Study Guide

Field 209: Dance 
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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Each multiple-choice question has four answer choices. Read each question and its answer choices carefully and choose the ONE best answer.

During the test you should try to answer all questions. Even if you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than not to answer a question at all. You will NOT be penalized for choosing an incorrect response.

Objective 0001 
Understand the elements of dance.

1. The dance element level primarily refers to the:

  1. relative height of dancers to each other.
  2. downstage to upstage arrangement of dancers.
  3. volume of music accompanying a dance.
  4. body's position relative to the ground.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
The dance element level refers to the height of a dancer's body relative to the ground or dance floor. A low level is generally considered to be below the knee, middle is from the knee to the top of the head, and high is above the head.

Objective 0002 
Understand principles of movement and technical skills in dance.

2. In a jazz dance warm-up, dancers execute several movements with their arms raised overhead in a V-shape. In creating those arm movements, it would be most important for the dancers to consider which of the following technical points?

  1. initiating the upward lift with elevation of the shoulders
  2. stretching up by pushing the fingertips toward the ceiling
  3. relaxing the shoulders down as the arms are supported from the back
  4. tilting the head slightly backwards to open and elevate the chest
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
In a well-executed movement technique, an arm lift initiates in the body's core with movement traveling from the back up through the fingers. The shoulders remain down and relaxed. Raised shoulders often reflect tension and inhibit mobility and balance. Although shoulders may rise in isolations or during rolls in jazz dance, correct technique for basic arm positions is executed with the shoulders down.

Objective 0003 
Understand dance as a way to express and communicate.

3. When analyzing a finished dance, a choreographer should give highest priority to:

  1. balance in the use of space.
  2. the complete exploration of movement possibilities.
  3. consistency of stylistic details.
  4. the relationship between movement and thematic intent.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
To ensure that movement communicates the ideas and emotions that were intended for a dance, a choreographer analyzes the ways that movement choices used in the choreography express aspects of the intended theme. All movement choices should contribute in some way to the expression of thematic intent, and the relationship between movement and meaning is central to the effectiveness of the work.

Objective 0003 
Understand dance as a way to express and communicate.

4. Use the photograph below showing a moment from Kinetic Molpai (1925) by Ted Shawn to answer the question that follows.

black and white photo of a line of synchronously leaping dancers

The perspective of the photograph is horizontal. The photograph has captured a moment in which seven dancers, all men, have leapt in the air with their arms raised in the shape of Vs over their heads and their legs kicked out in front of them. They are side by side in a line and they are all at roughly the same point in the same movement. They look straight ahead. They wear loose fitting pants, which flap because of the dancers' strong leg kicks. The dancers are shirtless.

In the moment of the dance shown in the photograph, the use of which of the following choreographic principles most contributes to a sense of triumph?

  1. variety
  2. unity
  3. emphasis
  4. contrast
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
The strong, extended lines created by the dancers' arms and legs, the elevation of their unison jump, and the uniform forward focus of their eyes all create a sense of unified triumph.

Objective 0004 
Understand the organizational principles of dance composition.

5. Which of the following scenarios most exemplifies the principle of contrast in a solo dance?

  1. changing costumes during the work
  2. moving in a syncopated rhythmic pattern
  3. altering lighting qualities during the work
  4. changing movement quality to its opposite
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Contrast functions to add interest and focus attention in a dance work through the use of distinct differences in an element of movement. Contrast can be created through changes in movement energy, body, shapes, timing of movement, and the space and relationships used in movement. By changing a movement quality, such as rapidly running and then slowing to a careful walk, a dancer draws attention to the moment of change as part of expressing the intentions of the work.

Objective 0004 
Understand the organizational principles of dance composition.

6. Six dancers enter the stage costumed in different-colored leotards. All the dancers improvise movement for 32 counts, moving randomly around the stage. During the next 32-count phrase, all the dancers create unison angular body shapes and gestures, and five dancers travel toward a dancer in a blue leotard, who dances in place downstage left. As the third 32-count phrase begins, the five dancers turn and move away from the dancer in blue, but all six continue executing unison shapes and gestures. In this section of the dance, the choreographer is using which of the following elements to encourage the audience to focus attention on the dancer in blue?

  1. body shaping and actions
  2. direction and pathway
  3. distance and textures
  4. dynamics and flow
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
In this scenario, the choreography changes five dancers' movements to convergent pathways in order to direct audience attention to the sixth dancer. As the five dancers move toward the dancer in blue, the direction of their body movements, visual focus, and pathways encourage the audience to focus on the place where those elements converge, the dancer in blue.

Objective 0005 
Understand the choreographic process.

