Question | Answer |
allegro | fast tempo |
bar lines | the vertical lines on the staff used to mark off the groupings of beats |
beat | the underlying pulse present in most music |
brasses | wind instruments made of metal, including the trumpet, french horn, trombone, and tuba |
chamber music | one to twenty performers |
chord | several notes sounded together |
clavichord | a small predecessor of the piano |
clef | the symbol indicating the pitch of the notes |
consonance | the combination of tones that produces a quality of relaxation |
dissonance | the combination of tones that produces a quality of tension |
dynamics | the loudness of music |
fugue | based upon a short theme called a subject. It contains both rhythmic and melodic motifs. The opening is announced by one voice alone. A second voice then restates the subject, usually on a different scale. |
harmony | refers to the chordal aspect of music |
harpsichord | another predecessor of the piano, sounded by plucking strings |
interval | the distance between notes |
largo | very slow tempo |
lento | slow tempo |
lied | German song |
lyre | an ancient harp |
mass | music for a Catholic service |
measure | the space on a staff between two bar lines |
melody | concerns the sequence of notes |
meter | the organization of beats into groups |
meter signature | the numerical symbol at the beginning of a composition to indicate the meter ex. 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 |
moderato | intermediate tempo |
motif | a recurring group of notes, as the four in Beethoven's 5th symphony |
movement | a large section of lengthy composition |
note | a musical sound of specific pitch, for example, middle C |
opus | a work, usually identified by a number |
oratorio | a major orchestral piece with solo voices and chorus |
orchestra | a large group of instrument players, usually 75-90 |
percussion | instruments sounded by striking, as drums, cymbals, and chimes |
pitch | the frequency of a sound wave |
polyphony | choral music with several simultaneous voice-lines |
presto | very fast tempo |
rhythm | concersn the relative duration of the notes |
rondo | the main feature is the return of the main theme, which alternates with secondary themes. |
scale | the succession of notes arranged in an ascending order |
sonata | a work for one or two instruments |
song form | when the first section of a simple ternary form is repeated |
staff | the five lines on which musical notes are written |
strings | violin, viola, cello, and double bass |
subject | the principal melodic motif or phrase, especially in a fugue |
symphony | a major orchestral composition |
syncopation | a rhythmic effect produced when the expected rhythm pattern is deliberately upset |
tempo | the pace of the music |
timbre | the characteristic sound of a specific pitch |
tone | a musical sound of a specific pitch |
woodwinds | instruments originally made of wood, including the piccolo, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone |
abstract | a nonrepresentational composition created through the use of form, line, and color |
accent | the emphasis in a picture, set off by the use of value, shape, or contrasting color |
advancing colors | colors that appear to "come forward" usually red, orange, and yellow |
analogous colors | colors that are closely related to one another (for example, blue, blue-green, and green) |
area | the flat surface within the borders of a picture |
assymmetrical | unequal;not identical on both sides of a central line |
balance | a harmonious arrangement of the elements of a composition |
blending | a device used to allow one color or tone to merge with another |
center of interest | the area of focus; the part of a picture that attracts the most attention |
chroma | the strength or purity of a color |
collage | an artwork made by gluing pieces of paper, photographs, cloth, and other materials together in an overlapping desing |
color | light waves of different lengths create colors to the eye. Color also includes hue, value, and intensity |
color harmony | an effect that is unified and aesthetically pleasing. It is produced by combining colors that are similar in one or more aspects |
color scheme | the dominant color arrangement in a picture used to create color unity |
contemplementary colors | colors opposite each other on the color wheel complement each other |
composition | the particular arrangement of form, colors, lines, and other elements used in a drawing or painting |
contour | an outline or profile of an object |
contrast | strong differences in form, line, texture, and/or color. |
cool colors | green, blue-green, and violet; often used to suggest wet objects |
crosshatch | parallel lines crossing other parallel lines, creating value and texture |
delineation | representing an object by using lines instead of mass |
depth | the illusion of distance on a flat surface |
