Dance Unit 2 Flashcards
Discuss the overall intention of the prescribed dance work.
Eora is an Aboriginal word for the city of Sydney and this is where Section 1: Eora is set. Set in 1788, before the colonization of Australia, a small Eoran tribe (Sydney based tribe) conduct their daily business, starting with storytelling which is followed by a divide in gender groups where the men go hunting and the women stay close to camp to care for the children. This lifestyle is simplistic and nomadic in nature, showing the way Indigenous Aboriginal tribes lived for thousands of years, prior to the settlement and colonization of Australia
Patygurang Intention: Section A
Patyegarang establishes herself as a Eoran tribe leader as she stands centre stage, while the rest of the tribe sit on a low level surrounding her. She engages her tribe in an important daily ritual which is to pass down a story of the Dreaming. As she does this, the seated tribe members focus their attention direct and outward towards Patyegarang, as they intently listen and watch her explain stories from the past. This helps the Eoran tribe to connect with land and country.
Patygurang Intention: Section B
There is a distinct divide in gender roles where women stay close to camp to carry out domestic duties, while the men go off in search of food. The women typically produce circular formations which are huddled together to demonstrate that caregiving is the role of all women in the tribe. The men, first surround the women in a large semicircle of protection. However, as this is a nomadic tribe, they must venture further from their campsite in search of food, and this is demonstrated as they form straight horizontal lines in front of the women. The men manipulate all levels, but predominantly low, as they must search under tree logs, rock formations and shrubs for their prey.
Patygurang Intention: Section C
Patyegarang reestablishes herself as the leader of the Eoran women as she disengages from her gender group to speak with the men who have come back from their daily hunt. She has seen something in the distance and relays this important information to the male leaders of the tribe. She climbs upon their shoulders, manipulating a high level with outward and direct focus looking at something in the distance, presumably a ship
Elements of Movement
3. Provide three movement vocabulary examples and analyze how a range of Elements of Movement have been manipulated. Levels
section A, Patygurang is bent down on a low levelwith the rest of her tribe surrounding her. Using slow speed Patygurang slowlyrises to a medium level. The remainder of the tribe are still seated on their bottom, utilizing outward, direct focuson Patygurang. She then performs a rond de jambe with her left leg using fluent flow, she scoops one arm at a time into first position in front of her, creating a curved shape. A big part of Aboriginal culture is storytelling, and Patygurang is clearly engaging her tribe in this process.
Elements of Movement
3. Provide three movement vocabulary examples and analyze how a range of Elements of Movement have been manipulated. Shape + focus
In section B2. The females are clumped in the back corner OP side, the men are clumped in the front corner, prompt side . The men are on a low level, where they begin by sliding down onto their knees and performing a pivot. The men then slide their leg out and develope with a flexed foot out to second, whilst lying on their side. The created an angular shape with their ankle joint, with outward direct focus on their hand reaching for the sky. This is used to show the men searching for food on lower levels of ground.
Elements of Movement
3. Provide three movement vocabulary examples and analyze how a range of Elements of Movement have been manipulated. Shape
In section (B1). The women are clumped togetherin the centre of the stage, the men surround themin a spaced-out semi-circle. The men are on a low level, then fall onto their bellies. As the fall onto their bellies, the men perform circular motions with their hands resting on the floor. They then perform a shoulder stand, extending one leg with the other bent at the knee, creating an angularshape with their knee and showing suspended energy. Manipulating a long duration, they extend their bent leg upwardsand then at a fast speed, they extend both legs outwards, creating an accent. They are on low levels because their prowling for food, or a food source.
Page wanted to tell a Sydney based story but from an Indigenous perspective. (intention)
- Done in 2014 (Bangarra is located in Sydney)
- First encounter between Patygurang and Lt Dawes
- British settled in Australia (Sydney) between 1788-1791
- Page consulted with Dramaturg, Alana Valentine to ensure information was correct
Referred to notes from Dawes’ notebooks
Page wanted to showcase Patygurang as a leader within her tribe. (intention)
- Patygurang consulted dramaturg Alana Valentine who weaved aspects of the actual story with reflective elements
- Consultation with Sydney based Aboriginal groups
- Sketched out Patygurang as a person - very wise and courageous for her 15 years
- She engaged with a white man despite never seeing one before.
She is “fierce” and had “endearing audacity”
Page’s upbringing and training with NAISDA heavily influenced his choice of movement vocabulary for Patygurang. (Movement Vocabulary)
- Moved from Brisbane to study at NAISDA, when he was 16.
- NAISDA is a training program for Indigenous Australian to learn about their culture through performing arts.
Learnt many traditional dances as part of his training, participation in traditional ceremonies and his visits to tribal elders. Signature actions including grounded stamping, animalistic gestures, groundedness and rhythmic footwork.
Movement is a combination of traditional Aboriginal dance and contemporary dance. (Movement Vocabulary)
- Straight after NASIDA he was accepted into Sydney Dance Company, as a company dancer. This is Australia’s leading contemporary dance company.
Features of contemporary dance include working in parallel positions, floorwork, contraction and release, abstract.
Sections of my composition solo:
Section A: A statue stands rigid and emotionless. The endless repetition of its mundane life seems never ending
Section B: Magically the statue is brought to life and is now able to experience a variety of human emotions including joy and happiness.
Section C: The statue discovers that its time on earth is finite. It returns to its rigid and motionless state, only to crumble to dust
Choreographic processes: Improvisation
A spontaneous movement response with little to no pre-planning.
Choreographic processes: Selection
A process of choosing appropriate movement to form phrases and sections which reflect the intention. Selection is usually a direct result of improvisation.
- Filming improvisation and selecting movement which reflects intention or effectively meets set criteria.
- Matching up movement vocabulary with the different sections of music.
Selecting movement which showcases a dancer’s strengths.
Choreographic processes: Arrangement
A process used to combine movements, phrases and sections into a sequential order to express the intention.
- Putting movement into an order to allow it to effectively flow.
- Link movement phrases together by creating transitions.
Manipulate various elements of time, space and energy throughout the phrases and sections.
