Dance Videos: Annotation Guidelines

Caden Picard
9/30/24

Task Overview

Your task as an annotator is to watch each video in the dataset and label it according to the appropriate dance style. The videos have been downloaded from YouTube and their original titles have been obfuscated, so your job is to carefully observe the dance movements and assign the correct label.

▶️ The videos available for annotation are located here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Pdg_UXo0h14wugqprdoWABCkNpcBp4F7?usp=sharing

Labels and Descriptions

Dance Style	Description	Key Elements	Examples
Ballet	Classical dance style involving precise, formalized steps and gestures, often performed en pointe, with a structured vocabulary of movements like pirouettes and pliés.	Ballet shoes/pointe shoes, classical music, structured choreography, strong posture, balance	Swan Lake, The Nutcracker
Breakdance	Street-style dance that includes acrobatic, intricate body movements, such as spins, flips, and freezes, often performed to hip-hop music.	Power moves (windmills, head spins), freezes, footwork, toprock, downrock	Breakdance battles, B-boy/B-girl performances
Contemporary	A blend of modern dance, ballet, and jazz, focusing on emotional expression and fluid, often unconventional movements. Contemporary dance emphasizes versatility and improvisation.	Floor work, abstract movements, emotional expression, fluid transitions, use of space and dynamics	Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performances
Hip-Hop	A street dance style performed to hip-hop music, involving rhythmic, freestyle movements. It includes popping, locking, krumping, and breakdance elements, with an emphasis on improvisation.	Isolations, popping, locking, krumping, freestyle, body waves	Hip-hop dance battles, street dance competitions, music videos
Jazz	A high-energy dance style with sharp, quick movements, syncopated rhythms, and techniques borrowed from ballet. Jazz dance is often fast-paced and lively, with an emphasis on expressiveness and energy.	Syncopation, isolation of body parts, sharp movements, leaps, pirouettes, fast footwork	Broadway musicals (Chicago, West Side Story)
Salsa	A Latin social dance with fast-paced footwork, spins, and partner work, emphasizing rhythm and connection. Salsa can be danced in different styles (Cuban, LA, New York) with distinct patterns.	Fast footwork, partner work, spins, body rolls, rhythmic hip movements	Latin dance clubs, salsa competitions
Tap	A percussive dance where rhythmic sounds are created by tapping shoes with metal plates on the heels and toes. Tap dance involves intricate footwork, coordination, and syncopated rhythms.	Rhythmic tapping, syncopation, percussive footwork, shoes with metal plates	42nd Street, performances by Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly
Other	This category includes any dance style not covered in the above categories, such as traditional or cultural dances (e.g., Indian classical dance, flamenco), fusion styles, or experimental dance forms.	Variable based on the dance form; can include cultural context, traditional costumes, unique music or rhythms	Indian Bharatanatyam, Argentine Tango, fusion dance styles

Labeling Rules

🔴 You will be "labeling" videos by dragging the video file from the root directory within /videos_for_annotation/ into one of the sub-folders for each dance style. Example: ballet_labeled, jazz_labeled, etc..🔴

1. Watch at least 30 seconds of each video before making a decision.
2. If the dance style is clear from the start, you may move the video earlier, but ensure you have enough context.
3. In case of uncertainty, watch up to 1 minute to finalize your label.
4. Drag and drop the file to the appropriate dance style folder.
5. If the video does not fit into any of the predefined categories, you can place it into the "other_labaled" folder.
6. Avoid using prior knowledge of the dance style based on assumptions or prior familiarity; the label should be based solely on the video content.
7. Make sure your labels are consistent across all videos you annotate.

Examples

• Ballet: Example of correct labeling—video shows structured movements like pirouettes, pointed toes, and graceful arm gestures.

  • Incorrect label: Hip-hop (because the video focuses on structured ballet techniques rather than freestyle movements).

• Hip-Hop: Example of correct labeling—video shows freestyle dance with rhythmic body pops, lock and break movements.

  • Incorrect label: Breakdance (because while hip-hop often includes similar movements, breakdance focuses on acrobatic, floor-based moves).

Contact Information

If you encounter any issues or have questions regarding the annotation process, please contact Caden Picard at [email protected].