Duets: Choreography

Me and my choreographic partner, Deborah, decided after a discussion, that we were going to base our choreograohy for Gabby and Lewis on the idea of an 'impossible task'. This idea requires a person to write down an impossible task that could refer to anything e.g. 'A rainbow made out of candyfloss'. The partners then exchange the tasks and they have to interpret the task they have received into movement.
As Lewis was absent, Charity kindly stepped in and performed with Gabby. They exchanged 3 tasks each then performed them. The outcomes were fascinating as each person's interpretation of an idea would be completely unique and unlike another's, therefore is was interesting to find out what each dancer's task was and see how they communicated that via movement. One of the exchanges is above and shows Charity 'moving into darkness' and Gabby 're-arranging the universe'. The contrasts were beautiful and really captured my attention as a spectator. From their interpretations, me and Deborah decided to develop the movement material further and add in moments of unison, contrast, contact etc for the next rehearsal.

One idea we created was to develop Charity's 'moving into darkness' piece. We decided that Gabby should shadow Charity's pathway as she moves along the wall, therefore for Gabby to do the same but on the floor. This stays in connection with the impossible task as a 'human shadow'.

In our second rehearsal, Charity taught Lewis her interpretations of the impossible tasks she received. As this happened, seeing her and Lewis in the space together performing one of the tasks in unison inspired me and Deborah to have Gabby and Lewis start the performance with this, with the task being 'lifting the sky'. From this they went into a second set of impossible tasks which they performed individually but at the same time.
Gabby then tried to map what Lewis did across the wall and be his shadow in the video above, which turned out to be quite difficult for her to do, but looks very intriguing and captivating.

Body Story Assessment 17/02/14

As I was in hospital when the actual date of the assessment was, I had to present my 'Body Story' afterwards on the 17th February. I was upset about not being able to watch the rest of my group's presentations as I was intrigued about their Body Stories due to each one being unique and personal to that person. In addition to this, I was also upset about not sharing my Body Story with them too as I'd of liked to have had feedback from my peers. However, I felt that my presentation went well and I was able to communicate my body's experiences since starting the course. I based my presentation around my spine and my respiratory system, however, the most sensitive part for me was sharing my suffering of Panic Disorder. I was very passionate about getting this across in my presentation as I wanted to raise awareness about the illness, and allow my spectators to see how my body is effected in classes. For example, the imagery created in our minds based upon the poetic language used by the tutors is only a limited thing for me as my panic attacks set in. The main thing however is concentrating on my breath, as for some panic disorder sufferers it can make the attacks escalate, and concentrating on the breath is a big part of the course. However, it was nice to share my experience with Katye, and explain how my body had been effected since beginning the course: not just the unfortunate side i.e. panic attacks, but the benefits too such as an increase in flexibility as well as awareness of my body as a whole when moving. 

Skinner Releasing Technique 27/02/2014

First of all in the class today, we returned to a previous idea we worked around, which was 'sponges'. 

We experienced the sponges for ourselves by holding a selection of ones Polly had bought it, i.e. their touch, texture, size, their properties etc. 

We then held these ideas whilst moving, imagining the feet, hands, spine and eventually the whole body as a sponge. 

We then lay down whilst Polly spoke about a "sea of breath".

The image within my mind was of a mermaid singing her breath into the sea, and I was concentrating so much on this image and let it consume me, so I couldn't recollect anything else she said in that part of the lesson. 

We then started to move like a river, that could have whirlpools, tipping, turning etc. It was really beautiful when the group moved in their own times, moving in and out of the 'river space'. 

The graphics which we performed followed the 'river dance' and focused upon the pelvis, ribs and skull. Once the physical graphics had been performed it was easy to imagine your partner's touch when moving independently. The 'phantom hands' made it easier to imagine the '3 spheres' we were concentrating on when transforming the graphics into dances that moved independently. 

I really enjoyed today's lesson as it provided me with new ways of moving as well as thinking, and was the first time in a while that I was able to create imagery in my head based on the poetic language used that didn't trigger a panic attack for me. 

Katye's and Charlies Performance

Katye's and Charlies performance contained similar elements to the class that they had taught us that week in Contact Improvisation.
Their eyes are closed the majority of the time, and perform with eachother via sensation. This particularly showed how embodied they were in what they were doing, and has made me since try this technique more for myself which has aided my movement production.
They use their senses to investigate eachothers bodies, as well as to manipulate and interupt the others movement. However, as the performance went on, I realised these interuptions didnt stop the moving, but just provided a new pathway and therefore a new set of movements to be discovered.
There was no leader, and therefore they relinquished weight equally.

