"Discuss the ways in which the following are used in the contemporary dance work you have studied"

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Emma Wardle

Dance

“Discuss the ways in which the following are used in the contemporary dance work you have studied”

Essay structure:

Introduction – Definitions of structure, dynamics and mood.

Structure of Matthew Bourne’s Swan lake e.g. Acts or scenes, story/narrative

  • Princes bedroom – nightmare
  • Palace – formal royal life – Paparazzi
  • Palace – prince introduces girlfriend
  • Theatre
  • Princes bedroom – Row between him and queen
  • Club – Thrown out
  • Outside club – wanders to park
  • Park – swans
  • Ballroom – recognition of swan
  • Princes bedroom – prince delirious/sedated
  • Dies – reaction of queen

Dynamics – The how. Work through the different types and ways in which dynamics are used in dance. What they result in.

  • Time
  • Weight
  • Space
  • Flow

Mood, tension throughout scenes. How created.

  • Contact
  • Expression
  • Mirror
  • Film – can focus – lighting
  • Movement
  • Costume
  • Gesture
  • Set

Conclusion – How the three link etc

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is a prime example of contemporary dance. Taking his influences from aggressive swans, his personal life, and several of his colleagues from the Laban centre where Bourne completed the majority of training, Bourne has recreated Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet.

        Bourne has given his piece a clear structure, and within it has incorporated dynamics and mood to build tension. A structure is an act of putting together, it is an arrangement of parts and gives each section a syntactical relationship. Dynamics in this context are the how of dance. This is made up of time, weight, space and flow. Mood is a temporary state of motion or attitude. It is an expression of the manner of an action.

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        Swan Lake is made up of four acts, each of which is broken down into scenes. The prologue and Act one are combined by the fact that they are both situated in the prince’s bedroom. Act two is then broken down into six scenes. Scene two depicts a stereotypical scenario in royal life, the Queen and Prince in a large hall with paparazzi. We see a different side to both as they put on an image for the public. Scene three is the introduction of the prince’s new girlfriend, who is then permitted to accompany the family to the theatre, ...

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