hip syndrome in dancers usually involves the iliopsoas tendon or iliotibial band; weak hip abductors and poor lumbopelvic control are contributing factors.

The female athlete triad involves low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density; it is a red flag requiring medical referral.

Cool-down includes low-intensity movement and static stretching held about 15–30 seconds per muscle group.

Cross-training targets: core stability, hip abductor strength, calf endurance, and single-leg balance; all four are directly protective for turnout and landing.

Tala is the rhythmic cycle; a tala of n beats is written with sam (beat 1), tali (clap points), and khali (wave point).

Teentaal has 16 beats in four vibhags of 4 (sam on 1, tali on 1, 5, 13, khali on 9); Ektaal has 12 beats in six vibhags of 2.

Jhaptaal has 10 beats (2+3+2+3), Rupak has 7 beats with khali on the first beat, and Keherwa has 8 beats (4+4).

Laya is tempo: vilambit (slow), madhya (medium), and drut (fast); layakari is the deliberate subdivision or multiplication of the beat.

A tukda is a short rhythmic composition; a tihai is a phrase repeated three times so that it resolves on sam.

In Bharatanatyam, the nattuvanar sets the tala with cymbals while the mridangam and vocalist accompany; the dancer's syllables (sollukattu) mirror the drum.

In Kathak, the tabla and padhant (spoken bols) are central; the dancer recites and then executes the same bols.

A 3/4 time signature has three quarter-note beats per bar; a waltz rhythm accents beat 1, while a 4/4 march accents beats 1 and 3.

Unison, canon, and counterpoint are the three basic group texture devices; canon involves the same phrase offset in time between dancers.

Formal devices: repetition, inversion (mirroring), retrograde (reversing the phrase), augmentation (slowing), and diminution (speeding up).

Choreographic structure options include ABA, rondo, theme and variation, narrative, and chance or improvisational scoring.

Levels (low, middle, high), pathways (straight, curved, zigzag), and facings are the core spatial variables to vary deliberately.

Motif development means taking a short movement idea and transforming it through changes of size, speed, direction, or body part.

Phrase lengths in dance commonly follow musical counts of 4, 8, or 16; a phrase that resolves off the count creates tension.

A climax should be placed by design - often around two-thirds through the work - and the ending should resolve or deliberately refuse resolution.

Transitions require linking material; abrupt cuts and smooth blends are both choices, but each should be consistent within a section.

Demonstration, command, exploration, and guided discovery are distinct teaching styles; the choice depends on whether the goal is reproduction of form or creative response.

Class structure: warm-up, technique or set material, creative or repertory work, cool-down, and closure - each with a stated learning objective.

Mirroring (teacher facing students) reverses left and right; shadowing (teacher with back to students) preserves it and is standard for spatial accuracy.

Correction should be specific, observable, and limited to one or two points per student at a time.

Mixed-level classes need layered tasks: the same phrase with a simplified base version and an extended version for advanced students.

Safeguarding basics: teach in a visible space, keep a register, obtain parental consent for contact, and never be alone with a minor behind a closed door.

Progression should follow gradual overload - increase volume or difficulty by roughly 10 percent per week rather than jumping.

Assessment can use video review, peer feedback, self-assessment rubrics, and criterion-referenced checklists tied to the stated objective.

Stage areas: center stage, stage right and stage left are named from the performer's perspective facing the audience; upstage is away from the audience.

Lighting: front light gives visibility, side light sculpts form, back light separates the dancer from the backdrop, and a follow spot tracks a soloist.

Gel changes color temperature; diffusion softens shadows; a gobo projects a pattern; blackout means all stage light off.

Sound check essentials: gain before feedback, monitor mixes for the dancers, and a backup playback device with the music pre-loaded.

Costume decisions must allow full range of motion; heavy headgear affects balance and requires rehearsal in full costume.

A cue sheet lists every light, sound, and fly cue in order with the trigger word or count, and is called by the stage manager.

Rider and technical requirements should be confirmed in advance: stage dimensions, floor type (sprung vs. concrete), power supply, and dressing rooms.

Curtain call order typically runs from ensemble to principals, with the choreographer or company acknowledged last.