Dances in Simple Duple Time

Simple Time - counted in "simple" beats (usually crotchet beats or "ta")

Simple duple (see chart in "Rhythm and Pulse" lesson) is most commonly

2
4   = 2 "ta" or crotchet beats per bar


Dances in Simple Duple Time
(Click on any of the dances below for more information)

Marches.  Strong weak Strong weak etc   Ta ta Ta ta etc
counted 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 etc up to 8     This is equivalent to 8 bars ( a phrase)

Example: March of the Toy Soldiers from The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky)

Note that the conductor beats down on the strong beats and up on the weak beats

Discussion:  What ballet exercise would you use a march for?

Polkas  Strong and weak and Strong and weak and etc  Ti-ti ti-ti Ti-ti ti-ti etc for 8 bars

counted 1 a and a 2 a and a etc up to 8   OR 

             1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and etc

Example: Trisch Trasch Polka  (Strauss)

Discussion:  What ballet exercise would you use a polka for?

Tangos  

LONG short EV-en LONG short EV-en

Here is an example of dotted rhythm.  

Example : Habanera from Carmen (Bizet)

Discussion : What ballet exercise would you use a tango for?

Galops  Very similar to polkas

Example: Can Can (Offenbach)

Discussion:  What ballet exercise would you use a galop for?