Dance NCEA level 3 Milagros

Who composed The Rite of Spring

Igor Stravinsky

Who choreographed The Rite of Spring

Vaslav Nijinsky

When did the Rite of Spring open

May 29th 1913

What did Stravinsky’s music feature

time signatures that changed every bar and used unharmonious intervals

What was The Rite Of Spring inspired by

Ancient Greece and pre christian pagan Russia

When was Milagros first performed and when did it return

2003 and returned 2011

What did Javier De Fructos say about dancing to the Rite of Spring

‘Dancing to it is terrifying, it allows you to use many parts of your brain.’

When was Javier De Fructos born and where is he from

Venezuela, 1963

What version of the Rite of Spring was used for Milagros

Pianola version

How do dancers perform limping motif?

The dancers perform their limping motif through stepping with one foot demi pointe and the other flat. Their stand with a strong contraction in their core with hunched shoulders. Their necks remain supported (unusual for contemporary dance where a dancer would traditionally continue the curve from the spine to the neck). This motif is performed in a circle with the dancers facing and travelling in an anti-clockwise direction and repeated with the front and middle concentric circles travelling in opposite directions.

How does limping create the theme of vulnerability

lower level

How does limping create the theme of pursuit?

Endless circle and chasing through the anti-clockwise concentric circle

How does limping create the theme of sacrifice?

Through characterisation of limping and weakness

How is the knee walk performed

The dancer crawls/walks on their knees sometimes the kneeling dancer is guided/controlled by standing dancer who places a hand on their forehead

How does knee walk create the theme of suffering

Low level of dancers and facial expressions

How does knee walk create the theme of sacrifice of control?

Guided by other dancer with anothers hand on the kneeling dancing

How does the knee walk create the theme of rituals?

The knee walk was inspired by those walking to church on their knees in Turkey and this symbolises devotion to the religion.

How is the Spanish walk performed?

dancers hold their upper backs in a backbend so that the chest is opened upwards and their chin is lifted. Flamenco style is accentuated through flat foot steps.

How does the Spanish walk convey the theme of rituals?

Stylised motif links to Spanish Speaking countries which is where De Fructos drew his inspiration from

How does Spanish walk convey the theme of religion

The Spanish images it creates link heavily with Catholic communities in Latin America

How does Spanish walk convey De Fructos’s own culture

Through the Latin American images and style De Frutos was able to use this motif to develop his own views and culture in this dance.

What was the choreographers intention?

De Fructos’s intention with Milgros was to pose questions with his work and choreography while answering some. He wanted every interaction with the audience to be interesting. Instead of rehearsing facial expressions he made each dancer perform large movements in front of each other to create natural tension.