Swansong Revision

choreographer - christopher bruce

Danced by - Rambert Dance Company

composer - Philip Chambon

1987!!

Costume

the two interogators wear matching khaki outfits, smart trousers and short sleaved shirts.

the matching outfits show that

they are in uniform and their smart shirts and trousers show their status

the victim wears blue jean style trousers and a red t-shirt. the jeans show that he is wearing casual and show that he is inferor to the interogators.

the red t-shirt also shows casual and

could also symbolise anger.

Dance Idea and Styles

the dance idea for swansong is inprisonment and the ledgend of swansong: 'WHEN A SWAN DIES, IT MAKES THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NOISE IT HAS EVER MADE'. 

dance styles:

jazz dance, tap dance, soft shoe (similar to tap dance), muisc hall (19th century entertainment)

acompaniment

the acompaniment for swansong is a digitaly manipulated sound score, many of the sounds where origionaly birdsong that have been digitaly manipulated.

sections of the dance are performed to silence or found sound

(sound produced on stage, clapping or soft shoe)

part of section 1 and sections 2,6,7 where choreographed to specific

counts but the others can be intepereted more freely.

set design, props and lighting

the set design for swansong is black box, the dance is performed on a

blank stage with no scenery, the wall is plain black. this simplistic set design allows

the audience to use its one imagination to place the dance. the dance could be many different situations

a chair remains on stage for the whole dance. it is used as a weapon,

a seat, a phycologiac place for saftey, a shield, and for symbols such as prison bars,

shackles and a burden. other props are used in the dance, in section 2,

a red nose, hats and a cigarette. in the cane dance canes are used.

Lighting

there is one light USL, this changes brightness througout the dance

, it represents freedom and could symbolise a window in a prison cell. there is low floor lighting for the whole dance 

in the final solo dance, scene 3 there is a window light, coming from the top right hand corner of the stage.