Agnes de Mille Flashcards
Who was Agnes De Mille?
She brought Ballet into Musical Theatre where American Jazz evolves.She choreographed many pieces and wrote books and earned many books.She was quite patriotic, wild west,The American Dream
Rodeo(1942)
Rodeo is the touching story of a Tomboy in search of love.The cowgirl who she said was based on herself, is misfit among the men and women in her community.”she acts like a boy, not to be a boy, but to be liked by the boys”.She puts on her dress and goes to the hoe down.IT’S A BALLET
Oklahoma(1943)
Laurey is a headstrong farm girl and the woman with whom both cowboy Curly and farm hand Jud have fallen in love.She plays hard-to-get with curly and accepts dangerous Juds invitation to the upcoming box social, tensions rise between the men and capture the interest of the whole town.
Oklahoma(many a new day)
‘Many a new day’ is a dance in Oklahoma with all female taking place in a dressing room main character Laurey is annoyed with Curly as he has not asked her to the dance and acts like she doesn’t care.
Oklahoma(many a new day)key movement
Ballet influence-spring points, attitude, pirouettes and pedestrian movement e.g fake combing hair.Tells a story, main character is not dancing shows dance was not as important at this time in musical theatre.Tap style e.g brush tap hop
Rodeo(1942) Key movement
they pretend they’re holding a lasso and circle gallop movements and they are ‘cow boys’,one leg in attitude in second hand on knee hand on hip bouncing (ballet influence),in second in grand plie hands infant bouncing still gallop. Interpretation riding on a horse and holding Reines.
Oklahoma(Dream Ballet Lori and curly’s duet)
Male and female duet you assume love story before the duet begins actors got switched to professional dancers shows dance is not important at this time.The theme is Love and Romance.Expression is Happy and Loving.Space is quite close and they don’t move around much.Relationships a lot of contact and lifts. e.g supported Jete big lift at start.Aural setting direct correlation with movement went louder and higher.
Oklahoma(dream ballet Saloon girls)
3 dancers all female wearing a head band with feathers on and wearing a black corset.Isolation ankle rolls and high kicks(Can,Can)they are dancing in unison could suggest all females could suggest that at this time they got used for show.
What is the context of the Can Can?
the can can was originally from France and was known for a group of girls connected to each other and high kicks where short skirts to reveal there legs and normally didn’t wear underwear.It’s well know in moulin rouge
Carousel(June is bustin out all over)
Fishermen and boatsmen compete for girls showing off cartwheels backhand springs.Boatsmen side plank and spin round shows characters soloist does multiple fouttetes ballet-ages de mille.Arabesques
Why is Carousel Louise’s ballet so significant?
because it was the first time a bug chunk of dance was just performed without any other musical theater elements and it had to be in the dance for the narrative to make sense.Shows America Jazz dance is developing and becoming more important.
