What did you choose (key ideas for artmaking and big ideas) and why?
Designed for intermediate dancers (ages 13-16), Raising the Barre exercise encourages students to push beyond the act of movement. To, explore their identity using the classical dance arts as a medium for non-verbal self-expression. As Walker (n.d.) highlights in Everyday Play, there is immense “potential of the everyday as a rich source of Artmaking with play operating to make the ordinary extraordinary” (p.2). The art of Ballet traditionally follows a specific aesthetic in which it is usually practiced solely in a dance studio. Which, can often be a costly or limited available source due to geographical locations. Addressing this limitation, I have created an opportunity for students to practice dance outside of the confines of our studio’s classroom. Creating as a result, as Walker (n.d.) cites Deleuze in Artmaking as Nonsense, “a line of flight [where my students can] …rethink familiar concepts … to animate [,] energize [and awaken their] artmaking” (p.9). Through this “deterritoraliztion” (Walker, p.9) by assigning an exercise project outside of the studio, I expect an eye-opening experience that will break my students’ routinized manner of dancing. Simultaneously, underlining the notion of how dance can be performed anywhere at any time by anyone.
Outside of time spent in school, children are predominantly in their home. Thus, I have asked my students to undertake dancing in a few distinct areas within the home. They are taking easily accessible objects in their residence, such as a bedroom vanity, kitchen sink, or dining room table to utilize as a personalized Ballet barre. The primary objective is not to solely use objects as a barre. Rather, it is an opportunity to create a deeper connection to the movement as students work through expected modifications to their movement during each engagement. Resulting from, the location of the objects themselves may be situated in where space may be limited or provide different levels of support- forcing students to engage their core differently during each encounter and analyze why.
The particular selection of balletic vocabulary all stem from previous coursework. Which, grants students the freedom to pair movements of their choosing to create an adagio — all the while, demonstrating their acquired knowledge of terminology and its application. Purposefully, I have only set a parameter to utilize material known to students relinquishing any expectation of how the adagios need to look or emotions expressed. “Metaphors [will] emerge from the participation [of students’ individual] experience” (Walker, p.11). Contrast to a typically run rehearsal, where students knowingly enter the space to practice movement to represent roles through a preselected theme.
Designed in three parts, the first, students play with their object (desk, kitchen sink, vanity, etc.) and pairings of movements from the list provided; considering the surface texture, type of floor, and room’s spacing. In class, a reflective discussion will address any difficulties. To, discuss a more in-depth understanding of how choreographers must be open to change and how, at times, combinations of steps desired are not always functionally applicable when using the body. In addition, if the textures of the objects or room influence the students’ movement (i.e.: a soft surface may influence fluidity in a section or a curvature in the object may interfere a pairing). I anticipate most changes by students during the selection process along with a further understanding of spatial awareness as they come in contact with how they will execute a desired full range of motion to express themselves. Part one forces students to face how different movements and their particular execution may convey an intended meaning. During the second part, students play with musical choice and experience if movements structurally change; if their music had/or had not any influence and why. In class, our reflective discussion will address musical choice while creating a piece and the emotional connection developed. The last part is performing the adagios in the classroom. Each student will have worked individually in the course of a few weeks adding or eliminating their selection to create a piece of their own. Our final reflection will address what they internally experience during their performance utilizing balletic vocabulary; how they created a conceptual piece depicting an intend emotion using movement. Ultimately, exploring further how they came to identify with those particular emotions and how they see themselves.
Choreography intertwine elements such as music, textures (influence costumery), movement, and space (staging) to create an outward physical expression. A choreographers identity reveals itself through the artwork as it is an internal reflection of emotions, experiences, or maybe memories. What this exercise attempts to teach is Ballet is not only a series of reproduced steps paired with music; it can be an inward form of outward communication.
What artists are you drawing from? Include information about the artist and images/videos you present to the class.
The first video I will show in my class is a recorded discussion taken from the 2015 Festival International de Danza Contemporanea. In the video, pioneering choreographer and artistic director of Alonso King Ballet, Alonzo King, addresses a professional company about losing themselves within the movement. Contrast to, representing a role “by taking the [audience] into ideas than just steps” (King, 1:25). I chose this particular video because Mr. King poetically shares how dancers can utilize movement to communicate “what they are saying….feeling … living … experiencing … and [not just pose; creating] pictures…[on for astage]” (King, 2:17). Mr. King encourages a group of professional company dancers to connect with everyday human conditions while performing. I anticipate his words will empower my students to play and genuinely tap into characteristics of their personality when dancing as they create their art and “avoid …[as Walker (n.d.) guides in Everyday Play] …the temptation to simply ‘represent’ the everyday rather than probe for invisible complexities ” (p.4).
The second video I will show in my class is an excerpt of Lines Ballet’s, "Scheherazade". I purposefully chose this video because it visually incorporates the terminology I have provided for the creation of my students’ adagios. Besides the recognizable movements the dancers use, I want my students to focus on the sustained counts, corporal, and facial expressions of the artists; without, the traditional balletic scenery. "Scheherazade" is a classical ballet which premiered in the 1900s by the Paris Opera. I chose this particular rendition by famed and culturally diverse American company Lines Ballet to highlight how the emotional connection of the artists is just as compelling to the original version.
