I have tried to give the ides of reaching into places in my dance. (Shown Below). By places, I mean reaching in different directions, because I do not know what to do as I’m by myself.
1. This first major movement, at the start of my dance, I ‘hatch’ out of the egg, with searching gestures, because I do not know what is happening, so I need help.
2. This second movement is just after I attempt to jump off the cliff. I’m scared and so pull away from the edge. I show this by pulling away from the audience. I later changed this so that I use more of the stage and so now I am pulling away from the side. Then I turn and reach round in different places, not knowing which way to go. On the last reach I extend my leg, showing that I am look really hard, searching, for the correct way.
Motif 1 -
At the start of my dance I’m on the floor and reach round (shown in a previous picture) I am looking for help, all around. I extend this later when I lunge forward and reach round, extending the reaching, my body, legs and arms. (Shown on the Next Page)
Some of my jumps are complementary to one another. Like some facing front and some to the back, also I have one that is to a diagonal and I jump and turn in the air, I call this a ‘stag-leap’.
Motif 2 -
I do some jumps in the dance and near the end I do a jump, suddenly, facing the front to give the idea ‘I’m free’. I jump forward with my left leg forward (Shown Below) and move into a step and circle my arm over my head.
I showed my extension by moving straight into the step, no pause.
The motif was the first steps, which I have expanded into a lunge and an arm movement.
I gave the impression I am a bird by using flowing arms and legs, also not many sharp, edgy moves.
Dynamics -
There is a change of rhythm in my music, so I have tried to change the dynamics of my dance to match this.
Mood -
The mood of my dance has a contrast in it also. At the start the mood is calm, I’m searching, I discover who I am, what I have, and try to use it. I face what comes as best I can. After I jump the cliff, a sudden burst of energy is put into the music and also into the bird. This involves larger, maybe slightly faster flows. I express what I am, later to discover that I have to pay. The mood towards the end is also sudden and that is put across to the audience after I ‘die’. It will leave them thinking about whether that’s what they expected to happen or not. Did it come as a shock? Did my dance appeal to them? Do the audience feel that what happened, should have happened? I want to leave ideas wandering in their minds.
Impact -
While I have tried to create my moves I have also tried to put some impact on myself as well as the audience. My flowing, bird, moves are half, maybe most of the essence of the story, of the dance. Flowing arms send out a ‘bird’s wings’ signal.
Spacing -
I have tried to imply the amount of space to as much as I need and also that I change direction in my dance, sending out that I’m not too sure which way to go, so choose whichever. Also the spacing means I can use the energy I have given the bird.
Positioning -
My starting position is merely on my knees, pulled right down to the floor as if I’m in my ‘egg’. I feel this also tells the audience that I’m alone and no one knows me. My ending position comes suddenly. I jump, there’s a bang and I fall straight to the floor. STOPS THERE. A quick finish, quick death, the bird is gone. This tells the audience that I have linked the start to the end. By giving the impression that I’m gone, that I’m alone again. But this time I can’t come back, I’ve been shot!
Feeling/Expression -
I’ve tried to put passion and emphasis in my dance not only to portray my energy but also to BE like a bird, take on its wings and image. My body moves are important in a ‘bird’ sense but I feel my facial expressions should try to be important too. So when I feel but also when I jump the cliff I am free and my expression should be less tense, easy, maybe excited.
Staging -
When thinking about Presentation and Staging I have considered where the audience will be at all times. I have considered where the front is, its important I try not to do moves that should be to the front, to the back and vice versa.
I found the ideas difficult to put across, and if I were to compose another dance I think I would like to do a group choreography.
If I were doing a different idea I think I would pull away from the bird ideas and explore different emotions. Maybe, again, do something with more than 1 person, to get more communication into a dance.
I feel my dance is effective in the sense that people can understand it and it leaves a thought in their minds. I feel I have developed my ideas and converted them into a dance, considering all I can and maximising it to the fullest, as much as is needed.
