CULTURAL ARTS

JS 1 LESSON NOTES FOR 3rd TERM

2024/2025

SUBJECT TEACHER: MR OLUWAKEYE

BLESSING (BLESON)

SCHEME OF WORK
Playwriting
Playwrights/Dramatists in Nigeria
The director
Definition of dance
Uses of dance/How to dance
Introduction to Choreography
Contemporary dance
Teamwork and Sense of belonging

INSTRUCTIONS: You are expected to copy minimum of 4 topics before

resumption and then buy a recorder for your practical against this 3rd
term. Thanks
 PLAYWRITING
Playwriting is the process of writing a play. The ultimate goal of playwriting is for
the play to be performed on the stage. Playwrights provide information on stage
movement, costume, light, sound, setting and props. They give details on what each
actor or actress should do or say on stage and how to relate with others.
A playwright is a person who writes plays which are also called scripts. He is also
called a dramatist. He has the idea and creates the characters in a play. A playwright
is a skilled person who writes the dialogue and stage directions and determines
where the story starts from ends.
CATEGORIES OF PLAYWRIGHTS
There are three categories of playwrights. They are

1. CLASSICAL PLAYWRIGHTS: These are people who used the traditional style
or idea when writing. Their scripts are influenced by the culture of Ancient
Greece and Rome. They are the founding father of drama e.g. Sophocles (496-
405 B.C) who wrote Oedipus Rex
2. MODERN PLAYWRIGHTS: These are people who write about the issues in
society. They are named modern because of the quality, acceptance,
popularity and suitability of drama at that period. They produced a standard
work of art e.g. William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlow, Pierre Corneille,
Betrolt Brecht. William Shakespeare’s writing is the most popular of this
category like Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Hamlet Macbeth.
3. CONTEMPORARY PLAYWRIGHTS: These writers write to satirise society.
They are trained in the school of drama. For example, Wole Soyinka (The
swamp dweller, The Lion and the Jewel), John Pepper Clark (Song of a ghost,
The wives’ revolt), Ola Rotimi (The gods and not to blame, Kurunmi), Femi
Osofisan (Once Upon four robbers, midnight hotel), Zulu Sofola (Wedlocks of
the gods, Wizard of Law) etc.

DUTIES OF A PLAYWRIGHT

1. He conceives the idea of the play

2. He develops the story through the plat (story line)
3. He develops the characters through dialogues and actions.
4. He creates the appropriate setting for the play.
5. He plays attention to the stage directions.

Playwrights in Nigeria

1. Wole Soyinka: He was awarded the Nobel prize for literature. He was the first
Nigerian and African writer to be so honoured. He was born on 13 July 1934
 in Abeokuta, Ogun state. He studied at the university of leads and the Royal
Court Theatre in London. His works talk about the ills of the Nigerian Society.
(A play of Giants, The trials of Brother Jero, Death and the King’s Horsemen.
2. Ola Rotimi: He was a professor of theatre at the Obafemi Awolowo University.
He was a director, an actor, a choreographer and designer. He was born on 13
April, 1938. He studied Fine Arts at the Boston University. His works are
based on Nigerian history and traditions. He earned the distinction of being a
Rockfeller Foundation scholar in playwriting and dramatic literature (our
Husband has Gone Mad Again).
3. Femi Osofisan: He is a writer that is known for mirroring societal problems.
He uses his work to attack corruption and injustice in society. He was born in
1946. He studied at the university of Senegal and university of Ibadan
(Morountodun, Twingle-twangle, Once upon four Robbers).

We also have some Nigerian dramatists who are basically theatre practitioners.
They had travelling theatres in their days and nurtured some of today’s great movie
stars.

1. Late Hubert Ogunde: He founded the first Yoruba travelling theatre in the
1940’s (Bread and Bullet (1951) and Yoruba Ronu).
2. Kola Ogunmola: He founded the Ogunmola travelling theatre in 1947) (Ife
Owo and Palmwine Drinker).
3. Duro Ladipo (Oba moro, Oba Koso and Oba Waja).
4. Others include Akin Ogungbe, Oyin Adejobi, Ishola Ogunshola and Lere Paimo.

