Swansong Flashcards

1
Q

Sources of inspiration?

A
  • a novel by Oriana Fallaci “A Man” - describes torture of a hero, condemned to death in 1968 for attempted assassination of a Greek dictator
  • a collage of ideas creating several possible narratives
  • experiences of the Chilean poet Victor Jara under the “Junta” of the 1970s
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2
Q

General Info

A
  • Swansong was choreographed by Christopher Bruce in 1987 for London Festival Ballet
    (now called English National Ballet).
  • The recorded music score was composed by Philip Chambon, commissioned by
    London Festival Ballet.
  • The design was by Christopher Bruce and the lighting was designed by David Mohr.
  • Swansong lasts 32 minutes and has a cast of three dancers.
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3
Q

Ideas behind the title

A
  • swan is often used to represent death in other ballets (e.g. Swan Lake)
  • in the dictonary two definitions for swansong.
    1. a persons last work or act before death or retirement
    2. a song like that paled
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4
Q

Structure

A

Episodic with 7 sections:
1. questions and answers
2. tea for two
3. first solo
4. slow trio
5. second solo
6. cane dance
7. third solo

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5
Q

Section one

A
  • introduction of interrogation theme
  • reference to vaudevile and tap dance styles and step
  • movement of pushing, pulling, balancing and lifting
  • use of chair to balance the victims weight
  • Q and A sequences w/ foot tapping
  • starts in silence, w/ the interrogators tapped questions the only sound
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6
Q

Section two

A
  • interrogators put hats, red nose is fastened on victim
  • movements drawn from ballroom dance with a syncopated rhythm echoed in music
  • victim is forced to imitate interrogators’ movements
  • interrogators attitude to victim shifts in extremes
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7
Q

Section three

A
  • victims solo
  • slow and lyrical move,ents and music
  • extended body line, arabesques, leaps
  • victim moves along diagonal line within shaft of light from the source, USL (future or death)
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8
Q

Section four

A
  • Chambon wanted to create a distance between the music and dance, with the cinematic effect of stretching
    out time. This would give the audience the impression that what they were seeing was happening over an
    extended period of time.
  • Interaction between all three dancers with use of body weight transference and flow.
  • Use of body contact to maneuver and lift.
  • Chair used as a prop throughout the sequence.
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9
Q

Section 5

A
  • Solo for the victim, performed without accompaniment.
  • Movements are slow, long and sustained.
  • Chair is used in a variety of ways.
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10
Q

Section 7

A

-Victim rises from the chair and dances a solo, with controlled movements, arms resembling wings.
-Interrogators stay frozen in position, either side of the chair, throughout this section.
-Victims solo is directed towards the shaft of light upstage left, but also refers back to the chair and the frozen position of the
interrogators
-Victim exits towards the shaft of light

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10
Q

Section 6

A
  • Interrogators re-enter with canes.
  • Tap dance and vaudeville routine used again. Jazz dance style movements for hips and legs.
  • Victim uses chair to defend himself from the interrogators’ canes.
  • Victim finally collapses, apparently dead.
  • Vaudeville style/inspired, including movement from Tea for Two
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11
Q

Interpretation of movement; Soloist?

A

Balances are used and are purposely supposed to look as if the dancer is struggling to hold them. This
puts across choreographically the mental struggle of the victim that the dancer has to portray.
The music consequently allows the dancer a certain amount of freedom, as in the silent solo, Section 5.
During the solos the victim is constantly moving towards, or referring to, the bright shaft of light, which
could represent the future, as much as the chair could be seen to symbolise the present.

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12
Q

Interpretation of movement; Interragators?

A

Drawing on the essentially light-hearted vaudeville tradition Bruce gives the interrogators
movement material which adds an entertaining quality to the work, while creating a shocking
impact when the scenario becomes unpleasant.
Commedia dell’Arte is used to help explore serious topics in a comedic way.
In Section 4, the interrogators, relentlessly tormenting and exhausting the victim, are at their
most sadistic, a quality reflected in the music, which again, has no specific counts for the
dancers to follow, but increases the tension in a gradual acceleration of tempo.
Two men gyrating in a ballroom hold often produces a humorous effect and a female
interrogator victimising another woman adds a different dimension, where physical size and
brute strength are not essential tools for torture.

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13
Q

Introduction/context

A

Swansong is concerned with political oppression. A deliberately disturbing
dance showing a victim being tortured by a variety of means. It shows both
the aggressive and sadistic element of interrogation and how brainwashing,
humiliation and playing with emotions may all be part of a long, nerve
wracking game.

Swansong is all about hooliganism amongst corrupt authorities, about the
injustice towards the defenceless. The guards end of as losers as they beat
up the prisoner and are left looking at the chair where the dead body must
be imagined. The victim’s spirit escapes and is free at last. Bruce uses
different popular dance styles to sinister effect. The interrogators perform
tap routines to indicate the questioning of the victim, and to allow him to join
in and dance with them. The dance was originally created for three males,
but has been performed since with a mix of genders.

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14
Q

Working with dancers

A

-Again uses a collaborative approach, ensuring each dancer who performs this work is able to
individually interpret the movement to suit their movement style
-The first solo was not choreographed to the music, which intentionally has no obvious pulse,
aiming to reflect the victim’s emotional state with atmospheric sounds (including the cry of a
bird), rather than exact counts.
- Throughout Swansong there are sections where the choreography relates strongly to the rhythm
and pulse of the music, contrasted with sections where the dancers move away from any sense
of counts, either interpreting a phrase freely, or performing in silence.

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15
Q
A