Not Fade Away Flashcards
Actions in not fade away
Lots of partner work in a ballroom hold
● Lots of hip movement and loosely swinging arms suggests that the dancers are relaxed and free as they dance - indicates a carefree attitude
● The male dancer uses a lot of energetic steps such as rolling onto the floor into a jump with his arms above his head. This gives him a boisterous, puppyish quality
● Lifts in this section
involve passing the female dancer around the male dancer’s body. These have a lindy hop and jive origin
Space in not fade away
They move around all over the stage which could be used to imply their excitable, childlike nature
● They dance separately but always in close proximity to show that they have a close relationship whilst still maintaining independence from each other
Dynamics in not fade away
Hip and shoulder isolations and energetic dynamics give it a jazzy quality
● Bruce uses fast dynamics which are driven by the fast pace of the song
● Energetic leg kicks follow the beat of the music
● Bouncy - lots of jumps and
rebounding steps
Relationships in not fade away
The dancers often chase each other across the stage as they dance. This suggests that they are playful and teasing in their relationship and perhaps playing hard to get
● Lots of partnering and lifts suggest that the dancers are comfortable in each other presence
● The female dancer uses her hips to push the male dancer to the floor giving the actions an endearing teasing quality - characteristic of a Lindy hop
Set , props , costumes and lighting in not fade away
Central area is lit with a blue wash
The male dancer wears an orange blazer with a lilac shirt and yellow tie. His trousers are black and he is wearing jazz shoes
● The female dancer is wearing a knee length, high neck, sleeveless black dress. The dress has red box pleats. She also wears sheer black tights with jazz shoes
Aural setting in not fade away
At the end of the dance male dancer begins to move away from his partner and ends up being carried from the stage by four male dancers. At this point the lyrics to the song are “love is love and not fade away”. Irony is used because the male dancer appears to have forgotten about his partner
At the beginning of the section a group of dancers remain on the stage following lady Jane. They clap syncopated with the opening phrase of the music
Dance and choreographic style in not fade away
● Dance style - lots of movements from jive or lindy hop making the dance playful and carefree which shows that the dancers are just enjoying dancing with each other and have not other cares
● Flexed feet and circling arms hint at a jazzy style of dance
● Choreographic style - Bruce uses minimal setting, costume or lighting to allow the dancers to tell their story through their movement. He style is eclectic and comes from combination of ballet, graeham technique, jaz and social dances of the period
Themes in not fade away
● Childish freedom - low levels, grounded step ball change, and relaxed swinging arms create an excitable childish personality
● Positive relationships - contrasts to some of the other sections where bruce focuses on male chauvinism
● 1960s social dancing which is often linked to younger people’s hobbies and entertainment and relationships
Key motifs in not fade away
Minut step - The male dancer steps forward on his right leg with his right arm dramatically sweeping up to fifth position and a slight upper back bend. Turning towards the audience he steps his left leg through transferring his weight quickly from right to left. He then steps back onto his right leg benign it whilst the left is straight with a flexed foot. The torso is folded over the leg. Right arm is extended diagonally back and the left arm is crossed across the body. Female dancer mirrors this movement.
● arabesque - the male dancer turns 270 degrees from facing the audience to facing stage left in parallel with knees bent and shoulders hunched over, relaxed arms. He then kicks his left leg up in an arabesque with a flat back and arms up following the body line.
● Step ball changes - the female dancer does a series of step ball changes beginning on her left leg, travelling from up stage left corner to centre stage . She has a relaxed torso and flexed feet. She allows her arms to swing in front of her body.
