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34 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Choreographer
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Christopher Bruces
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Date
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1987
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Accompaniment designer
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Phillip Chambon
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Lighting designer
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David Mohr
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Length
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32 minutes
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Premiere
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Teatro Arriaga, Bilbao, Spain 25 november 1987
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Narrative
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A prisoner in a cell, two guards interrogate him to talk. Prisoner refuses. Guards try to get the victim to talk by
- aggression -friendly -questioning -humiliation -fighting -leaving the prisoner alone Parallel storyline Struggle of a dancers life. The victim is any dancer, pushing their body to the limit & beating the effects of ageing. Avoids programme notes to let the audience trigger "a personal & unique reaction in the spectator" |
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Starting points / Stimuli
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- Human rights & amnesty international
- The book "A Man" -Commedia dell'arte -Swan song |
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Human rights & amnesty international
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Amnesty internationial = charity for prisoners of war (POW). Swansong was a spin off from Ghost dances which was a response to the political situation in Chile, south america. General Pinochet was the Chilean dictator. Responsible for the disappearances of 100's of people.
-Linda Wilkinson Chair of A.I, gave C.B Honorary life membership of A.I. |
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The Book "A man."
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By Oriana Fallaci
Imprisonment & Torture of a man wrongly accused of trying to assassinate the Greek president. |
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Commedia Dell'arte
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Humour through tragedy.
Stock jokes e.g pullnig of trousers in Tea for two. Pedrolino - pathetic character - victim Brighella - bully - Guard Arlecchino - acrobatic, twisted wit and cunning of an amoral child- Guard |
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Swansong
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Metaphor the end of Bruces dance career
Swans sing beautifully and mournfully just before they die Final gesture |
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Themes
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Manipulation
Imprisonment Freedom |
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Manipulation
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Control & power over someone.
Mentally (guards changing of mood, leaving him alone & humiliating victim) & physically (lifting, kicking dragging.) |
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Imprisonment
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Victim in cell, tortured, questioned.
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Freedom
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From swan idea. Swan like movements seen in victim
- long neck -wings unfolding (arms in second, arms reaching, back arching - Flight & soaring (leaps, arabesques with arms back.) -Elegance (posture, extension.) - Fluid, smooth & graceful |
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Physical setting
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lights
set design props costume |
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Costume
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Victim -
Blue jeans Red Tight short sleeved t-shirt Black slit sole jazz shoes Everyday clothing. Hair- messy, free Guards Military style uniforms form south america. Long beige colour trousers Buttoned short sleeved shirts. Slit sole jazz shoes. Hair- Brown slicked back Red nose Caps |
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Set design
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Black box set.
-black dance floor -black tabs dressing in the sides -black cyclorama (curtain) at the back. Creating cell, isolation, loneliness, focus on movement. |
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Lighting
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Tunnel of light
-Unstage left, only source of daylight -freedom -Suggests dark claustrophobic room with window Lighting changes when victim is alone 7 with guards. Overhead lighting focuses on chair during interrogation Cold lighting becomes warmer. Start of slow trio - dream like effect |
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Props
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Straight back, wooden chair
red nose cigarette canes |
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Straight back wooden chair
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- safe place, security for victim
-support for balances -weapon/ shield -Burden -prison -chain |
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Red nose
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Section 2 tea for two
Commedia Dell'arte - humiliated. Guards pulls elastic, threatens to let go but then removes it. Causes victim psychological stress. |
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Cigarette
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Guard use at end of section 2 tea for two.
Shows power. |
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Canes
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Section 6- The cane dance
- shows music hall/ vaudeville, infront of body with two hands. -walking stick -whip -baton -over and around the body -Sergeants major stick - under the arm -Gun -Weapon |
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Styles
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Ballet
Music hall/ vaudeville Contemporary Tap Ballroom |
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Ballet
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Leaps
extended legs posture arabesques attitudes jetes |
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Music hall/ vaudeville
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Canes
soft shoe shuffle |
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Contemporary
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Graham
expressive movement uses floor |
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Tap
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Guards
percussive, rhythmic footwork in Question & answer |
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Ballroom
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Latin american style of ballroom- tango
section 2 tea for two Partner work, sharp turns of head Aggressive style of dance "Open hold" Spins |
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Music
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Philip Chambon
Collaboration with Bruce. |
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Instrumentation
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Originally acoustic sounds then digitally sampled & manipulated.
Restricted number of different sounds to make piece more intense & convey character Metallic sounds - victims harsh reality Flute & wind chimes - spirit of victims struggle. Manipulated voices Cry of a bird Ch-p-cha - comic whisper & menacing Contemporary pop music in tea for two. |
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Relationship between movement & dance
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h
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