design | a planned arrangement of the composition elements |
distortion | arranging art elements to suggest something other than a natural shape. It is used to create emotion in the viewer |
dominant | the most significant element of a composition |
edge | the outline or border of a form or shape. A sharp or distinct border is called a hard edge. A blurred or diffused border is called a soft-edge |
ellipse | the shape of a circle when viewed at an angle, used to obtain perspective |
emphasis | the stress or accent on a particular element of a composition |
eye level | the horizontal plane depicted by the artist in a composition, also called the horizontal line |
focal point | the center of interest in a composition |
foreshorten | using the laws of perspective to shorten forms, objects or figures |
form | the actual 3-dimensional shape and structure of a composition object |
gradation | the gradual change in value, tint, or color as rendered in a picture |
harmony | the pleasing arrangement of picture elements based on using similar qualities of shape, size, and color |
horizon line | an imaginary horizontal line that represents the height or actual direction of the observer's vision |
hue | the name used to distinguish a color, such as red, blue, or blue-green |
intensity | the strength, saturation, or purity of a color |
line | any continuous, unbroken mark |
negative space | the area or space in a composition not represented by the principal focus point |
opaque | the limitation of light; not transparent or translucent |
outline | the outside edge of a figure or object; a sketch using only line, without shading |
perspective | a geometric method for representing 3-dimensional relations on a flat surface and for indicating depth |
primary colors | blue, red, and yellow and other hues can be prepared by combining these 3 colors |
proportion | the relationship (size) of one part of a composition to another or of one part to the whole |
realism | the depiction of a form in a realistic, or true-to-life, manner; re-creating the semblance of an object |
relief | sculpted figures projecting from a background |
rhythm | the repetition of similar elements in a composition, such as colors, forms, values, and lines |
secondary colors | orange, green and violet. they are prepared by mixing equal amounts of two primary colors |
shade | the result of mixing a pure color and a quantiy of black; surface shadows on an object used to indicate form |
spectrum | the arrangement of colors as they are refracted into a rainbow by a prism |
still life | the pictorial arrangement of inanimate objects |
symmetry | the arrangement of objects so that there is a similarity in size, shape, and relative positioning on opposite sides of a composition; mirror-image or equal balance in a composition |
technique | the characteristics of a particular medium; the style of a particular artist |
teriary colors | intermediate colors prepared by mixing unequal amounts of two primary colors |
texture | the appearance or suggested feel of a flat surface |
three-dimensional | possessing the qualities of height, width, and depth |
tint | a mixture of white and a pure color |
translucent | a material or representation that transmits light, but not so well that an object can be clearly seen through it |
transparent | a material or representation through which objects can be clearly seen |
two-dimensional | representing only the dimensions of width and height without delineating depth, thickness, or solid form |
value | the lightness or darkness of a color or hue |
vanishing point | the point at which receding parallel lines converge |
warm colors | colors that are associated with heat or dry objects, generally red, orange, and yellow |
abstraction | the essence of an idea applied to the art of movement |
adagio | as in music, the opposite of allegro, or a slower tempo; it is a set of practice exercises in class consisting of extensions and balances |
alignment | the way in which various parts of the dancer's body are in line with one another while the dancer is moving |
allegro | from the musical term, this refers to quick or lively movements |
arabesque | a pose in which the working leg is extended with a straight knee directly behind the body (both the height of the leg and the position of the arms are variable) |
attitude | a pose modeled after the staue of the winged mercury by bologna in which the working leg is extneded behind the body with the knee bent; can also be held in front of the body |
barre | a round rail attached to the wall horizontally, about 3 1/2 feet above the floor, for dancers to hold during the first half of technique class; also used for stretching the legs by placing the feet or legs on it |
basic positions | the 5 positions of the arms and feet; basis for all steps in the vocabulary of the classic dance |