THE DIRECTOR
A director is the main who shapes and supervises all aspects of drama performance.
He is the most significant member of the entire dramatic production. He interprets
the script and works creatively with actors, actresses and the technical crew to
produce a successful play. He is the co-ordinator in drama production.
DUTIES OF A DIRECTOR

1. He highlights the duties of the other play performers.

2. He co-ordinates all the other areas of drama involving setting, sound, lighting
etc.
3. He makes everything ready for the production
4. He takes charge of drama production prevented on stage and watched by the
audience.

FUCNTIONS OF THE DIRECTOR

1. He functions as the overall head of the theatre.

 2. He interprets the action and language of a drama text and selects those to
play each part.
3. He acts the theatre and makes sure everything is in order for a good
presentation.
4. He rehearses with the performers guiding them on what to do and ensuring
that they are consistent with the vision of the play.
5. He consults with the producer to yet money to fund the production.
6. He takes responsibility for the success or failure of a presentation.

DEFINITION OF DANCE
Dance involves series of movements of the body in time and space to express an
idea of pass across a message (that is, it’s a means of expressing feelings and
communication). Dance can be defined as the organized movements of the body to
the rhythm of music. The person who dances is called a dancer.
TYPES OF DANCE

1. Ballet dance: It is a formal and strict type of performance dance. It takes a lot
of strength and practice to learn (France, England, Italy, Russia).
2. Folk dance: This is a form of dance developed by a group of native people in
their community. It is a traditional social dance that is performed at functions
like wedding, naming, religious and community celebrations.
3. Jazz dance: It was popular among the Afro American slaves. It consists of
unique foot moves. In thus dance, you are free to improvise on any dance
pattern.
4. Hip hop dance: This is a modern popular musical dance performance
associated with hip hop and rap music. It involves other dance styles like
break dancing, locking and popping.
5. Swing dance: This is a very fast dance with dancers bouncing with great
energy.

Qualities of a good dancer

1. A healthy body: A good dancer must be physically fit. He should also avoid the
abuse of drugs which can negatively affect the body.
2. A good sense of rhythm: A good dancer must have a good knowledge of basic
rhythm patterns and sense of timing. He should understand the beat of music
and to dance in harmony with the beat (rhythm).
3. Physical strength and endurance: A good dancer should be strong and flexible
daily exercise will make his body strong and increase his level of endurance.
4. Self confidence: A good dancer must be confident in himself. It will be difficult
to dance in front of a group of people if he is afraid.
 5. Creativity: A good dancer must be able to create new dance steps that will go
with the music he is dancing to. He should also be able to change styles of the
music changes.
6. Lively and smart: A good dancer must be lively and smart on stage. He must
be a very pleasant person.

Uses of dance

1. It is used for entertainment. Dance is used at social functions to entertain

guests. It makes the occasion a lively one.
2. It is used to communicate messages. Through dance, you can communicate
messages of unity, love and tolerance in society or emotions like Joy, Sadness
and anger through dance.
3. It is used as physical exercise. Dance is used as sports to keep the body fit and
healthy.
4. It is used for religious purposes. Music is always accompanied by singing and
dancing in religious activities.

How to Dance
These are the steps to a good dance

1. Body: The body plays a vital role in dancing. This consists of the head, eyes,
chest, shoulders, legs etc. The overall body systems can be considered while
dancing like muscles, bones, internal organs, balance and breath.
2. Action: This refers to the movements you make when you are dancing. The
facial movements, the dance steps, the carriage, the walks are all part of
things we do when we dance.
3. Space: This is the arena you choose when you are dancing. It may be in a small
room, open place or big hall.
4. Time/timing: This is the rhythmic patterns you make when you are dancing.
It can be very fast or slow depending on the beat of the music. There are two
types of rhythmic pattern (Free rhythm and fixed rhythm).
5. Energy: This is the physical force you put into the dance. You may decide to
be vigorous or gentle when you are dancing and may decide to flow slowly or
be fast with the beat of the music.

INTRODUCTION OF CHOREOGRAPHY
Choreography is the art of designing and arranging the steps and movements in
dances for a group of dancers. It is the art of composing movements and patterns
for a dance.
Principles of Choreography

1. Order: This is the arrangement of dance patterns in sequential manner. The

dancers should know the basic movements for the dance. The movements
should be orderly and uniform.
2. Beauty: The choreographer ensures that the movements, music, costumes and
stage decorations all blend together in a beautiful manner that is pleasing to
the eyes of the audience.
3. Variety: The dance steps must have several dance techniques that make the
dance interesting and not boring. There should be room for changes in style o
movement.
4. Dynamics: this has to do with the kind of energy with which dancers move
their body. It could be fast or slow, strong or light.
5. Space: This is the area where dance movements take place. It helps the
dancers to move in different direction.
6. Relationships: There must be relationship among dancers and between
dancers and audience. It is very important to choreography.
7. Body parts: The whole parts of the body are involved in dancing like head,
face, neck, hands, legs etc. It is advisable that dancers have a good mastery of
their body structure, so as to know how to use them.

