American Choreographer – Arts & Humanities Exam
The key terms of Art and Humanities Exam include, American Choreographer.
American Choreographer
– Interested in experimentation
– Physically demanding
– Interested in the dynamics of action
– “Be willing to get hurt, but not so hurt that you can’t come back again.”
– Action Artist
Pina Baush
German choreographer
– Tanztheater
– A blend of movement, sound, and prominent stage sets, and elaborate collaboration with performers.
– One of the most important choreographers of the second half of the 20th Century
– Continual theme of finding the harmony between man and woman
“To understand what I am saying, you have to believe that dance is something other than technique. We forget where the movements come from. They are born from life. When you create a new work, the point of departure must be contemporary life — not existing forms of dance.”
Quote by Pina Baush
Elevé (Relevé)
rise up onto balls of feet
Coupé
cut or cutting, foot lifted, flexed and held against ankle
Battement
a movement in which one leg is moved outward from the body and in again
Degagé
Stretch foot along the floor, lift at the end
Arabesque
Balance on one leg, other leg lifted straight behind
Modern
American Born, anti-balletic style of dance developed at the turn of the century (late 1800’s early 1900’s)
– Revolt against formalized movement
– Exploration of natural, spontaneous, uninhibited movement
– Different need of emotional expression
– Created own forms and characteristics
– Angular lines and use of Dance Floor
Loie Fuller
Late 1800s
– Plays with the effect of Natural movement and improvisation
– Stagecraft lighting (gas lighting on silk costumes for lighting color and effect)
Isadora Duncan
Turn of the century, self-taught dancer
– Discarded the corset and tutu
– Danced in flowing, Greek tunic-like garments
– Barefoot
– Emotional and expressive way of dancing
Ruth St. Denis
With husband (Ted Shawn) created Denishawn School
– Combination of exotic interpretations and Delsarte
– Draperies and Veils – Extension of the dancers body
Delsarte
19th century system of gestures and postures to communicate
Martha Graham
Considered the Mother of Modern Dance
– Went to Denishawn School
– Angular lines, barefoot
– Dark, Heavy, Earthy (Earthbound)
– Appalachian Spring (1944)
What kind of technique did Martha Graham use in her modern style?
Contraction and Release
Based on breathing, tense and release body, whip-like, focus on the tension. Angular lines followed by smoother lines
Mark Morris
Created White Oak Dance Project with Mikhail Baryshnikov on 1990
– One of greatest living Modern dance choreographers
– Powerful dancer
– “Polka”
Elizabeth Streb
American Choreographer
– Interested in experimentation
– Physically demanding
– Interested in the dynamics of action
– “Be willing to get hurt, but not so hurt that you can’t come back again.”
– Action Artist
Pina Baush
German choreographer
– Tanztheater
– A blend of movement, sound, and prominent stage sets, and elaborate collaboration with performers.
– One of the most important choreographers of the second half of the 20th Century
– Continual theme of finding the harmony between man and woman
“To understand what I am saying, you have to believe that dance is something other than technique. We forget where the movements come from. They are born from life. When you create a new work, the point of departure must be contemporary life — not existing forms of dance.”
Quote by Pina Baush