The dancers time magazine

The Dancers time

In dancers time I will be comparing and communicating both pieces of the dance(solo and group piece) and how they both represent and correspond with the original choreographic idea and devices. Which is entrapment and addiction based on the film “trainspotting”.

Solo dance

The structure of my solo dance is in a ternary form with the concept of being abstract. This is illustrated through having section a,b and a which each represent the different stages of emotions and processes of being entrapped and isolated from the society and the community. Section A portrays me being confined and constricted. This is represented through small arm and hand gestures. For example, in the beginning of the piece when I first reach out my finger to the front slowly to show the depiction of searching and willing to discover hope and freedom. Whilst having that edge and panic of wanting to come out and illustrate self determination. In section A there is a metaphorical representation of a box to show how I am trapped in a small compact space. Section A I chose to represent it with energy and make it more dramatic. This was explored through the motif development of when I use arm gestures to portray the movement of reaching towards the ceiling and then going on all fours to create the metaphoric symbolic view of a box. By using the motif development I use contrasting dynamics of the motif beginning more slow and light. By repressing the motif four times and each time the movement is performed to more of a rapid, sharp and fast pace to show the dramatic effect of a representation how being entrapped can effect you both externally and internally.

However, section b is a representation of escaping the entrapment and searching for freedom and hope. This is showed through changing levels from performing floor based movements such as swings and suspending on the floor to show how I am limited and restricted both physically and mentally. One way of how I show that I am wanting to have hope and freedom. Which I present elements of this is by using movements to correspond to it. For example, this is illustrated when I perform the butterfly jump and then I rise on the balls of my feet and pushing my arm towards the ceiling. One of my strengths while doing section b of my solo dance is articulating the emotions that are represented in my solo through facial expressions and movements. For instance, one aspect that portrays it is through my movements being more dramatic and emphasised. This is through suspending more in the air when doing the jumps and the rises using arm gestures of reaching towards the ceiling. This was explored in the beginning of my solo dance when I was extending my hand towards the front. I changed the direction of where my hands were facing when reaching towards the front. This is to show how I am searching for hope and freedom in every possible way. The choreography is expressed through contemporary dance which allows me be more abstract. I'm able to express the theme of the dance entrapment and isolation.

Section c in the ternary structure form of my solo was me going back to the original choreographic idea which was entrapment. For example, I done a Hitchkick jump and drop/fall on the floor using similar hand gestures that I have done in the beginning of the dance. For instance, one of hand gestures that I do is reaching both of my hands towards the right side and contracting/arching my back to the floor. This symbolises how I am wanting to escape the illusion of entrapment but is trapped within it. One of my weaknesses in my solo dance was sometimes I was holding myself back from making it more dramatic about the theme that I am communicating towards the audience about how entrapped I am.

The solo dance was successful in me choreographing it as I was able to work myself. Which I am better with coming up with creative ideas and themes towards the dance. Doing a solo dance allows my ideas to come more across. Whereas, working in a group I was not as able to contribute my ideas as much as my solo. This is because there are other people within a group who also would want to express and share their own ideas.

The filming of my solo dance was not as successful as I wanted it to be. For example, there were times that there should have been more close ups when I was recording my solo which would allow my solo to communicate the idea and choreographic idea of entrapment. The filming was holding me back from my solo reaching its full potential and success that it could have been. If I had the chance to film my solo again I would make sure that there are more close ups and zoom in of my hand gestures that were implying how I am limited and imprisoned in a small space.

My solo dance was site specific because I wanted my solo dance to communicate the idea of entrapment. One of the choreographers who inspired me to do a filmed specific site dance is Lloyd Newson. Site specific solo dance felt different for me when filming it compared to if I performed it live at the theatre.

Group Dance

In the group piece we explore the desperation and addiction of drugs and heroine. This is through the original choreographic idea of addiction based on the film “trainspotting” which we use as our main stimulus. For example, in the beginning  I say a few lines from the monologue within train spotting while doing movements that correspond to the theme. For instance, when I say the line “smother the pain” I use hand gestures to grab my neck to show illustrate how I am showing symbolism of suffering from a drug addiction upstage left. The monologue was performed one after each other(in a cannon). This section also illustrates how we are a unit(how the drug heroine is taking over our whole body. For instance, when all of us relevae on our feet into a lunge towards upstage right. I use sharper and stronger dynamics in the beginning of the group piece to signify how I am trapped both physiologically and mentally by the drug heroine (which is represented as our stimulus of our group dance). One of my strengths of the group piece is having focus and energy when performing. In addition, this was explored by using facial expressions that connotes desperation and hope for freedom through the control of the drug. One of my weaknesses is the beginning of section a when I was slightly off time to some of the other dancers. This is due to slightly being out of time of the music in the beginning of the dance.

In section b there was a contrast in dynamics from section a to b. For instance, in the duet section I use repetition of the arm gestures that signify that signify desperation of heroine and the pain of heroine. The dynamics when doing the duet are more soft, light and free to suggest how you can be free from drugs and  allow yourself to be able to let go. This leads to one of the highlights of the group piece is living Taya which is the high point of drug overdose and addiction. Which shows the cycle of drug addiction reaching to high point of desperation and despair of being addicted. Furthermore, the lift had contrasting dynamics of it being more uplifted and free while feeling externally and internally effected by the drug.

Section c is a contrast with the silent section when there is no use of music that is used in the section. It shows the lowest point of the drug addiction in the cycle and is a moment of realisation. This was performed centre stage. Me and Ebony represent the parallels of the drug addiction. There is a conversation between the two of us(showing aspects of question vs answer). The other dancers were turning away from me and Ebony who are the addicts. The dynamics starts slow then speeds up(relapse) then it goes back to the beginning. It goes back to the choreographic devices of addiction and the chaos of the drug heroine. For example, the dynamics are more chaotic, quick, sharp and out of control. All of us are running which symbolises how the cycle of addiction is starting again and how it is on going. It could be a connotation towards cold turkey we are reaching away from the addiction but are reaching towards the drug. Cold turkey is one of the forms that explore and signify the drug addiction and how it is out of control.

Commentary on Lloyd Newson

Lloyd Newson is the one of the choreographers that has had a main influence in my solo dance and the use of site specific dance pieces. He used the space in a very different and unique way. For example, he uses different pathways and a small amount of space. In order, to portray and illustrate his s his theme and stimulus which was based on families within society(through his influence on spoken word and contact improvisation he is showing all of the struggles that's families are facing in this reality as a whole. For example, this is shown through the use of counter balances and transferring weight onto one another. Through showing the theme and the choreographic intentions of the dance piece. His use of spacing and arm/hand gestures were very inspirational towards my solo dance piece about the concept of entrapment.