West Side Story - The Prologue, Revision Notes

West Side Story ­ The Prologue

Choreographer ­ Jerome Robbins

Year Choreographed ­ Stage: 1957, Film: 1961 (The film increased the popularity of the musical
because it brought WSS to a wide audience)

Movement Components ­
Actions ­
Pedestrian Movements (e.g. clicking, walking) are masculine, creating a sense of realism,…

Stage/Props
Mostly filmed on the upper West Side of NYC, meaning that the piece is a site-specific
one, adding to the sense of realism within the Prologue
Use of a number of props within the piece, for example a basketball, piece of fruit
(orange?), a paintbrush and a tin of…

Pace of the dance and action builds throughout, leading to an increasing sense of tension
and aggression between the two gangs