7. A choreographer is most likely to use the choreographic device of retrograde for which of the following purposes?

  1. creating interest by developing a variation of a movement theme or phrase
  2. expanding on thematic movement ideas by adding new material
  3. emphasizing a movement phrase by repeating it in staggered sequence
  4. abstracting a motif by gradually removing actions as it is repeated
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Retrograde, which involves performing a previously executed movement, motif, or section of movement backwards, is one way in which movement can be manipulated in dance. Retrograde creates visual interest because it is familiar to the viewer and adds variety because it is a movement in reverse.

Objective 0006 
Understand the production of dance.

8. The most significant benefit of viewing video recordings of dance rehearsals for individual dancers who are preparing for performance is that watching their own dancing is most helpful for:

  1. enhancing their perception and understanding of the design principles of the choreography.
  2. providing understanding of the ways in which the choreography of the dance communicates meaning.
  3. encouraging development of mind-body connections that facilitate artistry and technical execution of the choreography.
  4. promoting the development of muscle memories that contribute to the retention of choreography.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Watching their own performance on video enables a dancer to connect the visual appearance of the movements with the kinesthetic feel of them when they are danced. This experience can promote a dancer's development of mind-body connections that enhance the ability to feel what movements look like as they are executed, which is an essential skill for developing presence on stage.

Objective 0006 
Understand the production of dance.

9. Revising one's dance performances and choreography as a dance student would be most useful for which of the following dance-related careers?

  1. stage manager
  2. dance critic
  3. dance therapist
  4. performer in music videos
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
Revising one's own performance and choreography develops critical and creative thinking skills that are important skills for an individual interested in a career as a dance critic.

Objective 0007 
Understand human anatomy and apply principles of kinesiology.

10. Which of the following types of joints allows movement in three planes?

  1. hinge joint
  2. ball-and-socket joint
  3. saddle joint
  4. pivot joint
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: B.
A ball-and-socket joint has a ball-shaped head on one connecting bone that fits into a complementary socket on the adjoining bone. Ball-and-socket joints move more freely than other types of joints in the human body. They move with flexion-extension in the sagittal plane, abduction-adduction in the frontal plane, and external-internal rotation in the horizontal plane. One example is the shoulder joint.

Objective 0007 
Understand human anatomy and apply principles of kinesiology.

11. Differences in balance (e.g., stable, offset, dynamic) are best defined by the relationship of the center of gravity to:

  1. the extremities.
  2. changes in the body shape.
  3. the base of support.
  4. pathways through space.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
The relationship between a dancer's base of support (BOS), or area of contact with the ground, and center of gravity (COG), or center point of the body's mass, determines the body's stability. When a plumb line drawn straight down from the COG falls at or near the center of a person's base of support, balance is stable. When the plumb line falls near the edge or outside of the BOS, balance becomes less stable but gains mobility.

Objective 0008 
Understand principles of physical conditioning, safety, and health in dance.

12. Which of the following conditioning practices most exemplifies the principle of specificity in a physical training program?

  1. A dancer who wishes to increase the height of a grand battement performs standing leg lifts against the resistance of an elastic exercise band.
  2. A dancer who wishes to improve balance performs a series of progressively increasing numbers of pliés.
  3. A dancer who wishes to extend the flexibility of the trunk trains with planks of maximum duration to develop muscular strength in the core.
  4. A dancer who wishes to execute a higher and longer grand jeté trains by running for increasingly longer distances.
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
The principle of specificity states that exercises should be as similar as possible to dance movements that will be performed. One targeted exercise for a dancer who wishes to increase the height of a grand battement would be to perform standing leg lifts against the resistance of an elastic exercise band because such an exercise will likely increase the strength of hip flexors. Strong hip flexors are necessary for high grand battements.

Objective 0008 
Understand principles of physical conditioning, safety, and health in dance.

13. In body mechanics, which of the following scenarios is most likely to result in alignment problems?

  1. imbalance in muscular strength and flexibility
  2. insufficient joint mobility
  3. imbalance in upper-body and lower-body development
  4. insufficient muscular strength
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: A.
Good body mechanics depend on appropriate muscle recruitment. Muscles work in pairs, with the agonists contracting to generate movement while the antagonists relax to allow movement. When opposing muscles surrounding a joint are balanced in strength and flexibility, they stabilize the joint and keep it centered in motion. An imbalance in the strength and flexibility of opposing muscles can constrict correct joint movement or pull a joint out of alignment.

Objective 0009 
Understand performance techniques of various dance forms.

14. Which of the following styles of social dance are characterized by the counterclockwise movement of couples around the perimeter of the dance floor?