The performance had a particular significance with me due to me being one of the 2 choreographers that have the only 'male and female' performers for our duets. Therefore Katye's and Charlies performance reminded me of the 'Rosemary Lee' duet we watched in class which dominated around the question 'can a man and a woman exist in space together without distinguishing a relationship?'.
This has inspired me to use this idea in my choreography for Gabby and Lewis, to see if in fact a man and a woman can move in space together, without a relationship being present, and it focusing purely upon 2 bodies, regardless of their gender.

Within their performance, I noticed a lot of Katye's practise i.e. the "sixth sense" as a dancer we discussed during last term in Katye's Improvisation/ Instant Compositon classes in the 'dancer v.s. maker' task.

The performance on a whole felt like a puzzle, as though each person was trying to discover something new constantly, which maintained the interest of both the dancers and the audience. Their trust in eachother was vital as it aided larger and more difficult movements to be performed without an injury occuring and maintaining the high performance level. It was interesting to watch how as one thing developed, my understanding of the performance changed, and this happened all throughout their performance.

Choreography Workshop 11/02/14

In todays choreography workshop, concentrated specifically on the RSVP Cycle as a way of choreographing.

R- Resources

S- Scores

V- Valuaction

P- Performance

 

 

We got into groups of four and were instructed to find a place to complete the RSVP principles, and create some dance material.

 

My group decided to stay in 221 to complete the task, which at first I was apprehensive about; due to us being in their the majoirty of the time, I felt this may become a restriction. However, after looking and going through the principles and what they consist of one by one, I noticed and utilised things I havent before.

For example, I focused on the curtains:

- their structure... can be widened, shortened, lifted.

- ways of moving with it i.e. under it, through it, around it.

- perspectives... being close to it can provide a sense of chlaustrophobia, being away from it can make them seem harmless, being behind them can make you feel mischevious and sneaky.

- sounds they provide

- imaginitive possibilities... opposite of the saying 'walk into the light' e.g. evil, mysterious, dangerous.

 

We then looked at common themes that occured when I provided my account of looking at resources and others in my group provided theirs from being in a different area in 221.

 

Our score was then produced which focused around darkness and restriction.

 

Material then started to be produced with our use of lighting, utilising the curtains in different ways, positioning of the audience to enhance the restriction and isolation, and introducing a variety of sounds i.e. clapping, walking softly then with force, shaking the curtains etc.

 

I really enjoyed the workshop as it made me see the studio in a different way and broadened my mind to possibilities that I didnt think were there.

The RSVP cycle has provided me with confidence and new ideas for choreographing the duet as it is a structure that allows material to be produced by lossing at things that you would usually overlook and take for granted.

Improvisaton/ Instant Composition 10/02/2014

In todays session, we had to think of an 'impossible task', then exchange these tasks with another, and find a way of transforming them into movement.
I provided someone with the task of 'raining fizzy bottle sweets', whilst I recieved the task of 'jumping on my nose'.
We produced our interpretation of the task into material, then made variations by travelling it, slowing it down, taking a chunk of it and repeating it, then finally visually the piece as a piece of paper then folding it in half: the first and last sections become on top of eavhother and therefore as one... this concluded to be impossible as compromises had to be made in order for the movement to be possible.

We then got into groups of 4, and were given the above image as our score to create a piece that included each persons impossible task. We had movements based around rainbows, travelling to another planet, raining sweets and jumping on the nose. But due to the amount of material each person had, it was down to choosing parts to collaborate with anothers.

The final result was brilliant and showed a variety of choreographic ideas.

 

This lesson was a huge eye-opener for me, as it showed me how much material can be procuded from one very simple idea/task, in such a short amount of time.

 

It also allowed me to see how one persons interpreation of a task can differ to someone elses, and that neither are wrong, but both ideas can be used to choreograph and create dance.

Duet Rehearsal: Performing. #rehearsal1

Today was my first rehearsal as a performer alongside Kelly, for our choreographers: Abbie and Natasha.

The main focus was on the breath. We moved whilst Natasha read from 'Body Space Image' by Miranda Tufnell and Chris Crickmay, then to some music whilst reflecting upon techniques we have learnt in Skinner Releasing and Contact Improvisation.

I found it challenge to sometimes remember which breath I was on as breathing is an involuntary process and can be hard to keep track of when its something you do all the time without thinking.
However, we managed to complete around 2 and a half minutes of material that varied from simply breathing, to moving with the breath, to Skinner Releasing techniques, to moving in unison.

Each time we rehearsed the material it got better due to it becoming more natural in our bodies, and it was easier to let go, enhance the dynamics , and find new ways on moving once the structure was clear in my head.