This week the class was based on touch and the senses inspired by Rosemary Lee. We started off in groups of three one had to stand with their eyes closed as the other two started to move around the person. When I was the selected person I could really feel my group around me and I even flinched when the pushed there hands quickly towards my face. We then moved onto gently tapping, squeezing and finally brushing there body's. When it was my turn I could really feel/sense every touch on my body but then that could be because I am super ticklish.
To develop this idea of touch we then had to improvise and create a sort sequence using the tapping, squeezing and brushing. My group managed to create a really fast moving sequence which involved a lot of dynamic changes in direction. I found it really easy to create a quick piece of movement using the idea of touch as we had the three basic movements to work with and I would like to use a technique when choreographing my piece.
Moving on we looked at Tai Chi/ mirroring and explored with move, sitting in a group we had to follow each other and have one person as the main leader. From this we created a sequence, I personally found the sequence boring as there were no dynamic changes and all of the movements were very similar. For example hands rising and lowering in the middle of the group. I felt that this was an uninspiring exercise as it was boring to watch but performing the final sequence in silence did add some intensity to it. If I was to try this again I would want to explore more with tempo and dynamics to create more of an interesting sequence.
Continuing with the idea of touch we started to explore counter balances we started of by walking around the room and when you meet someone you do a counter balance with them. To expand on this we got into pairs and created a sequence of counter balance I really liked exploring the different balances there are we even did ones with out heads. The use of counter balances a you can create really interesting and dynamic duets and you have so much more freedom the in the tai chi exercise.Over all in this lesson we did try lots of different exercises but personally I only really enjoyed the touching and counter balances as I feel as if I can use them again in future choreographies.
This week we explored how being blind folded effects the way you dance inspired by Trisha Browns 'Locus'. We started by getting into partners and blind folding one of us, the other had to guide the other around the room exploring levels, directions and speeds. When I was blindfolded I was really disorientated and confused to where I was in the room.
We then had to explore movement blind folded it was really intresting as again you didn't know where you were in the room and I felt as if I could move more freely. I also found that the longer I was blind folded the more confident I felt about moving around the space blind folded. In comparison to when I normal choreographing I am more judgemental as I look at my movements in the mirror to make sure they are precise and fit with my other movements. Moving on we then had to create a short solo still being blindfolded. I found choreographing this easy but we then had to perform them without the blindfold. I found it really hard to remember the sequence of movements as it felt completely different performing it with my eyes open.
We then had to number the movements from 1-8.Inspired by the way Trisha Brown created 'Locus' we the drew a cube and labelled each corner 1-8 as shown below.
We then had to match our number in our sequence to the cube. We had to imagine that the cube was drawn out on the floor and we had to follow its path way to create a developed version of our sort solos. I moulded my solo to the cube by changing air and floor pathways and adding in extra rolls.
Personally I didn't like this method of developing movements as I think that the movements had more clarity before the development. But I did like experimenting with blind folded movements and would try it again when choreographing a piece in the future.
Chloe x
Today we explored lighting and how it can enhance movements. We started off by improvising in the space with side light either side of the space when dancing I could see that the space was really well lit as everyone in the space could be seen easily. The lighting also created lots of shadows on the walls and floor which created lots of interesting patterns and shapes. I then watched the second group improvise but this time one of the side lights was changed to a blue this really changed the space as it created a warm area and a cold area the dancers played to this idea as they mainly stayed in the warm yellow/straw area compared to the blue light which only one or two dancers were in making them look isolated and lonely.
We then split off into groups and were each given a light and we had to create a sequence of movement using the light. My group decided to put the light at medium and put it down at an angle towards the floor. This created a really interesting shape on the floor which was really intense and then faded out the further away from the light you get. We placed the light at a diagonal from down stage left to upstage right. This inspired us to move along the light starting in the intense light. We intertwined ourselves on the floor and developed it by getting higher every time this created a start, middle and an end. In between the pictures we inserted movements that related back to the light for example covering our eyes with hands, sitting looking at it or trying to escape it by going into the unlit areas. We sat our audience around the light so they could see the progression of the movement away from the light. Our audience agreed that they could see the progression of our movement away from the light and they said that the lighting really enhanced the movements. The video below shows half of the sequence we created.
Overall today really taught me that lighting is a really useful tool that can easily enhance a piece of movement. I would also love to experiment with different lighting states when choreographing my own pieces.
Chloe x
In class today we were exploring the idea of shape. We began by travelling across the space thinking about our body's shape 1.Curved movements traveling across the room in an angle 2.Sharp movements travelling in a curve 3.Small angular movements 4.Big rounded movements. These exercises helped me to explore the different shapes my body can create.
As a group we then started to look at what is negative and positive space. Positive space is the dancer themselves as they are moving and creating energy in the space. Therefore the negative space is all of the surrounding space around the dancer where nothing is happening. To help us grasp this concept we had to get into partners person A. would pick a body shape and person B. would have to fill the negative space around there partner. We then developed this idea of filling the negative space and created a short duet. I was partnered with Beth and we began by just improvising around each other and choosing moments we liked. Once we had the movements we found that it was boring to watch so we added in some fast dynamics transitions which made the duet more interesting to watch.
I think if I was given this task again I would want to create a sequence which consisted of more complex movement as a times ours was very simple. I would also add in a few more dynamic changes as after watching it back it was still quite plain. I really liked this class as we were finally able to work with someone as it was nice to bounce ideas off them as every class has consisted of individual solo work.
Chloe x
I was absent from class this week as I was ill but the class looked at space and how changing position can greatly change the intention of the movement.
