Glen Tetley Flashcards
when was embrace tiger first performed?
1968
what dance styles are involved in embrace tiger?
- ballet
- american modern dance
- tai chi
how many dancers are in embrace tiger?
10 dancers, 5m/5fm
who is the composer for embrace tiger?
morton subotnick
who is the designer for embrace tiger?
nadine baylis
who is the lighting designer for embrace tiger?
john b read
what is the stimulus for embrace tiger?
- ta’i chi
- tetley watched a documentary on china and was fascinated by ta’i chi
- inspired by the 37 exercises of ta’i chi, creating an abstract physical emphasis.
what was the choreographic approach for embrace tiger?
-Tetley and dancers learnt 37 Ta’i Chi exercises which they would later develop into choreography.
what are the costume in embrace tiger?
-Skin Tight Lycra Unitards to show all of the movements
-Pink, yellow and orange
-The same for male and female = removed hierarchy of dance
What does keeping the Costume the same for male and female dancers do?
-Removes the hierarchy
-Keeps the genders equal
what was the set for embrace tiger?
-Silver shiny floors, reflects the light and gives the space atmosphere.
-Blue fabric you were able to emerge from behind
evidence of graham technique in embrace tiger?
-Female was controlled over the squatted male dancer who holds a LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY as she moves with FLEXED FEET
evidence of ta’i chi in embrace tiger?
-Slow arm and leg gestures within dancers’ personal space
-Many dancers then fill the stage, equally spaced, like the formations seen within the practice of Ta’i Chi.
when was pierrot lunaire created?
1962, premiered at rambert in 1967
what was the structure of PL?
- 21 poems by Albert Giraud, has 3 sets of 7
- Episodic in 3 loose sections
how many dancers in PL?
2 male, 1 female
Pierrot + Brighella (M)
Columbine (FM)
what was the set of PL?
- designed by Rouben Ter-Arutunion
- large silver scaffolding structure upstage centre
what was the aural setting of PL?
- Pierrot Lunaire by Shoenburg = epxerimental and non-traditional
- 21 Poems by Giraud in German
- Voice of female narrator singing and speaking = range of pitch, volume and pace, alternated randomly with no melody = vocal technique sprechstimme (modern style)
- range of instruments = flute, clarinet, cello, violin, piano - layered randomly = complements and mismatches vocals
what is the costume of PL?
Pierrot = calf length white trousers, white tights, jacket, hat and face
Brighella = green cotton overalls
Columbine = transparent white hooped dress, scarlet dress, sliver and grey cloak
who designed the lighting of PL?
John B. Read
what is the performance environment of PL?
Proscenium arch
What was PL about?
• Inspired by Commedia Dell’arte stock characters
• Explores the dismemberment of innocence (Pierrot - White Clown) through the actions of Columbine (Female Pawn) and Brighella (Male - Black Clown)
• Italian stock characters represent specific stereotypes based on cliches and social prejudices
What movement styles are there in PL?
- ballet
- graham technique
- modern dance
- commedia del’arte
What movement content can be seen in PL?
Ballet
• Opening solo
• Movements performed with fluency
• Balletic attitude positions on releve
• Spins are offset from vertical (- suggests uncertainty)
Modern Dance
• Balletic movements interspersed with weighted swings and acrobatic drops onto the bars of the scaffolding
• Arches of the back and high release positions of the spine
• Movements move between the extremities of suspension and gravitational pull
• Floorwork is weighted and angular
• ‘Catching moonbeams’ = kneel on floor, knees spread far apart. Arms reach above him, hands flickering, elbows forcing hands to cover mouth.;
• On the floor curled up on his side. Flexes hands and feet in circular motions.
• Classical pose retire, suddenly jerks torso into side bend with hands framing face
• Hands covering mouth, elbows out to side, draw arms out looking at floor, focus changing
What was the impact of PL?
• Stark departure from classical fantasy driven narratives to one of realism
• Presentation of character presents real emotion and exploitation, relatable and modern in toneBruce’s first solo performance role (Pierrot)
• Tetley was instrumental in re-launching the company’s new direction as a modern dance company with the abstract expressionist tone of his works
• defined the visual image of the reborn company
What was the aural setting of ET?
• electric, robotic and repetitive
• random whistling, plinking and metallic sound effects
• futuristic
• contrasts with the idea of T’ai Chi
