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Beat:
(1) A steady and continuous pulse in the music, within which rhythms are formed.
(2) A single pulse of music. Beats are usually arranged into groups of 2,
3, or 4 to form a measure (or bar). The first beat in a bar is usually more
pronounced than the others.
Beats and Bars: A method of counting both the beats and bars at the same time in order to keep track of how many bars an amalgamation contains. In 4/4 time, counting in beats and bars could be 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 3, 4, 4, 2, 3, 4, etc.
Beat Value: The number of beats on each step of a dance figure.
Canter Timing/Rhythm: A rhythm used with music written in 3/4 time (Waltz and Viennese Waltz), where no weight change is made on the second step resulting in only two weight changes danced over three beats of music.
Downbeat:
(1) In music, the first beat of the bar as indicated by the downward stroke
of the conductor's arm.
(2) Refers to whichever beats are pronounced in a bar of music. (i.e. counts
1 & 3 in 4/4 time, or all four beats)
Measure: The space between two bar lines in music in which there are specific number of beats that repeat throughout the music. Typically there will be 2, 3, or 4 beats in a measure. Being able to hear how many beats there are in a measure will help to determine the kind of dance it is.
Musicality: Used in connection with describing whether a dancer hears, feels, and expresses the music in their body while dancing and whether they stay on the correct beat of the music.
Phrase: A specific number of measures that make up a complete "thought" of music. It is similar to a sentence, having a beginning and a clear end. There are small phrases (as few as two measures or eight counts) as well as longer phrases of 8, 16, or 32 measures.
Phrasing:
(1) Choreographing a dance to fit the phrases of the music.
(2) The sequence of dance patterns put together to match the characteristics
of a musical sequence.
Quick: A term used to count steps usually having one beat. A slow is double the value of a quick.
Rhythm: The regular occurrence of accented beats that give character to music.
Slow: A term used in counting steps usually having two beats. A quick is half the value of a slow.
Syncopation: A variation of the regular occurrence of accented beats.
Tempo: The speed of the music measured in measures (bars) or beats per minute.
Time or Time Signature: The number of beats in each measure of music. I.E. 4/4 time equals for beats the measure. The upper number tells us the number of beats in a measure, and the lower number tells us the kind of musical note (a quarter beat) that gets one beat.
Timing: Refers to the commonly used counts or words associated with counting a particular dance.
Upbeat:
(1) In music, the last beat of the bar as indicated by the downward stroke
of the conductor's arm.
(2) Refers to whichever beats follow a downbeat in a bar of music. (i.e. counts
2 & 4 in 4/4 time, or the "&" counts between the beats as
in 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &).