Christopher Bruce | Not Named Practitioner Flashcards
Name and Date Ghost Dances
Christopher Bruce, 1981
What are the starting points for Ghost Dances
South American Clulture + Rituals
South American Music Inillimany
A Letter recieved by Bruce from Jone Jarah about her hustband Victor Jarah who was murdered in a political choop in Chillie
What is the structue for ghost dances
eposodic, 7 sections
Describe a motif in Section 1 and its contribution of ghost dances
wibble trio coming forward
1 person standing on point, 1 person lundgeing and standing in retiré and all head turn to DSL and person 1 and 2 do 2 powerful walks and then all dancers do one more. Smoothly face SR on diagonal on left leg attitude behind with arms in 2nd then wibble down near the floor remaining balenced then step into left leg arabesqué sharply turn head to the audience followed with a right leg scratch on another
The anamlistic movements shows the Chille goverment so bad and evil as inhumane and shows strength and unision of the dictatorship and the arabesuqé and attitude shows ballet influence
Describe the Aural Setting in Section 1 of ghost dances
Silence at begining - mysterious and intimidating
Wind Sound effects - helps to create errie atmosphere
water dropplets
audibal sound of dance - shows strength of dancers , can add to character
pan pipe - identify’s their culture
increase of layers
louder
Identify’s new section
Descibe a movement example from Section 2 of ghost dances
Pony trot tilting head you can do with partner and then also be done in a solo - helps to show happy memory of the dead and that they are content with their past life
Ghosts lift the dead at end of dance by holding the deads body under the arm pits then the dead goes floppy and then is lowered - shows the dead being beheaded by the harsh government that contol Chillie
Describe the aural setting of section 2 in ghost dances
loud
panpie (whistle noice) - happy feel as enhances memories that would have been a part of the South American Culture =
fast
happy
dirrect corrolation
gets faster tempo
build up
has last note then lift then silence then goes back to the section 1 music when the ghosts re appear - shows that the ghost will always have total power over what is going on in thier life and also in their memories
Describe the aural setting in Section 6 of ghost dances
clear beats (drum)
pan pipe slow and singular notes
increases in pace
repeated melody
repeats a snap to the guitar at the begining as ghost begin to appear
**Contribution **
Creates strong + powerful feeling that something is about to happen
offers geographical location of south america
matches playfulness of the dancers
Describe the set design in ghost dances
open stage space - bruce likes clear space to not limit the dancers
7 boulders at the back and side of the stage - ghosts and the sit relax on the them the ghosts on them show that the government are always watching and could come out at any time
tree plant
cave opening that has water mountins , water , open blue sky - help to suggest that they are trapped in this splace with the govenemnt
Describe the lighting in Section 2 of Ghost Dances
bright light warm wash - happy positive memory
dimmer - cold to white
when ghosts come in goes to dark blue/ green
when the “dead” are killed goes to cold sickly green with horizontal line down stage - complements other components with aural setting, focusses on the bareneck of the women that have just been beheaded , highlights moment
Describe the costume of the ghosts in ghost dances
near naked bodies - non human
black body pained muscles - shows physical power of ghosts + government
matted hair
american culture masks - can’t see eyes
ragged black arm bands around elbows and knees
black loin cloths - shows the skin that left of the governemt because they are so evil that they are starting to become inhumane
Describe the costume of the “dead” in ghost dances
red long dress
lose bits help exaggerate
hair tied back in bun
off white shirt, unbuttoned - casual
grey trousers with matching jacket
everyday clothing
ripped tron - shows that the dead have gone through tough things in their past life
vents
long tie
tuneck
brown knee length trousers - varity of backgrouds of the dead
Describe the Section 5 of Ghost Dances
Is a fun part of 2 people showing off to each other and ekokes the walk of a Llama
Smacking bumb with right hand facing SL - shows humor and teasing each other
bouncy walks with back going up and down developed and repeated
piggy back
Describe a movement example from Section 4 of Ghost Dances
fast movement
use of whole stage
The young boy in 2nd position facing DS and women sits on right tigh then women abrupty hip bumps her off = shows the fun flirty character of the young boy trying to get with the ladies
5 runs in a semi - circle to face DSL, then ron de jambe then sharply turn into retire, then walk USL then turn back and shift weight from left to right foot = helps to show payful atmosphere
Describe the Aural Setting in Section 5 of Ghost Dances
light hearted guitar is in direct corrolation to the males movement = marks the momemt as the music will elivate with the movement
What are the props in section 5 of ghost dances
elongated blue pattern tie is used as a leash = show animal of lama being convayed
Describe the movement in section 6 of ghost dances
lady in red starts to perform 3 sudden, slow parallel squats with arms out streched infront, travelling from USC to USR. Steps right leg starting behind side front jump into same squat slowly start up, sharp and strongly put left arm and right arm in front of face with hands in fists right leg in attitude facing DS = shows unified memory of the dancers and direct corrolation as clear beats whilst the squats happen
4 dancers on right foot spin 2x with right arm in 2nd and left to sky the plié and turn SR with right food flexed whilst sliding to right food smoothly with arms circled around head. = helps to convay the idea of a memory because of the fun and fast movements that changes direction
Name and Date Cruel Garden
Christopher Bruce 1977
State some of the Historical Context of Cruel Garden
In 1974 Morrice resigned as Artistic Director
John Chesworth became artistic director and wanted to bring in artists to stimulate creativity and focus on theatrical element
Mime and Theatre personality Lindsay Kemp was brought in
What is the choreographic Intention of Cruel Garden
Beauty contasting horror - good vs. evil
Name the stimuli of Cruel Garden
Work of Federico Garcia Lorca
Lorca wrote poems, plays and some music and would stand up for minorities as went to New York and saw mass opression
Was originally from spain
When we went back to Spain from New York there was a civil war and was taken to see his brother in law but hw was already dead, then was killed by the dictator who took over Madrid
Who are some of the Central Characters in Cruel Garden
The Inquisitor - manipulates the bull, dresses as a high ranked officer
The Poet - central character, reprecent Lorca
The Bull - the thug who got into the wrong crowd
The Moon - allies herself eith forces of evil, dancers are affraid of her
Describe features of the Moon Solo in Cruel Garden
Action =floor - based, devlepé, use of spine and torso, cresent shapes, hands to mouth to mime laughing, 5th position
Space= Semi - circular pathway, large space
Dynamics= controlled, fast to eratic, sharp contrast
Costume = white face paint, white knee length trousers
Lighting = Spotlight on moon - circular following dancer, rest of stage un lit
Set = Wodden Ballroom, stairs, ladders and has blood splatters possible death?
Accompaniment = whispers of spanish, screaches, drawn out strings
Name and Date Swansong
Christopher Bruce, 1987
What is the Starting Points of Swansong
Human Rights -> The work of Amnesty international, Chillian Poet Victor Jarah
Commedia dell’arte “Humor in tradegy”
Bruce saying goodbye to dance
What are the Key Themes of Swansong?
Manipulation
Swans
Imprisonment / Interigation
Commedia dell’arte
Describe the actions in The Bull fight in Cruel Garden
The Poet Solo
split leaps
turns
moves with molleta - figure of 8
turned out pirouette
low lean in arabesque
The Bull Fight
Stong walks + arms as horns on a low level
Poet puts flag infront bull, then bull runs towards poet
throws and contact with poet as he “kills the poet”
lundge curved over - repeated
