section 3 - movement examples Flashcards
Themes
-Battle of the sexes - ‘I’m gonna tell you how its gonna be’ - male dancer moves back round female dancer, she leans on him and kicks him round, he does a glissade towards DSR and he does a grande jete back towards her and his hands are on his lapels with his elbows out (imagery of the clipped wings) and both do three fast step ball changes towards USL while she’s got her arms out while they stare at each other as he moves forwards and she’s moving backwards - could mean male chauvenism backing her into a corner or that she’s luring him in
-Male chauvinism - the male dancer comes out of a leap, he hops forward with his leg gestured out with a flexed foot and he circles the arm very quickly backwards with a bend from the elbows which are on the sides of the body - freedom - won’t let women control him - won’t have his wings clipped - will fly
-Authority - The female dancer turns round and jabs her foot onto the male’s backwards as he’s lying in a supine position on the floor, she nudges him to turn him over, as she turns round and pulls him off the floor (in control). He stands up in front of her SR and she grabs hold of his upper arms as they walk forwards on the balls of their feet twisting their heels in a 1,2,3 and 4 rhythm (repetition) - stylised social dance movement of the 1960s - direct correlation
Use of social dance (extra)
-Eclectic blend of movement - social dance - the male and female step on their heel towards each other scooping their arm up with their palm upwards, they then cross over and rock back leaving the heel up which links to the jive
-they both often form a ballroom hold - in one part, the male performs an attitude position then forms a ballroom hold very quickly towards DSL then turns towards the DSL corner, he releases and she does an extra spin underneath his arms - personal space (close proximity) - fast tempo - fast and free relationships
Contrast of male and female
-When the female strikes the male down, he throws his arms around and lands on the floor in a prone position slamming his fists against the floor like he’s being controlled and manipulated - very dramatic
-On the line ‘Hey’, the male dancer does an explosive leap and flings his arms up into an open ‘V’ towards DSR (his escape corner) - on instrumental section - shows freedom that males have - his movements are bigger and more emphasised
-While the female dancer places her hands on her bottom again and rotates her hips to face US, he faces DS and does a twist movement with his heels on the balls of his feet and wrists are loosely hanging in front of him, points fingers in air and is bopping from side to side like he’s in his own little world - different maturity levels - the twist - SOCIAL DANCE MOVEMENT
Theme of authority
-(Battle of the sexes) - they do a step ball change towards DSR bringing the arms over in a circular way, they do a turn and whip their arm round their head while they fall back leaving their heel out in front of them, then he repeats the scooping movement, then she matches him (in unison) on the very fast movement, drops back then he leans back and she slaps him - folk dance (heel steps), jive and lindy hop - showing she can keep up with him
Aural setting
-The male dancer does very fast triplets towards DS with his arms in a clipped position on his lapels on the line ‘I’m gonna love you night and day’ - matches the rhythm of fast paced song
-Harmonica playing - music visualisation - after the males really fast footwork section, he turns round to face the female as if he expects a response and lands on straight legs and then she moves towards him circling her hips, hands in clasped position bringing her hands up towards her chest, then bringing them down towards the floor - maintaining her character (call and response (movement relationship)) ??
-The female dancer faces the front and knocks her knees in and out at the same time while swinging her arms in a linear manner across her body and back out again - music visualisation - 60s social dance - allusion movement
Motif developments
-Development of the tempo - slow down of the step ball changes facing towards one another USL and he moves towards her, moving his shoulders at the same time while his hands are on his lapels moving slower on rhythm of 1 and 2,3 and 4 rather than 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 - makes dance more reflective
-Repetition of the scooping action - at start and after the female knocks her knees together moving her arms in a linear manner across her body
-Highlight - When the male is lying in supine position and the female jabs her foot into his backside and she nudges him to turn over and pulls him off the floor - shows she’s authoritative - female’s controlling
Transition (and highlight)
-She places her hand very deliberately on the floor while she is in a spotlight DSL. As the music for the next section starts, the male in the blue jacket starts to walk on for ‘as tears go by’
Space
Levels:
-When the male is lying in supine position and the female jabs her foot into his backside and she nudges him to turn over and pulls him off the floor - shows she’s authoritative - female’s controlling
-The female has her arms crossed SR and she pops her hip in which the male dramatically falls to the floor hitting his fists against the floor - shows the female superiority
Area on the stage:
-The male has an escape corner towards DSR for example on the line ‘Hey’ he does an explosive leap towards DSR with the arms flinging in the air into an open V - freedom from controlling female - social attitudes for men at the time in the 1960s
Christopher Bruce as a choreographer
-Eclectic use of dance styles - the male and female step on their heel towards one another scooping their arm up, with their palm upwards, they then cross over and rock back - links to jive ??
-Symbolic repetition - male and female walk forwards on balls of feet twisting their heels forward on the rhythm 1,2,3 and 4 - this is to enhance the popularity of 1960s social dance at the time
-Balletic influences - the male does a glissade towards DSR, then a grande jete back towards the female hands on his lapels - influenced by Gore or Rambert
Structure
-Call and response structure
-after the males really fast footwork section, he turns round to face the female as if he expects a response and lands on straight legs and then she moves towards him circling her hips, hands in clasped position bringing her hands up towards her chest, then bringing them down towards the floor - maintaining her character (call and response (movement relationship))
-the male dancer comes out of a leap, he hops forward with his leg gestured out with a flexed foot and he circles the arm very quickly backwards with a bend from the elbows which are on the sides of the body (then does some fast footwork)??and the female in response moves towards him swinging her arms back and forth then clasps her hands and turns around to face the male
Physical setting
-The male uses his lapels to represent a clipped wing position but also the freedom the males had in the 1960s compared to the females - fast triplets back towards DS - on line ‘I’m gonna love you night and day’
-Female wears red pleated dress - seductive - on line ‘I’m gonna give your love to me’ - she places her hands on her bottom and faces US and rotates her hips
Character and personality
-Female - maintains poise - controlling and has authority
-Male - flamboyant movement - living in the moment
Use of dancers
-Contrast between the male and female - both athletic build, male slightly taller -While the female dancer places her hands on her bottom again and rotates her hips to face US, he faces DS and does a twist movement with his heels on the balls of his feet and wrists are loosely hanging in front of him, points fingers in air and is bopping from side to side like he’s in his own little world - different maturity levels
-Male more flamboyant and bold but also exaggerated and dramatic while female is very demure and conservative, for example, on the line ‘Hey’, the male dancer does an explosive leap and flings his arms up into an open ‘V’ towards DSR (his escape corner) - on instrumental section - shows freedom that males have - his movements are bigger and more emphasised
