Throughout this essay, An investigation of the works of Hofesh Shechter: Gender in dance will be discussed, and elaborating on If the piece ‘Cult’ and Shechter’s choreography in the piece challenge stereotypical representations of gender or reinforce them? An intention of descriptive analysis of Shechter’s work will be considered, also. A discussion on gender in dance and how it has affected recent times.
Hofesh Shechter is a choreographer. “The person who constructs or designs a dance. The emphasis upon individualism and upon personal expression in the early phases of modern dance, 1900-1940, led each dancer to feel obliged to be his own composer” (Love, 1952 P:15). Shechter’s passion for dance emerged at the young age of twelve; at this age he would …show more content…
Like in Ballet, The women’s feet are more in pointe when performing and the leg is extended more than the male dancer. An extension is; “a stretching or lengthening to the fullest extent; a straightening of arm or legs so that the angle formed by the bones will be 180 degrees” (Love, 1952 P:35). Also, the female has more turns in her role, an example of this would be at four minutes and fifty-nine seconds into the choreography, we see all three females turning continuously whether it is to change levels, or direction in the space (Cult, 2004, https://vimeo.com/22588833). It seems as if Hofesh wanted the male to have the quicker, heavier role and the one, which requires more muscle strength. In ‘Choreography and Dance’ Hayashi implies “Males had to be strong and females had to be beautiful, elegant and graceful” (Hayashi, 1998 P: 87). In the video Cult, Shechter has clearly assigned the women to dance a more feminine role and the men to take on the dance that uses the larger part that requires more bodily strength (Cult,
Hofesh Shechter is a choreographer. “The person who constructs or designs a dance. The emphasis upon individualism and upon personal expression in the early phases of modern dance, 1900-1940, led each dancer to feel obliged to be his own composer” (Love, 1952 P:15). Shechter’s passion for dance emerged at the young age of twelve; at this age he would …show more content…
Like in Ballet, The women’s feet are more in pointe when performing and the leg is extended more than the male dancer. An extension is; “a stretching or lengthening to the fullest extent; a straightening of arm or legs so that the angle formed by the bones will be 180 degrees” (Love, 1952 P:35). Also, the female has more turns in her role, an example of this would be at four minutes and fifty-nine seconds into the choreography, we see all three females turning continuously whether it is to change levels, or direction in the space (Cult, 2004, https://vimeo.com/22588833). It seems as if Hofesh wanted the male to have the quicker, heavier role and the one, which requires more muscle strength. In ‘Choreography and Dance’ Hayashi implies “Males had to be strong and females had to be beautiful, elegant and graceful” (Hayashi, 1998 P: 87). In the video Cult, Shechter has clearly assigned the women to dance a more feminine role and the men to take on the dance that uses the larger part that requires more bodily strength (Cult,