The dance performance of “The Sun King Dances” created and directed by a graduate student that I observed was remarkable. All the dancers performing this piece were women. There were a total of five acts in this performance; Act I, Act II, Act III, Act IV and the Grand Ballet. The dancers were recreating the Sun King’s dances from the seventeenth and eighteenth century. Each act had an different set of scenery, choreography, costumes, music and along with a number of dancers performing the dances. All the dances had a similar theme that connected to one another, but each act was unique and had a special story behind it. My favorite act was the first act because when the dancers were performing, their synchronized and repetitive movements reminded me of the hour and minute hands of a clock. My favorite part was when four of the five dancers are holding hands and dancing in a circle while the fifth dancer is in the center of the circle turning and going up and down at the same time. …show more content…
The costumes that I saw that the dancers wear were very interesting.
All of them related to the performances. Some of the outfits that the dancers wore were billowy, lose, a bit oversized with poofy puffed up sleeves. And there were costumes that were portraying men during a the seventeenth and eighteenth century. In a few of the dances, the dancers wore ruffled collars that brought the costume to come all together. Other costumes that the dancers wore were leotards that are form fitting and tight. My favorite costume in the whole performance was in the last act. A dancer was portraying the sun, she wore a gold leotard what had an attached skirt. The leotard had an emblem of the Sun King. In addition, the dancer wore a sparkly pair of gold shoes that matched the costume. The costume was shiny, bold, dramatic and goddess-like. As a result, the costume made the dancer stand out tremendously from the other dancers in this
scene. The music had soft and intense moments for each act. The music in general reminded me of Renaissance type music because of the similar rhythms, sounds and instruments that were used in this performance. The stage was set by having the lights dimmed and a long row of flameless LED candles near the edge of the stage. The dimmed lighting and the candles set a dark romantic tone for the dancers. In addition, the were projections on the screen before and during each dance piece. The projections showed words before each dance begun and digital illustrations of different sceneries during each of the performances. Overall, I enjoyed watching this piece. The dances had a interest and captivating storyline along with interesting parts within each act.
The next work of the program, Courtly Airs and Dances, is a multi-movement work composed by Ron Nelson. The piece is split into six movements: Intrada, Basse Danse, Pavane, Saltarello, Sarabande, and Allemande. Each of these present distinct characteristics that separate it from each other movement, yet all are united by being a style of dance. The first movement, Intrada, presents a fanfare-like opening to the multi-movement work. The trumpets and brass section as a whole lead this, as they create a sense of nobility. The key is major and the tempo is one that could be described as allegretto—it is not a fast tempo, yet more brisk than an andante pace. The texture is homophonic, as there are different parts being performed by different
Learning about Dance: Dance as an Art Form and Entertainment provides visions into the many features of dance and inspires scholars to keep an open mind and think critically about the stimulating, bold, ever-changing and active world of dance. Learning about Dance is particularly useful for those who do not have a wide and diverse dance contextual, such as students in a preliminary level or survey dance course. This book consists of twelve chapters. Chapter one dance as an art form focuses on the basic structures of dance. Dance is displayed through the human body, it has the control to communicate and induce reactions. Dance can be found in many different places, it enables the participants and seekers to touch and knowledge the joy of movement. Dance is discovered as being one of the oldest art forms worldwide. Dance existed in early cultures was recognized in a sequence of rock paintings portrayed dance. Since this discovery of rock paintings, several other forms of art have been found that depict dance. People used rituals in order to worship the gods and believed that the rituals held magical and spiritual powers. During the ancient period civilizations sentient decisions began to be made with regard to dance. Other periods that had an impact on dance were the medieval period, the renaissance period, and the contemporary period. Chapter two the choreographer, the choreographer is a person who comes up with the movements created into a dance routine. The choreographer expresses themselves through choreography because this is their way of communicating with the audience. In order to be a choreographer you must have a passion for dance. Each choreographer has their own approaches and ways of making up a routine. Choreographers ...
Big hair, bright colors, and denim helped to establish the time period the play was set in. Each actress’ outfit gave the audience an idea of her character’s personality. For instance, Clairee wore pant suits and looked the part of a sophisticated, classy former mayor’s wife. On the other hand, Ouiser wore comfortable clothes; often sporting a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt over a t-shirt showing her practical and simple lifestyle. The use of jackets and scarves portrayed the change in season and helped establish the different time frames from scene to scene. The costumes reflected each character well and were fitting for the time in which the play was portrayed.
