Esplanade Analysis

Contemporary 20th century choreographer Paul Taylor used the components of dance -space, time and energy to explore the struggle of an individual versus the conformity of the masses in his dance Esplanade. In addition, Taylor intertwined the principles of contrast, repetition, and resolution throughout Esplanade to portray the emotion, which accompanied this isolation. This esplanade (a long, open, level area usually by the sea) represented the journey of an independent women’s movement against the societal norm of heterosexual couples within the masses.
Throughout Esplanade the use of space enabled dancers within the masses to create a feeling of confidence, superiority, and unity, while simultaneously creating the isolation and individuality

of the independent women. In acts 1, 3, and 5, the dancers of the masses used the entire stage area to exert dominance. In addition, the range in level from airborne leaps and lifts to the stretches and rolls done at floor level emitted the confidence of conformity. The symmetrical movement done in unison or as a sequential round, where each dancer repeated the previous dancer’s motion, demonstrated the unity of the group. Finally, the limited personal space and linkage of the active space from one dancer to the next created the intimacy of couples within the group and the cohesiveness of the group. By using this variety of space elements the dancers embodied “an open level or space,” the definition of esplanade. This directly contrasted the space used by the independent woman. Her movements used smaller areas of the stage and were often performed at floor level. The contrast in space helped establish not only the individuality of the women, but her isolation from the masses. In addition, her smaller movements and the individual nature of her dance created a personal space that when entered by other dancers appeared to be an act of aggression. This contrast created through the use of space was closely related to the use of time.
The music’s tempo, accent, and meter, as well as the dancer’s use of repetition, natural rhythm, and stillness created the time.

Overall time helped demonstrated the masses’ movement unity as they moved with the time and the individual’s struggle as she moved contrary to the group’s time. The dance began with a lively Bach movement, which created a feeling of excitement as the mass of dancers moved with increasing speed. The short duration needed to complete movements, regularity of the music, and repetition of dance patterns of the group established their synchronization with time. In contrast, this allegro tempo created a nervous, rushed feeling for the individual woman, which established her contradiction to the groups perception of time. The sharp, sudden adagio tempo change in Part 2 created an uneasy mood, while establishing distrust and tension between the individual woman and the masses. The stillness of the mass dancers in response to the woman in Part 2 exemplified this segregation. As the tempo slowed in Part 4, an element of sadness and isolation was apparent in the individual woman’s movement. In contrast, this tempo change for the group created an intimacy between the individual heterosexual couples. This intimacy further isolated the individual women and demonstrated her movement against groups perception of time. The changes in tempo of music and dance movement complimented the third element of dance, dynamics or

energy.
The contrast in musical tempo enabled the dancers to express a variety of energy in each act. The high energy dynamic release of energy by the mass dancers in Part 1 was illustrated by the hopping movements as the dancers jumped over their fellow mass dancers. This action created a playful energy on stage. Despite her individuality, the lone woman also demonstrated high energy throughout act 1 as she struggled to find her role. The lack of energy in Part 2 was not only apparent in the smaller movements, but in the slow crawling motions. These movements expressed the rejection of the woman’s individuality. As the music tempo increased in Part 3, so did the energy output of the dancers. Movements were performed at increased speed, and the climax was created as female dancers leaped into their male partner’s arms. Despite the stamina and energy required to perform Part 3, the dancer’s movements were seemingly effortless. As the dance slowed in Part 4, the dynamics between each heterosexual couple demonstrated lightness as females were cradled by their male partner. The woman’s ultimate rejection was depicted as she was passed along to each male counterpart, rather than lovingly cradled. Despite the significantly less energy exuded in Part 4, the dancer’s controlled, sustained movements required considerable effort. Finally, the choreographed sudden falling movement of the mass dancers in the Part 5 created surprise and contrast, while the dancers repetitive leaping into their male partner’s arms displayed an explosion of energy. This enormous energy output faded as the individual dancer was left to complete the final scene in controlled, less energetic movement.
Together, these choreographic elements created a story which used the principles of composition, including contrast, repetition, and resolution.

In dance, contrast is the side by side comparison of space, time and energy, in order to identify differences. This contrast was best exemplified by the stark difference in tempo which was alternated from allegro to adagio in each sequential Part. The tempo changes enabled the dancers’ to vary their use of space and energy. Throughout the allegro movements, space and energy were maximized. In contrast, as the tempo slowed to adagio, the utilization of space and output of energy decreased. Taylor expanded contrast in Esplanade to include the costumes. The female apparel consisted of pastel flowing short skirts, which differed from the male’s neutral tight fitting costumes. Although the free flowing costume complimented the allegro tempo, it contradicted the slow, confined movements throughout the adagio tempos. Repetition or the duplication of movement created a cohesiveness of the mass dancers and established the individual as an outsider. Whether in the slow paced repeated walking movements in Parts 2 and 4 or the sequential lifts and leaps in Parts 1, 3, and 5, repetition established unity. The isolation of the woman was also established by her repeated unsuccessful efforts to interact with the mass dancers by running and circling each dancer in Part 1. The repetition of walking steps throughout the dance created continuity,

while the pace of these steps depicted the energy. Finally the repetition of spatial movements depicting groups and the individual helped illuminate the conflict in the dance. Interestingly, the conflict created between the individual woman and the mass dancers through the use of contrast, repetition remained unresolved during the resolution of Esplanade. Acceptance of the individual woman by the mass dancers would provide a happy resolution; however, this was not the resolution the author composed. Instead the exit by the mass dancers, which left the woman alone, thereby continuing the conflict of being an individual woman in a world of heterosexual couples. Her on-going struggle was exemplified through her direct eye contact with the audience, use of the front center stage, and movements. This woman would remain an individual struggling in her world of unified heterosexual couples.
In conclusion, Taylor used choreographic elements of time, space and energy to portray the struggle of an individual women who remained an outsider to the mass group comprised of heterosexual couples. The distinct contrast in space in alternating movement patterns enabled the dancers to establish the tension between the individual and the mass dancers. The time and tempo contrasts helped demonstrate the intimacy and joy experienced by the couples verses the isolation felt by the woman. Finally, the choreographed elements of contrast, repetition, and resolution told a story. Taylor’s resolution allowed the viewer to contemplate the ongoing struggle of the role of independence, societal norms, and mass conformity, especially involving heterosexual relationships in today’s society.