Park (2005) Flashcards
What is the subject matter of Park?
-a way of looking at a microcosm of society through focusing on the inhabitants of a local urban park with emphasis on the stories they may have to tell and the dynamics of their interactions
Explain the 3 key themes of the work
1) Belonging = it examines the brittle nature of how the park inhabitants and visitors experience themselves as ‘in’ or ‘out’ of the park. Within this immigration and homelessness are explored
2) Ownership = the sense of ownership of this public place felt by locals and new residents alike. The piece explores accommodating co-existence and dangerous tensions created by the mixed occupants of the land
3) Power = power of internal and external forces, as individuals or as groups within different scenarios
What is the structure of the dance?
Doesn’t follow a single narrative plot
Who are the 8 characters?
-siren
-bag lady
-the girlfriend
-the tourist
-the busker
-the homeless man
-the developer
-sportsman
Describe how one character uses a prop and how this acts as an extension to their character
-the bag lady uses shopping bags and swings them around her head circling her upper back, staggers around holding them creating the impression they are very heavy, she runs around on one hand and dances circling her hips
-this provides an extension of her character because it creates the impression that she is carrying her whole life and every belonging in these bags. She is very protective over them and represents the heaviness of her baggage that she is carrying from her past life too
Describe how another character uses a prop and explain how this provided an extension of their character
The bully uses a megaphone whilst stood on a soap box and talking out to the audience in a speech. He says through the mega phone “I believe men should not dance in public” and “I believe they should put restrictions on freedom”. This provides an extension of the bully because he is having to use a mega phone to be heard and listened to by society, whereas the developer who is better dressed and educated we automatically assume what he says is correct, without the need for a megaphone
What is the theory behind the set design and the character of the siren?
-the fountain with the mermaid statue on it is positioned USR, and it is a memorial to the myth of the siren who would lure fishermen away from their lives and killed them.
Describe some of the movements by the bully which show the athletic movement style and use of prop
-first hear an ominous sound of electric music, then he appears by jumping on a trampoline over a wall and gets into peoples personal space. He does big jumps to the side as well as hip hop movements showing his aggressive movement style and dominance. He does dive forward rolls then begins to play with the basket ball.
-the basket ball could show how he is tough on the outside with a hard exterior however empty in the middle
Describe and explain some of the lines that the developer says and what effect this has on the audience
-he says talking about the plans “sushi which of course you will love” this is actually racists as the tourist is of an Asian background but he makes the assumption that she will love sushi for this reason. The audience actually laugh before they realise that it was inappropriate. This is apart of Vardimons style making the audience ask questions not answer them
-he also says “and we’ll make it into a casino” to which you hear the sound of slot machines and flashing lights with the word casino projected on the background. This shows the use of physical setting how it is maximised to get a point across to the audience
What unison sequence does the bag lady and tourist do together and what effect does this have?
-they drop down into a crouch facing the side clasping their hands together, then stand up circling the leg behind arms above the head, then they step both feet back then forwards circling both arms backwards then fold them in together palms up. This is repeated then they face the side with the arms clasped in front of the face and quickly jolt their elbow out.
-this movement shows Vardimons gestural movement language and how she is trying to protect her things from the homeless man, with the tourist just copying trying to fit in
Give a movement example which shows the eclectic range of music that Vardimon uses in her works
-in a very annoying way, the siren sings the song ‘singing in the rain’ whilst the busker does a tap dance on some boards. The bag lady responds by giving the busker money which could suggest the kindest people in society are the ones who need kindness themselves
-the use of current music like this acts as an engaging factor to audiences and once again makes the work more impactful because it feels current and up to date with society today, having a greater impact
Describe and explain the effect of the bully waving the flag to the song Power of love
-the bully waves the flag from side to side to which the dancers mimic its movement. They do a elevated turn travelling to the side
-the use of the song power of love is used to create irony as the flag is patriotic and represents extremism. It shows a juxtaposition between there being no love between state control. Our society is being damaged by the manipulation of the leaders of the country.
Give movements performed by the male quartet which show Vardimon’s athletic movement style
-they constantly jump from side to side in a boxing stance, perform lots of tuck jumps with the arms out in second and hands in fists, the worm, donkey kicks, forwards flips on 1 arm, a half bridge then thrust the pelvis forwards. All of this movement is all directed towards the siren. It is reducing masculinity down into male form
What is the unison movement that the whole ensemble of dancers do and what is it’s significance?
-they all walk around in a circle flipping their hands from palm up to palm down, then they turn their leg out, slap their thigh, flick one leg behind in attitude whilst throwing the arm back, then do the chicken shrugging their shoulder lifting one leg with their arms clenched by their sides
-this whole section of unison shows that it is the park which has united these 8 characters of society together. The park has brought them together and has created dynamics and relationships that wouldn’t have been made before
Describe some of the movement that the 4 females do in their popcorn quartet and what it shows
-they bounce on the spot moving their hands from their side, in front, and over the shoulder repeated several times. They roll over their foot onto their knee and spring back up into a crouch where they extend both legs straight out flicking one arm. Then do lots of jumps to the side throwing themselves on the floor.
The male dancers are creating the various sounds heard in the piece of music including the bully bouncing the basket ball. This could show the male genders manipulation of the female gender, also athletic movement quality, and due to unison how females are just viewed as a gender group