For this weeks homework task we had to look at three works by a choreographer and look at how they use space. I picked Akram Khan and looked at sections from 'Gnosis', 'In The Shadow Of Man'(a solo from Rising) and 'Rush'. The spacing's used were very different in all three pieces in 'Gnosis' the dancers started very apart form each other and looked as if they were shadowing each others movements. They then go into a lot of contact work centre stage this is very powerful as it created a small highlight as they had been so apart for the first few sequences. In 'In The Shadow Of Man' the male dancer travelled low to the ground around the vast stage, the movements were not that technical but the use of pools of circle light made the movement more interesting as light was always hitting him in different directions enhancing his movements. And finally in 'Rush' it starts with two horizontal lines of light across the stage floor a single female dancer stands central in the back line and two male dancers in the front line. The movement consisted of fast, sharp arm movements which almost made them look robotic. I really liked this use of space as the dancers movements matched the harsh lines on the floor. This showed me that playing around with different spacing can really change the look and feel of a sequence.
Chloe x
In this weeks lesson we focused on the idea of phrasing we started off by moving around the space as if you were stuck in mud this was so that we would think about what each slight movement required. We then had to improvise a natural movement sequence using the idea of being stuck in the mud and thinking about each individual body part moving like the feet,for example my sequence was low and always on plié it also had no sudden movements in it so each movement could flow easily into the next.
The next exercise focused more on the actual phrasing of a sequence we had to create a sequence which had a start, middle and an end that moved across the space as if a timeline. I wanted to show a clear difference in each of my phrases so started on the floor and used a series of rolls and slides. My middle phrase consisted of lower movements for example deep plié's in second and lunges. And the my ending had high turns and suspensions. Watching others I really liked the changes in levels they used as It clearly defined where one phrase finished and where the next started. It also helped highlight the progression each person had across the space.
We then had to think of three iconic moments I our lives and show them through phrases. At the beginning I found it hard to pick three exact events but when I had chosen them I found it ever easy to choreograph as they were personal to me.
Phrase 1:Showed me being young and oblivious the movement consisted of skipping and small jolly jumps my facial expression was happy.
Phrase 2: Showed a section of my life where grief completely took over me and I was lost and confused. This phrases movements were very slow and was mainly on the floor, I curled up in a ball on the floor to symbolise that I wanted to be alone and added flinching hand gestures to convey my anger.
Phrase 3:Showed me coming back stronger then before this phrase consisted of weighted free flowing movements that were no longer floor bound, these movements took up lots of space to show I was finally getting back to normal.
We then performed them to random music, when I performed mine I danced to a pop song. I think that this really changed the intention of my movement as it took the emotional value I had worked so hard to contain away.
We then explored our phrases again but this time by making selected movements slow-motion. This was a really effective technique as it looked at the finer details in everyone's movements and enhanced them. But again this changed the clarity and the idea of the original movement. Also by adding slow-motion sections it created a focus point that effected everything around you.
Chloe x
In my lesson this week we explored different types of rhythm. We started off by thinking about breath rhythm. We created a short sequence of any movement thinking about your breath when moving. As I am asthmatic I am always consciously thinking about my breathing when I am dancing, but in this exercise I used the inhale and exhale to enhance my movement for example to get onto the floor I turned and exhaled as my body moved down then inhaling and rebounding back onto my feet. I really liked this type of rhythm as there was no rush with the movements as breathing is normally a thing that just happens without us realising.
We then looked at Motor Rhythm. This is when you create your own rhythm for example a walking rhythm could be 1,2,1,2 (marching rhythm) then to this rhythm you can enhance it by adding movements which follow the same 1,2,1,2 rhythm. I added in jumps and lunges as they weren't to complex so I could easily hear my 1,2,1,2 marching rhythm. I did find this exercise difficult at first but as soon as you found the rhythm you wanted it was easier to stick too. I also never really think about my own rhythm I normally just associate it with music but I liked the different view as I have never thought about having my own rhythm.
We would have also looked at emotional rhythm but we ran out of time.
Chloe x
In my first choreography lesson we started by creating a short sequence based on movement habits. This is a movement you always use/lean back on when choreographing.
I picked an arm sequence to begin with which I have used many times before, it consists of a sharp twist of the torso to the right (as if looking behind you) arms held as if flat on a table then rebounding back to the front you repeat the movement but this time the arms swing up ad relax around your neck as you turn your torso back to the front. I also chose a sweeping gallop back and a backwards roll as I always rely on these to move you across the space. I found it quite easy to pick out my habits as I am so used to picking these movements to fill in a gaps in my previous choreographies.
We then had to create a sequence of movement which we wouldn't normally pick (non-habit). I found this sequence a lot harder to put together as I often keep to very similar movements when I choreograph. To help myself I started off on the floor as I usually start up, from here I created some floor work consisting of rolls and plank positions as I hardly use these movements. I then got off the floor and turned circling my arms in the air before landing in a lunge. Even though these are movements I wouldn't normally pick I found that after practising the sequence a few times I started to put my own spin on the movements taking them away from what they originally were. Looking back I think I should have kept the movement at its purest form as I was changing them so they felt comfortable and my 'normal' when they should have felt completely different to my habit movements.
The next task was to put the two sequences together. I found this quite easy as I liked how my two sequences together changed levels as I alternated between each other. I also found that there was a big change in dynamic between each sequence for example my habit sequence was weighty and fast in comparison to my non habit floor sequence which was softer and flowed freely.
Chloe x
