Spitfire (1988)

Question 1

What year was this work first performed?

Answer 1

1988

Question 2

What is the subject matter of the work?

Answer 2

A work based in the world of male underwear advertising, which pokes fun at Perrot’s famous Pas De Quatre. Each dancer although part of the group vies for the spotlight as they show of their skill and attempt to command the most attention from the audience.

Question 3

How did audiences react when this piece first premiered?

Answer 3

Audiences were a little unsure on how to take dance as humour, as this was not natural or expected for contemporary dance.

Question 4

What was the music for Spitfire?

Answer 4

Minkus: Don Quixote- pas de deux- by London Symohony Orchestra

Question 5

Who were the dancers?

Answer 5

4 males, all tall, dark, muscular and stereotypical of models

Question 6

What is the physical setting?

Answer 6

• performed in a proscenium arch stage
• projected background of newspaper with big figures wearing underwear
• bare stage
• costume: all in white, forms of underwear but each slightly different. Very groomed, no accessories or decor
• lighting: minimalistic but brightly lit

Question 7

Give a movement example and analyse how it can be interpreted in relation to the subject matter.

Answer 7

• 1 male dancer is up on a rise with his left leg in a low forwards attitude position. 2 dancers are stood either side of him holding his hands and hooked their other arm under central dancers armpit in a fist. Other dancer is stood behind supporting central dancer around the waist. Together they help pívot the dancer around in an anticlockwise motion. Facial expressions are serious and demanding, with their chins raised high. As they rotate around, each dancer tries to keep eye contact with the audience and demand their attention for as long as possible
• aural setting is the elaborative, loud, crashing symbols

=can be used to show characterisation of characters as they are portraying subject matter of fighting for attention through this simple movement

Question 8

Give another movement example and relate it to the subject matter

Answer 8

• 1 male dancer stands centre stage with his legs in a wide stance, his weight transferred onto his left leg, and his arms are high above his head, with clenched fists creating flexed muscle position. As another dancer hits the same position, stood behind and to the right, first dancer bends his left leg and leans to the left, onto a lower level. This repeats in a canon format, with each dancer lowering as the new dancer takes the original position. Creates the impression that they’re all competing for the attention, as when next dancer appears, spotlight shifts from then to next dancer, shown through lowering of levels in a scale of heights
• music is soft and quiet and repeats same phrase for each of the 4 dancers when they take their first position.

Question 9

Give a movement example and analyse how it can be interpreted in relation to the subject matter.

Answer 9

Movement: 2 of the 4 dancers are placed either side of centre and are on the floor on their sides with their knees together. The other 2 dancers slowly walk towards them and grab their ankles, lifting and tipping them upside down with their heads and hands supporting them on the floor, and their legs are straight together. All 4 dancers lift one arm up into a flexed muscle position, and then lower it back down again.

Interpretation: Shows the 2 dancers who are stood up to have the attention as they are on a higher level to the other dancers, and are controlling and manipulating the other dancers by holding them upside down

Question 10

Give a movement example and analyse how it can be interpreted in relation to the subject matter.

Answer 10

Movement: 2 of the 4 dancers are on a low level on their hands and knees, and the other 2 dancers are stood with one shin on the backs of the 2 dancers on the floor. They crawl in an anti-clockwise direction to pivot the 2 standing dancers so they finish stood facing upstage. As the dancers turn, they slowly raise one arm up and the other arm down into a flexed muscle position, with their hand in a fist. They then circle their leg of the backs of the dancers, and repeat this movement turning the other way.

Interpretation: 2 dancers on the floor are like slaves to the other dancres, helping to turn them around and show them under the spotlight.

Question 11

Why is this work significant?

Answer 11

Was Bourne’s first hit work, and a signature piece