body movement | includes locomotor (moving from one place to another) and axial (contained movement around an axis of the body) |
choreography | the steps of a dance as put together for performance or the art of composing dances |
classical | refers to the lexicon of dance as taught in the original academies; also used in reference to ballets as created during the Imperial Russian days |
corps de ballet | literally, the "body of the ballet," or the chorus; the dancers who stand behind the principals, forming a stage picture with their poses; |
creative movement | dance movement that is primary and nonfunctional, with emphasis on body mastery for expressive and communicative purposes |
dance | all-inclusive term meaning the aesthetics of movement |
dance form | structure that embodies a choreographed dance |
dance style | specific manner of performing, characteristic of a period, culture, individual, and so on |
dance type | category such as tap, jazz, modern or ethnic |
dance-pointe | on the ball of the foot or half-toe |
elevation | the ability to get up into the air and remain there long enough to perform various movements or poses |
en bas | low;usually in reference to an arm position |
en haut | high; used to indicate when the arms are raised over the head |
en l'air | refers to steps performed in the air or to a leg that is in the air |
entrechat | a "beating" movement in which the feet criss-cross one another around the ankles in the air with the legs straight |
explorations | experimentation with the uses of movement in human responses |
extension | raising the leg to a straightened position with the foot very high above the ground; the ability to lift and hold the leg in position off the ground |
force | release of potential energy into kinetic energy |
grand jete | a leap from one leg to the other in which the the working leg is kicked or thrown away from the body and into thei air; the pose achieved in the air differs as does the direction the leap takes |
grnad jete en tournan (tour jete) | In this leap, the dancer turns halway in midair to land facing hte direction in which the movement started |
improvisation | movement without previous planning |
kinesthetic awareness | feeling the dance movements of others in one's own muscles |
lifts | a part of pas de deux in which one dancer is lifted off the ground by another |
line | the arrangement of head, shoulders, arms, torso, and legs while dancing |
modern dance | type of creative dance involving specialized movement techniques; emphasis is on expressions and communication |
movement materials | sequences, motifs, and phrases developed as the choreographed dance |
muscle memory | the way in which most choreography is remembered by dancers |
neoclassicism | a term coined to denote that form and technique of dancing which came after classicism; often used in reference to George Balanchine, although he never used this expression to describe his work |
pas de deux | literally, "a step for two"; referring to a specific codified form that is choreographed in many classical ballets; also used to refer to any section of a dance performed by two dancers together |
passe | a passing position in which the foot passes by the knee of the supporting leg. When this position is heled, as in pirouettes, with the foot of the working leg resting against the knee of the supporting leg, it is known as reitre |
pirouette | french, "to twirl or spin"; a turn on one foot that can be executed outward, away from the body, or inward, toward the body |
pointe | dancing on the toes |
postmodern dance | a term coined in the 1960s by those who wished to create movement outside the invluences of any of the then-traditional modern dance pioneers such as Cunningham, Graham, Humphre, Limon, and Taylor |
promenade | an adagio movement in which the dancer pivots completely around on one foot while maintaining a pose with the working leg |
romantic era | a period from about 1820-1870 in which ballet was characterized primarily by supernatural subject matter, long white tutus, dancing on the toes, and theatrical innovations that permitted the dimming of the house lights for theatrical illusion |
space | immediate area surrounding the body; the area in which bodies can move at all levels |
spotting | focusing the eyes on one point in the distance in order to keep balance while turning |
stasis | the state of being at rest |
supporting leg | the leg upon which the dancer is balancing |
time | the duration of a dance; can be divided into the rate of speed (fast, moderate or slow); metric time (beat, pulse, accent, tempo and duration). |
turnout | rotating the leg outward from the hip such that the feet form a straight line on the floor, toes facing away from each other; a way of holding hte body, developed in ballet, that allows the dancer more articulation, speed, and variety of movement |
working leg | the leg that is delineating movement |