Ross, Janice. “Judson Dance Theatre: Performative Traces.” TDR: The Drama Review 53, no. 2 (2009): 161-164
Throughout the years, America has pursued the performing arts in a large variety of ways. Theatre plays a dramatic and major role in the arts of our society today, and it takes great effort in all aspects. Musical Theatre, specifically, involves a concentration and strength in dance, acting, and singing. This is the base that Musical Theatre is built upon. For my Senior Project, I helped choreograph multiple scenes in a community musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie”. Choreography is a way of expressing oneself, but it has not always been thought of for that purpose. Agnes de Mille’s expressive talent has drastically affected how people see choreography today. Agnes de Mille’s influence in the world of dance has left a lasting impact in the Performing Arts Department, and her revolutionary works are still known today for their wit, lyricism, emotion, and charm.
The fact that we can only be who we are and fight for what we believe in, carries over to generation to generation is truly amazing. Julia L Foulkes may not have known that when she wrote this piece that she definitely was recreating the future of modern dance as well as revisiting the beginning of paving the way for modern dance, yet she wrote the book and it had such vast impact on the culture. One that I hope everyone who inspires to be a dancer will have the chance to read one day, or maybe even to be. With that being said I hope you enjoyed my review and will be able to feel what I felt while reading the book and writing my review to know that I as a dancer grasp entirely where she was coming from first
...al cloth. While the corset appears to be tailored loosely, the tutu seems to fit but it lies limp against the figure’s legs. Despite the use of mixed media, the dancers tights are actually sculpted, not fabric. The ballet slippers are actual shoes coated with wax; the same wax covers the entire sculpture, preserving her and the fragile elements.
Sun dace is a dance performed by the Lakota people who belongs to the Native American cultures such as the plains. The sun dance is one of the most important religious ceremonies for the pains Indian. The North American Indians preform this dance in honor of the sun, to prove bravery by overcoming pain, and insure the life of the people for another year. It shows continuity between life and death. Indians believe that there is no true end of life. They believe in rebirth and the cycle of symbolic true deaths. According to Jordan Paper in his book “Native North American Religious Traditions Dancing for Life.” The ceremony brings the community together, heal the sick and renew social harmony. To Indians, dancing is how they
Her groundbreaking style grew and formed around her dynamic of contraction and release. She focuses on the basic human form and enlivened the body with raw election emotion. Her style reveals sharp and direct movement, which is highly dramatic. Being deeply ingrained in the rhythm of American life and the struggles of explored (Martha Graham,). ‘ A dance reveals this spirit of the country in which it takes root, no sooner does it fail to do this then it loses its integrity and significance’ (Martha Graham, 1937). With her Choreography, she connects the audience with past and
I really enjoyed the costuming for this show.. Most pieces of clothing were very elaborate and appeared to be very detailed. This is seen when Giselle admires Princess Balthilde’s dress when they first meet. I also really enjoyed the look of the corps de ballet. All of their costumes fit within the same color scheme which made it very pleasing to the eye. It was interesting to notice the stark contrast of the costumes between the different acts. Act one’s costumes were full of beautiful vibrant colors, whereas act two was filled with mostly white and neutral colors. There were very few props. There was a bench that was moved around in different scenes. There was also Princess Bathilde’s necklace that she gives to
The Sixties were full of new, radical events including several wars and international conflicts, advanced political views, profound sciences, new technologies and numerous additions to pop culture. Even dance in this revolutionary era was expanded widely. Dance was a large part of the sixties and grew in conjunction with the musical growth in this era.
The production attempt of displaying things in familiar way that is accurate to life. Costumes give a visual appealing sense of how people were likely to wear. Each character’s costume needs to match their class standing in the society that the people could have worn. Actions that done by the characters as a response because of something that has happened or due to the fact that they have a motive, is important to the play but have to be done in an understandable or reasonable way. Dialogue has to close to what someone say as if they are having a real life conversation. In the production that was so important to showcasing any play is portraying it something with as much accuracy to where it becomes hard to distinguish what could happen versus what is not really likely to happen. The more a production pays attention to details such as costumes, actions, and dialogue and the more the actors can succeed in performing a truthful
Throughout history art has presented itself in many different forms. Two forms of art are poetry and paintings. William C. Carlos’ poem “The Dance” paints a picture while Pieter Brueghel’s painting “Peasants’ Dance” tell a story. The odd thing is that both the poem and the painting have many similarities as well as many notable differences. Tone, image, and imagination show the many similarities and differences between William C. Williams’ poem “The Dance” and Pieter Brueghel’s painting “Peasants’ Dance.”
The best part about all these characters of the play is that they all are very particular with their dresses and make up as it is one of the key factor which, makes them look presentable at the screen, and also it really helps them to deliver their message and it provides them with a bridge in order to connect with the
The general nature of the dance, special costumes were often performed in as well as in musicals rhythms the all different in different religions and in regions of the world.