  1. salsa, merengue, bachata
  2. Lindy hop, jitterbug, West Coast swing
  3. foxtrot, quick step, Argentine tango
  4. hustle, rumba, cha-cha
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Foxtrot, quick step, and Argentine tango are progressive dances in which couples move around the floor in a counterclockwise pathway that tracks around the perimeter. Partners execute turns and patterns while progressing along that pathway.

Objective 0009 
Understand performance techniques of various dance forms.

15. Frequent use of floorwork is a distinctive characteristic of primarily which of the following genres of dance?

  1. ballet
  2. folk
  3. jazz
  4. modern
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Modern dance pioneers incorporated extensive use of floorwork into their movement vocabularies and techniques as part of their expansion of the expressive qualities of dance movement. Early modern choreographers used floorwork to explore themes of weight and gravity in new ways, and included a wide range of codified techniques for falls to the floor.

Objective 0010 
Understand the role of dance in a variety of cultures.

16. Prior to Hawaiian contact with Europeans, hula dance served primarily which of the following purposes?

  1. promoting individual prowess and achievements
  2. supporting communal daily work activities
  3. expressing spirituality and historical traditions
  4. celebrating important life and seasonal events
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
In its traditional performance, the movement and chants of hula played an important role in expressing, teaching, and preserving the history, mythology, and cultural beliefs of Hawaiian people. Traditional hula uses codified movements to honor and communicate with deities, tell stories about people and events in the past, and communicate important cultural traditions.

Objective 0010 
Understand the role of dance in a variety of cultures.

17. Use the passage below to answer the question that follows.

Since at least the fourteenth century, the Farandole has been danced in the streets of southern France. The Farandole is a chain dance performed on feast days. Men and women join hands in a moving line and, following the steps introduced by the chain leader, dance to the lively tempo of pipes and tabors as they progress through the streets of their town.

Based on the information in the passage, the Farandole serves primarily which of the following purposes?

  1. preserving and communicating knowledge of daily work activities
  2. reinforcing social roles and status within a community
  3. strengthening a sense of community solidarity and cooperation
  4. commemorating group and individual rites of passage
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: C.
Community-based folk dances in all global regions are practiced for a variety of reasons, but they are generally intended to support the welfare of the community. Many emerged as rituals to appeal to or appease the gods and evolved into traditional elements of seasonal and community celebrations, such as harvest festivals, solstice celebrations, and weddings. Dances performed in circles and chains, such as the Farandole, contribute to a sense of cooperation among community members.

Objective 0011 
Understand the history of dance.

18. Loie Fuller's contributions to the early development of modern dance resulted primarily from which of the following factors?

  1. belief in the value of natural movements as authentic expressive elements
  2. training in vernacular dance styles for performances in music-hall reviews
  3. manipulation of the relationship between gravity and the human body
  4. innovative use of newly developed electric lighting and projection technologies
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Loie Fuller was influential more for her innovative ideas about stage lighting and set design than her style of dance. She was the first dancer to recognize the potential of lighting for enhancing movement and creating scenic illusions. Her innovations included the use of under lighting, a wheel of colored gels, and the projection of images onto fabric.

Objective 0012 
Understand dance as an art form and the relationship of dance to other subject areas.

19. Which of the following artistic components is the most significant difference between the creative processes of the performing arts, including dance, and the creative processes of other forms of visual arts, such as painting and sculpture?

  1. the principle of proportion
  2. the use of technology
  3. the awareness of audience
  4. the element of time
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Dance performance and visual arts are created generally to communicate an idea, emotion, or theme through the use of principles of artistic design. A significant difference is that dance relies much more than visual arts on the element of time to express its intent.

Objective 0014 
Understand strategies for teaching and assessing dance in a school setting.

20. The belief that children learn best when they have some familiarity with a subject is most supported by which of the following theories of child development?

  1. Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory
  2. B.F. Skinner's behaviorist theory
  3. Lev Vygotsky's social learning theory
  4. Jean Piaget's cognitive developmental theory
Answer and Rationale. Enter to expand or collapse. Answer expanded
Correct Response: D.
Jean Piaget's cognitive development theory explores the idea that children's cognitive development is progressive and dependent on stages of biological maturation and environmental experience. According to Piaget, at each stage of development a child incorporates new knowledge into an existing knowledge base, or schema. When the schema provides a context that has some familiarity on which to ground new information, gaining new knowledge occurs more quickly. Pre-existing knowledge of and interest in a topic will thus facilitate learning.

Acknowledgments:

Photo for Item 4: Shawn, Ted. No. 179. Ted Shawn and male dancers in "Kinetic Molpai," 1925. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Astor, Lennox and Tilden Foundations.