Within Her Eyes

Question 1

When was the piece first performed?

Answer 1

February 2016

Question 2

Who choreographed the piece?

Answer 2

James Cousins

Question 3

What is the dance style of the piece?

Answer 3

contemporary/ contact work

Question 4

What is the stimulus of the work?

Answer 4

a love story with a twist
James Cousins wanted to create a love story that does not end in the usual way and could be open to interpretation. He also wanted to portray the struggles endured within a relationship stricken by grief.

Question 5

What was James cousins’ choreographic intention?

Answer 5

• to create a dance film that maintained emotional intensity and visceral energy of the live stage performance of “There we have been”
  -love story open to interpretation
  -tender, emotional, sombre mood
  -impressive physicality with dark and emotional heart

Question 6

What was the choreographic approach of the piece?

Answer 6

• sets “There we have been” in outdoors bleak landscape
  -narrative and emotional themes
  -keeping female dancer off the floor
  -filmed improvisation that was watched back

Question 7

What is the performance environment of the piece?

Answer 7

site sensitive

Question 8

What is the aural setting of the piece?

Answer 8

• created specifically for the work
  -music evolved alongside the choreography
• created by composer Seymour Milton in collaboration with James Cousins.

Question 9

What does the aural setting contain?

Answer 9

Electronic elements with strings and piano. The music creates a haunting and emotive mood/atmosphere.
The accompaniment blends seamlessly with the choreography, flowing as one.

Question 10

What is the lighting like in the piece?

Answer 10

-Natural light of the environment
-There is a development from daytime to evening into night to show the passage of time of the relationship
-The darker setting towards the end of the duet also adds to the intensity and intimacy of the final section.

Question 11

What was the staging/set like in the piece?

Answer 11

-He wanted the dancers to look isolated and in their own little world
-He wanted to use big open spaces and used the idea of starting out in big open spaces and gradually moving into more intimate spaces to reflect their relationship

Question 12

Describe the performance environment:

Answer 12

After prologue camera starts very far away from the dancers giving the feeling that they are completely isolated and in their own world and the viewer is a secret observer.

Gradually as the dancers’ relationship grows closer, the camera moves in closer but still keeps distance until the first time the dancers look at each other when it moves right in to close up on their faces.

Question 13

What is the woman’s costume like in the piece?

Answer 13

-blouse is a delicate fabric, sheer like shiffon. Suggests fragility.
-top two buttons are undone suggesting she is relaxing a little
-The female dancer wears a beige shirt and skirt

Question 14

What is the man’s costume like in the piece?

Answer 14

• ## the male dancer wears khaki jumper and jeans.

Question 15

How do their costumes link?

Answer 15

-The darkness of his costume contrasted with the lightness of hers adds to the illusion of her just floating on him in the space.
-The darkness of his costume links him to the earth whereas the lightness of her costume gives her a more ethereal and celestial feel.

Question 16

What are some additional notes about the piece?

Answer 16

-The female dancer is constantly reaching, wrapping, balancing and falling on and around the male dancer.
-The male dancer never initiates or manipulates, he merely responds to her every move, devoted to her. He needs her as much as she needs him.