How does Matthew Bourne use characters to tell an effective story through his choreography?
A mind mapped answer to a January 2009 Matthew Bourne question - this is the way I would answer it.
Teacher recommended
?- Created by: Caroline
- Created on: 11-05-13 11:41
View mindmap
- How does Bourne use characters to tell an effective story through his choreography?
- Introduction
- born 1960, Walthamstow, East London
- post-modern practitioner
- reworks classical ballets, modernising and popularising them
- makes them more relevant to a wide and diverse audience
- reworks classical ballets, modernising and popularising them
- artistic director and choreographer of his company New Adventures
- heavily influenced by popular culture, Hollywood musicals and films
- Bourne aims to tell stories through his works, using characters to do so
- Character Specific Movement Vocabulary
- Cupids
- recycled images of cupids and angels throughout history
- pulling of the bow and arrow
- jumping and lifting
- flying
- mirroring
- two - the twins, shows it's a dream world
- recognisable characters from reality playing other characters in dream
- two - the twins, shows it's a dream world
- recycled images of cupids and angels throughout history
- Humbug Bouncer
- STOP motif
- arm outstretched, palm flexed facing away
- irony - short, fat humbug as a bouncer
- arm outstretched, palm flexed facing away
- STOP motif
- Gobstopper
- agression
- eclectic style of dance
- rock n roll
- headbanging
- cossack
- rock n roll
- eclectic style of dance
- circular movments
- shape of the sweet
- pantomime humour
- slapstick fight
- agression
- Cupids
- Fred Astaire
- inspired Bourne
- pedestrian movement moving into dance
- easier to portray story
- stylised by Bourne by being performed to dancer's counts
- Act 1 Scene 1 Dr Dross' Orphanage for Waifs and Strays Episode 1 Preparations for a visit
- cleaning at the orphanage
- conveys that they are not well looked after
- Charles Dickens and Victorian era inspired
- cleaning at the orphanage
- Music
- inspiration for the plot
- followed moments of mime and dance
- however, followed the plot through the dances
- Act 2 Scene 4 Sweetieland Episode 7 By Invitation Only - divertissements
- each character had their own story of getting in to the wedding
- Marshmallow Girls were lost allowing Clara to enter with them
- each character had their own story of getting in to the wedding
- Act 2 Scene 4 Sweetieland Episode 7 By Invitation Only - divertissements
- however, followed the plot through the dances
- original Tchaikovsky music
- audience feel at ease with the recognisable music
- more able to focus on the plot
- audience feel at ease with the recognisable music
- Conclusion
- characters are key to the plot
- keeps the audience interested
- characters are key to the plot
- Ensemble Numbers
- large ensemble numbers inspired by Hollywood musicals
- performed in unison to dancer's counts
- each dancer performs in their own character
- although the actions are the same, facial expression, physicality and body language are different
- Act 2 Scene 4 Sweetieland Episode 8 The Wedding Party - The Final Waltz
- dance performed in couples
- motif of licking
- dance performed in couples
- Act 2 Scene 4 Sweetieland Episode 8 The Wedding Party - The Final Waltz
- although the actions are the same, facial expression, physicality and body language are different
- each dancer performs in their own character
- performed in unison to dancer's counts
- large ensemble numbers inspired by Hollywood musicals
- Introduction
Comments
Report