Soda Lake Flashcards
choreographer
Richard alston
date of premier
1981
dance company
rambert
lighting designer
Charles balfour
composer
silence
set designer
nigel hall
dancer
1 soloist- Michael Clark
style
arches, tilts, curve, elements of ballet technique
context of piece
use of flow from one movement to the next
-known for music movement relationships
components
balance and off balance
body weight and gravity
rhythmic complexity
contrast in speed
stimuli
nigel halls abstract sculpture ‘Soda Lake’ in 1968 based on the Soda Lake in the Mojave desert in North America
use of dancer
solo dancer and relationship to structure in space
dancer to reflect vast landscape of a soda lake
dancer to show shape of piece
Alston “it needs to be a long-bodied dancer”
intention
to show shape and lines of the sculpture
to reflect the Nevada desert and lake
themes
sense of expanse
shape
structure/form
4 sections:
awakening
tracing the shape
major section
epilogue
Form:
Abstract
Climax
‘major section’ as it travels and covers more space
aural setting/accompaniment
silence
did not want to detract from movement
breath and steps are all we hear as they move through the space
awakening
use of weight
at rest-represents stillness
low level-floor bound for most of the section
sweeping leg movement
contrast in speed
weighted/earthy
contracted-extension in limbs
tracing the shapes
release quality
sentinel position-conveys animalistic references
traces the structure
“big bird”-arabesque-foot flexed- arms raised above head
major section
high release
fall and recovery
Cunningham tilt
significant changes in speed
shaping the arms
travel-i and around the sculpture
suspension-springs
rotation
angles
folding actions
high leg extensions
flurries of movement
darting leaps
extension
epilogue
repetition of actions
folding
controlled
sentinel-side on
finishes underneath the sculpture
