Choreographer s Toolbox A Power Point to inform

Choreographer’ s Toolbox A Power. Point to inform students about choreographic tools and devices.

Major Points to be covered: u. Choreographic Structure/ Form u. Body u. Space u. Time u. Effort/ Energy "The Moor's Pavane" by Jose Limon

Objectives • Students will be able to identify and apply the choreographic devices of: • • • Motif or Theme Repetition Call and Response One-Part Form Two-Part-Form or AB Form Three-Part-Form or ABA Form Theme and Variation Retrograde Rondo Form Chance Accumulation • Student will be able to create dances with complexity by applying the elements of the “Choreographer’s Toolbox” to their dances. • Students will be able to identify and apply the categories of Body, Space, Time, Effort/ Energy to dance movement.

Relevance • The use of the choreographic tools and devices will add complexity to your movement phrases when crafting sections of your dance for art of creation • Knowing this vocabulary will make you a more informed dance viewer. Why is this important? Why do I have to learn this? • This vocabulary can be used when writing you View Instead of Do assignment. • Creative process content will be covered on the new updated Exit Exam.

Choreographi c Structures/ Form

Motif or Theme • One or more identifiable movements that recurs during the sequence of a dance • Example: • A certain gesture can be a motif. • An arm gesture can be introduced in the beginning of the piece, varied and repeated during the middle, and varied a third time toward the end of a dance.

Theme and Variation • A choreographic form where there is a theme (A) and there are variations or manipulations off of the original theme. (A A 1 A 2 A 3 A 4) • Example: The four seasons (year after year following the same sequence but never exactly the same)

Repetition • A choreographic device used to emphasize a certain motif • Example: A choreographer may repeat a single movement or several movements to emphasize an important section.

Call and Response • Relating one dancer to another or one group to another. One issues a “call” and the others echo that movement with a “response” • Example: Bogie circle is call and response. • Capoeira uses call and response • Call and response is frequently used in African dance. • Remember when the drummer would cue each section by playing and then you would respond.

One-Part Form • A choreographic form where there is a beginning, middle and an end. • Example: Any story ballet. For example Sleeping Beauty has a linear story line. • Example: Birthday, life, and death of a star.

Two-Part-Form or AB Form • A choreographic form where is a main theme (A) and a contrasting theme (B). • The first Section A, is contrasted by a new Section B, but both have a common thread which binds one to the other. Each section may have contrasting elements, but there must be something similar in nature too. • Example: A piece about they day and night in the city.

Three-Part-Form or ABA Form • A choreographic form where there are two main themes (A) & (B), returning to (A) to end the piece. (ABA) • Example: “The Decent of Eurydice” by Elizabeth Rose Zwierzynki

Rondo Form • A choreographic form where there is a main theme (A), followed by a changing verse (B) or (C) or (D). The sequence would be (A, B, A, C, A, D, A) • Example: “There is a Time” by Jose Limon • Created using the structure of Ecclesiastes 3

Accumulation • A choreographic device or structure where new movements are added to existing movements in a successive manner, for example, A, ABC, ABCD. • Example: “Accumulation” by Trisha Brown

Retrograde • A choreographed sequence of movements performed in backwards order (Like a videotape while it is rewinding) • Example: (Video Clip)

Chance • The movements or the sequence of phrases remains secret to the dancer. There is an internal or external stimuli in the dance that cues the performer what to do next and when. • Example: Merce Cunningham used change procedures in all of his works. • John Cage was one of his collaborators.