Artificial Things

Question 1

choreographer

Answer 1

Lucy Bennett

Question 2

dance company that performs artificial things

Answer 2

Stopgap Dance Company

Question 3

choreographic intent

Answer 3

Life’s limitations

Finding a resolution

The gaze of the other

Constricted within a snow globe

surrender to the fact that we all have to live with individual regrets

Question 4

choreographic approach

Answer 4

Lucy Bennett uses a collaborative approach
dancers actively contribute to the process through choreographic tasks that Bennett initiates.
Much of the material from scene three has been driven by Laura Jones’ movement in her wheelchair and has been translated by the standing dancers David and Amy

Question 5

choreographic stimulus

Answer 5

An image of an isolated figure perched on a collapsed wheelchair in a snow-covered landscape – viewed from afar as if through a snow globe

Paintings by Goran Djurovic

Dancers’ personal experiences

Question 6

performance environment

Answer 6

Proscenium arch

Question 7

dancers

Answer 7

4 dancers (2 male + 2 female)

Question 8

accompaniament

Answer 8

a futuristic atmosphere acknowledging that time had passed and that the old ways had broken down.
He used the whole of the piano both inside and out to create a cold, ambient sound.
He also used the sound of the paper snow and incorporated other sound effects such as a distant rumble, wind and footsteps through snow.
Elements of the song ‘The Sunshine of Your Smile’ were mixed into the atmosphere often sounding distorted or as if drifting in on the wind.
The final section uses the full version of the song.

Question 9

lighting

Answer 9

Amber side lights: used when Dave is watching from afar as well as around the virtine during the family portraits

Blue wash: during the quartet there is a cold blue wash on stage

White pools of light: on the floor

Question 10

structure

Answer 10

Artificial Thingsconsists of three scenes.
The first scene depicts the underlying tension between the characters, and the second scene is exciting but violent, where the characters seek liberation from the suffering austerity. This leads to a tragedy, and scene three is its aftermath, where the characters are more pensive.

1) duet
2) duet
3) trio
4) family freeze frames
5) David’s song solo

Question 11

costume

Answer 11

Gender specific: men have trousers or shorts and shirts, the women have a dress/ blouse with trousers

Colour: all have variation of the same idea, streaked paint/ colour either blue or green but the trousers/shorts are grey

Change in costume: earlier in the performance the dancers have different clothes on top (jackets/jumpers) and Dave later wears a blazer

Question 12

dance style

Answer 12

Inclusive contemporary dance