GCSE DANCE THEORY - Swansong revision cards

CHRISTOPHER BRUCE

November 1987

CONTEMPORARY -TAP-JAZZ  DANCE- TANGO-PHYSICAL CONTACT- (Narrative)

HUMAN RIGHTS is the theme.

Other stimulus was Christopher Bruce saying goodbye to dancing

PHILLIP CHAMBON

Electronic music with digital sounds and voices

At times no sound- so we can hear tapping of the feet-adds tension

- Silence before music starts to build tension

- foot tapping and clapping- to show question and answer

- silence- to create a fearful atmosphere and to build tension

- direct correlation with movement

- crashes

Silence increases the tension and helps to concentrate on movement

Music builds tension and climax

Music has question and answer- direct correlation with movement

Crashes in music support dyanmics used by prisoner

section 1- No sound to start with. Crash of sound- prisoner pulled off chair- this is repeated twice with the same sound .This is direct correlation. Music and dynamics sharp and forceful.Shows repeated torture.Crash of sound shows that the atmosphere is more threatening.

section 2- tango music and dancers dynamics are light and smooth- prison guards perform humourous light shuffles and tango duets to show that they are playing with the prisoner.Direct correlation- music speeds up and so do the dancers.

section 3- music and movement more lyrical. Contrast to section 1 and 2. Crashing sound suggests door slamming. Crying sounds in music shows frustration of prisoner.

section 7- prisoner beaten and unconcious on chair, the silence gives time for audience to decide whether he is dead or not?

DAVID MOHR

• DIAGONAL LIGHT FROM UPSTAGE LEFT- SUGGESTING A WINDOW OR HEAVEN
• OVERHEAD COLD LIGHTING TO SUGGEST NATURAL LIGHTING
• FOOTLIGHTS TO CREATE SHADOWS TO ADD  ATMOSPHERE

•  In the interrogation scenes cold lighting focuses on the chair and the victim. This helps the audience focus on the prisoners torture
• The diagonal shaft of light has a dream like effect and represents the outside world, hope or possibly heaven to the prisoner,
• During the last solo the lighting is lowered making the prisoners shadow longer and as the curtain falls there is only light over the chair- indicating that the torture is over or the prisoner is dead

CHRISTOPHER BRUCE

GUARDS- LIGHT KHAKI TROUSERS AND SHIRT, BLACK BELTS, BLACK JAZZ SHOES

PRISONER-

BLUE DENIM JEANS, SHORT SLEEVED Red T-SHIRT, BLACK JAZZ SHOES

• Guards wear the same uniform -smart khaki military shirt and trousers .This shows their status and that they are on the same side.
• Prisoner wears casual blue jeans and red t-shirt showing that he is inferior to the guards. Red t-shirt could symbolise blood or anger.

There are 3 dancers in swansong.

There are 7 sections in Swansong

CHRISTOPHER BRUCE

Proscenium arch

Bare stage except for a wooden chair

Black backdrop

Props include red nose and canes

• Minimalistic
• Bare stage creates a cold atmosphere similar to prison cell and helps audience concentrate on the dancers movements.
• Chair used as a weapon. shield, prison bars and security blanket
• Red Nose is used to humiliate prisoner
• Canes used as weapons and for mental torture
• Guards always enter/exit from stage right suggesting a door.

Proscenium Arch

• Most of the action takes places centre stage focussing on the chair which represents torture
• Guards dance very closely to prisoner to intimidate him
• Pathways are left and right linear (side to side)
• Guards enter and exit from stage right as if it is a door which supports the idea that it is a prison cell.
• Dancers return to the chair often which suggests the repeating of torture
• When the prisoner dances stage right his actions are more fluid suggesting escape.

section one

• The guards dynamics are sharp and sudden. They perform leaps, stamps, claps and push or lift the prisoner around violently.
• The prisoners dynamics change from fluid to sharp and are very energetic. He performs balances, handstands, falls and turns
• THE PRISONER PERFORMS A SWAN LIKE ARM MOTIF SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DANCE which is soft and flowing