Shadows

choreographer

christopher bruce

company

pheonix dance theatre

date premiered

2014

dance style

classical and contempory :neo-classical

chorographic approach

collaborative - centered around family table - furniture intrinsic part. music influenced m/m

stimuli

Arvo Part’s Fratres - evoked images of european history + traditions - 1000s years of suffering. relationships between family dealing with outside force

no of dancers

4

structure

semi-narrative - solo, duet, trio, quartet

perfromace environment

end stage

choreo intent

• politics affecting human life

• family in deprivation and poverty

• what lies outside the family home

what is the style of clothing

• 1930/40s style represents the era in which that dance is set although bruce states that this piece could be interpreted for modern day war scenarios

different clothes + what suggest

• shirts, trousers, skirts, blouses + dress suggest gender with longer material for mother reflecting older age

daughter clothes

wears a more school uniform style to suggest her yonger age

colours of clothes

colours used are faded and worn which suggest deprivation and the family’s low status

what are worn at end of peice

oversized coats suggest hans-me-downs symbolising they are living in poverty and reflecting the difficult time they are going through

what are worn

different garments are worn to help the audience identify with each cahracter

what types of clothes do they wear

everyday clothing is worn to reflect everyady people and help the audience connect withe each character

how the clothes stay on the body

tight-fitting and non-restrictive allow the audience to see movements clearly and show off the lines of the body

hair?

hair is tied up to help the audience connect with the narrative and emotions by seeing their facial expressions

what is the setting

• black box setting

• minimal set with bare walls and floor theatre space

what does the empitness suggest

emptiness suggests poverty and low status as they have few belongings

furniture

table, benches, two stools (USL). suggest the location is in a family home centered around a dining table

coat stands

worn out clothes are placed on a coat stand

what does the furniture allows the audience to do

• allows the audience to enter the heart of the kitchen and rienforces the notion of hardship

• the family home is where the narrative and relationships unfold

set used

• tables + stools are used by the son

• thrown and used as a barrier which helps the audience connect with his fear and create the sad, fearful mood

use of props is…

paramount to the piece and is used consistently with seam less transitions as the family keep returning to their place at the dining table and end with putting clothes on

what happens at end of peice

the dancer but on overcoat + carry suitcase and bags to communicate to the audience that they are about to embark on journey and will not be returning home soon

what does dim lighting sugest

that families had to ration their electricity during war showing historical context

shadows

• shadows are creative which bruce wanted to be a metaphorical shadow or literally a shadow passing at the window which family were afraid of

• he wnated this to be interpreated in any time frame - historcal or preset day

• lighting also reflects the Shadows titke if the peiec

where is lighting focused at

USL at the family table where the piece starts and the dancers return to throughout the piece

what does the lighting focued at USL show

• draws attention of the audience to were the family unit is centered around

• subtle changing in lighting here makes it seem like a shadow has been cast over them - smth fearful walking past window

what is used in sons solo

briht lighting which enhances his emotional distress therefore commmunication the narrative

what is the lighting like

dark lighting with 23 subtle changes create a fearful atmsophere

what happens during solo/tro/duet

• sidelights light the stage where the dancers leave the tavle and come into the spce

• this highlights the moevemnt and makes it easier to see throughout the peice

loaclaised lighting

craetes an intamate space which suggests teh feeling of a room within a house which enhances the theme of what is outside the family home

what does the lighting changes do

lighting changes during each solo/duet/trio etc enhance the overalll structure of the peice.

what is used at ening

overhead lamp which is paramount as they make their way into the light

what is pre-recorded

a version of Arvo Part’s for piano and violin has an eatern eurpeian feel which sets the loaction

what is throughtout the peiec

minor key throughout which adds to the dark and solemn atmosphere

what does the structure do

structure of music enhances the structure of choro with each section relating to a charcter

what do frantic strings use

frantic strings using hemi-demi-semi quavers show the anxious emotions of the daughter

what do softer tones show

softer tones of violin + piano are used to show the families support for eachother and tender relationships between them

what do sudden changes do

sudden changes to chord like sounds with the violin build to the climax echoing the emotions of the distressed son

the different chorographic devices

• motif + development

• repetion

• climax

• unsion + mirroring

motif + development

used to show individual chacarctoer and/or their emotions

repetion

enhances key actions such as pounding sists, leaning for support and travelling to and from DSR

climax

sons solo build up to the climax as provides contrast from section before. incarese in pace, power and build up in auarl setting

relationship to aural setting - direct correlation 1

music and sections of chore complemenyt eachother and introduce new caharcters

relationship to aural setting - diect correlation 2

frantic strings togther with fast footwork showing fear of daughter whilst soft and slow music for the mothers more gentle dynamics

relationship to aural setting - diect correlation 3

double stopping of the violin correlates with the distressed climatic choreography of the son

how is choreographic intent realised : politics affecting human life

• varying in dynamics and chorography for each character show how humans respond to certain situations.

• ambiguity of what is outside means that audience is open to interpeet the narrative for any political circumstance, historical or present day

how is choreographic intent realised : family in depreivation + poverty

distressed dynamics and supportive actions for each other demonstrate the difficult time they are going through

how is choreographic intent realised : what lies outside family home

• characters repeatdly travel towards and away from DRS (exit of home) and son uses props to hide from his corner

• closing actions of putting outer garnaments and walking forwards lead audience to believe they are stepping outside family home and make them wonder what will become of this family

actions (son solo)

• running

• lifting props

• clenched fists, pounding floor

• swinging arms

• kicks with flexed feet

• rolling

• dropping

• hiding

• gazing (towards corner)

dynamics - son

• powerful

• sharp

• agressive

• forceful

• (angry + distressed)

dynamics - daughter

• frantic

• urgent

• rapid

• (fearful + panic)

dynamic - mother

• soft

• gentle

• fluid

• (maternal, supportive)

dynamics - father

• controlled

• calm

• consistent

• (supportive and guides family)

space - son

• travelling USL → DSR (towards corner from table)

• floor work (low level temper)

• large pathways (fustrated)

space - all

• return to USL table throughout (centre of family unit)

• travel towards DSR (danger)

realtionship - son

• contact → supporting and lifting daughter

• lead and follow → following the actions of the father (taking guidence, needing reassurance)

• complementary → actions and dynamics in final quartet - sense of unity and support for eachother

• unison → moments with father, united/family bond

motif

• head/body turn to DSR diagonal (performed by all dancers)

• leaning on another in alignment (performed by mother, son, daughter on father)

• tucking hair behind ear (performed by mother)

• pounding fists (performed by son)

motif development

• head turn → change in dynamics - slow and apprehensive to quick and sudden

• hair tucking → first performed in plank, secondly on a higher level in ballroom hold

• lean → direction (towards and away from audience), level (mid-level standing to sitting), instrumenation (from shoulder on shoulder lean to shoulder on chest lean)

• pounding fists → direction (lying on front then lying on back), level (lying on floor to sitting upright with fists to the side of the body)