A choreographer is a person or dancer trained in the art of creating, designing,

arranging and teaching dance steps into movements. He is involved in the creating
the story behind the dance, designing the costumes, and planning the stage
directions.

THE ROLE OF A CHOREOGRAPHER

1. He composes dance patterns

2. He structures and arranges the dance patterns into movements
3. He teaches dance using the correct patterns and steps
4. He determines the type of dance and the approach to be used in learning the
dance.

CONTEMPORARY

Contemporary dance is a style of dance that combines different dance patterns

found in traditional dance, ballet, modern dance and some other dances to give a
unique look. In contemporary dance, the dancer connects both the mind and body
through dance movements. In Africa, the traditional dance forms have been shaped
by a lot of western influence to create some contemporary flavour. Young people
are now open to new styles of music which have led to creation of special dance
styles making the waves across the country.

Features of Contemporary

1. It does not have any fixed movement dance pattern. This gives room for
individual style and interpretation when dancing.
2. It is not bound to any structure and procedure. The dancer is at liberty to
interpret the dance based on the message being pass across to the audience.
3. It gives room for individual creativity critical thinking and self development.
Dancers are free to bring in several dance styles from other dance forms.
4. It encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their own
dance steps and routines. If the mood is sober, then styles that accompany
sober songs are created.

SOME CONTEMPORARY DANCES

1. Hip-hop dance: It’s an American dance styles primarily performed to rap

music such dance include break dancing, locking and popping.
2. Salsa dance: This is a very fast and exciting dance music in the Spanish
speaking Caribbean community.
3. Tap dance: This is a style of American dance found in the theatre, where you
make use of your feet as a percussive instrument that marks out precise
rhythmic patterns on the floor.
4. Waltz: It is a couple dance in time, and the name of the music for this dance
(ballroom dance).
5. Disco dance: It evolved in the 1970’s in America with dancers dancing in a
loose style. The popular dance steps include the bum, penguin, Boogaloo,
Watergate and robot styles.
6. Azonto dance: It originated from Ghana. It is a communicative dance, which
was formally named Apaa which means “to work”. It was used by the dancer
to tell what he or she does for a living.
7. Alanta dance: It is a Nigerian dance that requires vigorous hands, hips and leg
movements. The dance styles uses a patterned movements of the hands as if
fanning flames while raising one leg. The dance is usually accompanied with a
trance-like or painful expression on the face.

TEAMWORK AND SENCE OF BELONGING

Teamwork is a process by which a group of people work together to achieve a set of

goal or task. It means that the people will try to cooperate, using their different
skills and talents to provide constructive feedbacks despite the fact that individuals
may have personal conflicts among themselves. Teamwork can also be defined as a
joint action by a group of people in which each person lowers his or her interests to
the unity and efficiency of the group. The most effective teamwork is produced
when all the individuals involved are disciplined, harmonise their contributions and
work towards a common goal.

Importance of Teamwork

1. It enables individuals to achieve tasks faster and more efficiently than tacking
project individually.
2. It brings about unity and cooperation among students, workers etc.
3. It encourages students to work together and share different ideas, thereby
encouraging friendship among them.
4. It exposes students to new ideas and way of thinking, which will expand their
personal view on the subject being worked upon.

Sense of belonging is the feeling of being connected and accepted within one’s
family or community. It can also be described as a sense of being accepted, valued,
included and encouraged by others (teachers and peers) in the classroom. It’s a
feeling of being an important part of the life and activity of the class. It is important
in healthy human development and in combating behavioural problem and
depression. Students who experience a sense of belonging in educational
environments are more motivated, more engaged in school and classroom activities
and more dedicated to school.

IMPORTANCE OF SENSE OF BELONGING

1. It enables an individual to help others in having a sense of belonging

2. It prevents an individual from acting alone to solve problems.
3. It helps an individual to feel cared for, loved esteemed and valued.
4. It increases an individual’s capacity to manage stress
5. It makes an individual feel more secured.