Inspired by Walker’s (2004) question in Big Ideas: Understanding the Artmaking Process, “what is it that artists do when they create?” (p.7) I aspire to establish a higher purpose of why my students learn the technical dance movements. Such as, considering balletic terminology as the vocabulary to express themselves with depth and meaning rather than, robotically moving on a stage to music. For this reason, my last video showcases excerpts from, a renowned American company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Who, incorporate Baroque, Folk, symphonic, Gospel, Jazz, and Industrial music, all the while, utilizing balletic terminology to move expressively unfolding different, emotions, stories and sensations within each dance piece. The gender-inclusive and multicultural cast perform in a gender-neutral garment where visually one pays more considerable attention to the movement. I lastly, chose this company’s showcase due to the open location dance is presented to the public (a college campus) contract to, their (and most dance company’s) traditional theatrical setting.
How do you anticipate your class responding to this plan?
I anticipate my class to responded enthusiastically about creating an adagio. That will conceptually stand for how the students feel as well as, a positive experience rediscovering how they may utilize movement to express themselves authentically. As Walker (n.d.) highlights in Everyday Play, “it is essential to convey the idea that the Artmaking is about experiencing the idea, not representing it” (p.16). One of my most significant challenges as an instructor has been encouraging students to relinquish preconceived ideas on how Ballet “should” present emotion. For, the goal is to internalize emotions as if they are forgetting they are dancing; experience said feeling or state of mind so it may reveal itself through movement.
As Walker (n.d.) references Deleuze in Artmaking and Nonsense, “[one] cannot produce encounters on demand, but [one] can always be on the lookout for that thing in the world, …[such as a] conversation [or] artwork…that might ‘move the soul, ‘perplexes’ it—in other words, forces it to pose a problem as though the object of encounter, the sign, were the bearer of a problem” (p.13). I have come to realize with the rise of social media students’ primary source of Ballet, and balletic images are through social media outlets like Instagram. By incorporating video of discussions by famed choreographers and renditions of actual movement, I want to open the discussions on why art is created and explore the action itself. Referencing, Walker (2004) in Big Ideas: Understanding the Artmaking Process, I do not expect a straight forward answer why or how will my students identify using dance as for “sometimes... in the midst of performing an act, [the act itself] …leads to surprise -pleasant or unpleasant - the designer may respond by reflection in action: thinking about what [they are] doing while doing it, in such a way as to influence further doing” (Walker, n.d, p.8).
Raising the Barre Exercise
(Intermediate: 13-16)
Objective: Create an adagio that is a direct reflection of your uniqueness. Seek new ways how to utilize movement to express yourself. Engage in all aspects of dance traditionally done so in our studio and explore how, when, why you dance in locations different than what you are accustomed to. Question how you feel when you move and above all, Have Fun!
Materials:
Paper/ Journal and Pen/Pencils
Videos Shown in Class:
Vocabulary to Choose from: (any combination)
Demi plie
Sous-sus
Soutenu
Developpe (devant or a la seconde)
Port de bras
Arabesque
Attitude derriere
Passe
Coupe
Pirouette
Promenade
Rond de jambe a terre
Rond de jambe en l’air
Take Home Assignment: Choose 5-8 key terms of your choosing and pair creating an adagio.
Find a room your home (ie: Bedroom, Kitchen, Bathroom, Dinning Room, Study, etc.)
Consider an object in the household (ie: A bedroom Vanity, The Kitchen sink, A Cabinet or Dresser) and utilize as your own personalized barre.
KEY: You have the artistic freedom to consider utilizing your object -hands on/or not. The choice is yours. Did your core placement change if incorporating this idea ? Can you use the same movment to express yourself the way you desire ?
Part 1:
a Think about how you would apply your terms so they physically feel comfortable when executing them? Did you make any changes from the initially choosing ? Why / Why not?
b. Think how will the space allow you to use full range of motion? If not, what do you need to change ? Can you express yourself the same way with different movements ? Why?
Part 2. Move to another room.
Repeat questions 1 a & 1.b.
Part 3. Choose a favorite song. It can be instrumental, Jazz, Classical, Pop.
- How did your music influence your initial phrasing ?
- What are you feeling inside when dancing to your music ? How did you communicate the action?
- What made you choose this song ?
KEY: Ask yourself: What do I need to focus internally to make the movement applicable. What are you using/ not using? (Core, Upper body stability, lower body, pelvic placement, etc.)
Showtime !
You have not rehearsed but, Let Have Some Fun and dance your phrase in class.
KEY: Ask yourself: What did I go through internally while dancing? (sensations)
In what way (if any) do you see dance differently ? Is there anything you learned about yourself throughout this process that you can convey through movement ?
Did you find any connections to how the artists in the videos verbalized or moved that you could identity with using movement to express an idea, emotion, etc.? What may that be ?