Section 5- Paint it black Flashcards
What is the aural setting for this section?
- rock
- by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
Who are the dancers in this section?
- 1 male
- 3 females (acting as back in dancers)
What is the physical setting like for this section?
- dimmed side lighting
- central pool of light
- Male dancer in bright red shirt with no jacket on= opening up and is more vulnerable
- Female dancers in very short black shift dresses with a red scarf around their neck= inspired my Mary Quant and shows females as more liberated and free
- Describe and interpret the use of the dancers in this section
- 3 females to be the back in dancers for the male as is a reference to pans people on the top of the pops
- an odd number of 3 is harder to separate and divide showing their unity and strength
- there is a male soloist, presenting him as isolated and tormented by his grief compared to the females who have the upper hand over him
- the male is shown to be struggling alone, compared to previously being apart of a pack, reinforced by not wearing a jacket
- Describe a movement where social dance is seen by the females in this section
Give the interpretation
Movement: The 3 females dancers do a little parallel jump, shooting their arms above their head, then parachute them down to their sides, shimmying their shoulders
Interpretation: 60s social dance of the swim, which the females do as part of being the males back in dancers , referencing the Pan’s people
- Describe a movement where social dance is seen by the male dancer in this section
Give the interpretation
Movement: The male has his arms lifted in second with clenched fists, and he quickly ball changes his feet from side to side, with his head lifted back
Interpretation: This social dance is the pony, and represents when you can’t stand up to something, you may drink, or do drugs or party, to try avoid and forget about the pain, for the male its his grief
- Describe a movement which comes on the lyric “like a new born baby it happens everyday” for both the female dancers and the male dancer in this section
Give the interpretation and explain the significance of these movements
Female movement: facing stage left the females walk backwards with straight arms and clenched fists, pumping their arms up and down. They then do a stylised twist moving towards downstage, swiverling their heels, and arms are forwards in parallel with drooped wrists. they twist towards him, turning their back sharply then strut towards upstage
Male movement: he quickly spins around on his knees and lands in a foetal position facing downstage. He quickly and erratically turns to face the back then runs his feet around in a circle on his side to face downstage. He then opens up to elongate the body with his hands on his head
Interpretation/ shows:
- Choreographic device of contrast
- 60s social dance of pump and twist
- Females are mocking him, he is shown to be less strong and tormented by his grief through lower level
- battle of the sexes as females in unison showing strength and power
- females saying to get over it as it happens all the time
- Males grief and mental state is completely consuming him
- foetal position representation of a baby, struggling against the world
- Describe a movement of unison between the 3 females in this section
Give the interpretation
Movement: The females are in a tableau in a line, linked at the shoulders with their leg behind in attitude, all looking at the male. They then walk in unison to downstage left, swinging their head from side to side, and swaying their hips, still linked at the shoulders
Interpretation: Shows the female gender group together and united. Shows their solidarity, strength and femininity
- Describe a movement where the females dance mimics the rhythm of the music
Give the interpretation
Movement: The 3 females enter stage from upstage right in a horizontal line, performing 8 walks in direct correlation with the beat of the drum. Their heads are lifted and they appear extremely confident. They then turn to face downstage, and perform 2 very slow and controlled walks on the 2 strums of the guitar.
Interpretation: Complete ‘contrast’ to how male enters the stage, creates instant impression of the females having the upper hand, and they appear like a strong army
- Describe a movement performed by the male where it mimics the rhythm of the music
Give the interpretation
Movement: He jumps backwards from 2 feet to 1 in a sissone, kicking one leg up, circling his arm backwards on the crash of the symbols
Interpretation: His emotions are all over the place and are conflicting. He is in a precarious mental state
- Describe the movement where the females first come into contact with one another
Give the interpretation
Movement: In unison, they walk to stage right initially then turn around and walk back to stage left (on the rhythm of the music) to end in a tight circle upstage left, with their palms lifted, and arms above their head. They then circle the foot out and do a cross step moving around in a circle, throwing their heads back
On lyric: “I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes”
Interpretation: Development of initial walking, showing off their shortness of their skirts, they are a united gender, and could be in on something that the male isn’t. They have freedom and are living for the moment
- Describe the movement that the females do with their prop towards the end of this section
Give the interpretation and significance of this prop
Movement: The females all unwrap their scarves from their neck and one by 1 whip the male, the first female’s whip causes him to fall onto the floor, second female’s whip makes him windmill his arms from one side of the body to the other, then the final whip makes him windmill the arms over again, but slightly jumping up off the floor in a more dramatic way. They then all strut towards upstage waving their scarves to the rhythm of the music, then turn to stage right and walk off, letting the scarf trail behind them
Interpretation: Bruce has given the females the upper hand throughout this dance and this movement specifically shows the females social attitudes of what it’s like to be knocked down, and they are trying to get the gender balance back. Also shows battle of the sexes as they wave their scarves like it’s a flag, showing they have won and have remained the stronger force.
- Describe the opening movement by the male and explain how this shows his character instantly in this section
Movement: He enters stage from upstage right walking backwards. He then curves to walk towards downstage, still backwards, then turns to face downstage, stopping in a hunched over position with his focus down
Interpretation: He appears vulnerable and lacking in confidence straight away, and doesn’t know which way to turn or look. Not having a jacket on is a visual reminder that he is more vulnerable and open then when he was part of the male pack.
- Describe a movement by the male dancer which clearly displays his mental state of grief
Give the interpretation
Movement: he sweeps his foot behind him into a lunge to face SR, with one arm extended and the other touching his shoulder. He swishes the front leg backwards in parallel with the knees together, then turns to face the front in fifth position. His arms are horizontal, one on top of the other with the elbows out in front of his chest, He goes into a full pile, tipping the elbows to one side, then tips them to the other side.
On lyric: “I see a red door and I want it painted black”
Interpretation: Looks like a scale or a seesaw, suggesting his emotions are constantly changing and doesn’t know how he feels. lyric shows if you’re depressed or grieving, there is no colour in the world, everything appears dull and black.
- Describe a movement by the male dancer which shows he is being hard on himself
Give the interpretation
Movement: facing downstage he swishes one leg back in parallel, joint at the knee, then hits the back of his hands on both his thighs and then both of his shoulders, tipping his head back
On lyric: No colour anymore
Interpretation: looks like he’s beating himself up nd being hard on himself for feeling these emotions
