Self Evaluation Showcase June 2014

Self-Evaluation Showcase June 2014

We responded to the stimuli “Elements” by creating a dance planner and putting down our thoughts of what came to our mind and made a mind map. As a group we decided on the element of natural disasters;     

Earthquake

Tsunami

Ice Slide

Blizzard

Tropical cyclones

Heat Waves

Lighting

Tornadoes 

Volcanic eruptions 

Wildfires/Bush Fires

We then researched onto Google natural disasters as we thought that we could create the story of what happens in a Tsunami. We researched into Tsunami’s and You Tubed into Tsunami’s, we then had the idea of Thailand Tsunami witch happened in 2004 killing 2000 people. We got ideas from the workshops that had taken part in class. We liked the idea of tableaux and researched Google images of a family on a beach of how they were sitting and how the family expressions were on their faces and also looked at pictures of people stranded in a Tsunami this helped us to create a tableaux. In the workshop of Chloe’s we enjoyed doing retro-grade this was effective to watch in other peoples group pieces and we thought that it would be a good way of telling a story for our group piece. We responded using a picture this was a family stranded on cars and boxes. We thought of the idea of using props this was by recreating the picture by using the black boxes and standing on top of them being stranded. As a group we watched youtube clips of the Impossible this was a true life film of a family stranded in a Tsunami this helped us create emotions and expressions on our faces. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR4Flf_w0a8) . We used another prop for our group piece this was using a picture of a family for the end section of our dance. This was used when there was a voice over “I didn’t expect my holiday to be like this, I’ve lost my children my family and I didn’t think I’d go home alone.”

We worked on the structure of the dance and this was by a narrative ABC telling a story of the real life event what happened in 2004 in Thailand. A section was about when we were all at the beach enjoying our holiday until Rob spots the tides are going out and come rushing back in. We then created a build-up in our routine this was by creating a climax to our piece and was the B section for our dance this was by Honor and me getting taken away by the waves of the tsunami, we used disco for this section as disco is a powerful dance by using jumps spins and traveling. The C section of our group piece was when Opal and Rob are trying to save each other and Opal is stranded on the box (car) looking for Rob and trying to save him. We used a lot of devices throughout our routine these were, gestures (pointing and having our hands beside our heads) this was carried out throughout the routine this was always repeated. We used motif and motif development our motif was always being carried out throughout the dance this was by always pointing and having our hands up beside our head. Retro grade this was by creating a motif and developing it doing it all backwards this was a challenge but it worked out well in the end this was eye catchy for the audience to watch as it created the story we was trying to get across. The balance and proportion we used in our group piece when using contact work of hugging we used force for this, this was by using emotions and researching of someone actually losing someone and how much force/strength they would use hugging the person they are about to lose.

•unison ( dancing all together whacking,house)  this made the story clear for the audience to watch by doing it all together at some points of the dance this created the story that we had found each other.

•floor patterns ( the way our routine was layed out using floor patterns) , we used floor patterns as we thought of the tsunami spreading out and being big. 

•repetition ( use of look out gesture)  we used the gesture of hand beside head and pointing throughout our dance as this was used as a motif and we wanted to carrying it on throughout the dance so that we could create the story of looking for each other.

•symmetry (same sides doing the same thing) , we used symmetry this was effect for the audience to watch this was by us all doing the motif at the same time but one by one but in different heights (me and Honor the same height, Rob and Opal different height on the boxes) 

Our strengths in our group piece were working with each other’s abilities, adapting each other’s ideas and using everyone’s styles that we were all strong on, working in a team ,bouncing of each other's ideas,all agreeing on the same things/ ideas and adding in each other's ideas.

We had our weakness in our group piece these were focusing on rehearsals and how often we rehearsed during class and outside of class in our own time we had. Our timing was the issue for the group piece this was by the first section of our group piece when we are all at the beach. Also another weakness in rehearsal time for developing choreography were connecting with the audience and getting into character.

Whilst developing our choreography for our routine we used whacking for our style of dance for our motif and this was because we thought it was powerful and was a good use of dynamics ( flow and speed / heavy ) for our motif.  We used our heads moving side to side with our arms going the same way as use of panic when we see the state of what the hotel is and everything else what was destroyed. We also used another style of dance for our motif and this was by using house we thought of the idea as running away from what has happened and running away from waves (more waves that are coming) We used logical sequencing for this part as we all thought that it felt right by the way our body moves with the movements that we created and this was by running ( house step) and footwork. We also looked for openings of how we would create movements for our routine and how we created different parts of our story of what we were creating a true life story we used blackout for when it was “breaking news” this was more effective for the audience to watch and that it was actually telling a story of what happened and how much of a panic everyone would have been in. Also we used musicality for our choreography this was by when there was a big beat in the music we would reach out ( grab) and when the music was calm we would do slow but heavy movements to connect with the music we repeated the music from the first section for the end section of our group this was by telling the story of Thailand Tsunami in 2004. We also used contact for hugging each other and use of facial expressions of how we would be feeling in the situation we were creating again but in a dance.

When working with other performers during the choreographic progress, I thought that it really helped me out with my performance and to build confidence when dancing the group piece. I thought that giving feedback to other dancers/performers really helped and when they gave our group feedback and improvements to work on it really helped out to see what feedback other performers gave each other and how effective it is being an audience. The feedback from other performers helped they gave us positive things that could work well by giving ideas and helping when interoperating different style of dance in the routine. I learnt as a performer the behaviour of other performers throughout rehearsals and the final performance everyone was very supportive and worked within a team in there group pieces. Some people had their moments but they got through in because everyone worked together and became a team in the end.

During this project of choreographing a group piece we all shared the role of choreographing parts of the group piece, we all worked well and interpreted every bodies abilities within  the group. We shared ideas and developed them into movements and used logical sequencing of what felt right to do after and what came to our minds this helped us to create choreography. This was very different from choreographing a solo as I found it easier as you had 3 other people to bounce ideas off. I learnt that being a choreographer can be very stressful and challenging as you are put on the spot and always think that your ideas are not very good. Also I learnt that the relationships with dancers during this process in a group piece get very stressed with each other and annoyed. My group relationship was very good as we came up with ideas for the routine and respected everyone ideas. 

For our final performance as a group our strengths were improvising when going wrong and having a backup for when the lights went of at the wrong time and still carrying on in character. We connected with the audience well this was by having the drawn in and recreating/ telling the story clear of what happened on the day of the Thailand Tsunami in 2004. Also we connected well with the audience by using emotions when Rob spotting the waves going out and then when they come crashing in, when me and Honor get taken away by the waves, hugging each other this showed passion and sadness of how much pain everyone was in. Our weakness was timing at the begging of the routine this was because I was a count ahead and Rob was a count behind when bring the arms up. Also another weakness was that we kept on rushing our routine so that we would have to wait in stillness when we are all fighting the waves and grabbing onto each other.

We ensured that we used a wide range of dynamics throughout our routine 

speed - this was by slow using the motif of pointing and having our hand beside our head we also used the music for this. Fast this was when the climax built in and we were all rubbing each other and panicking as we were recreating when people got taken away by the waves.

force- this was by using heavy movements such as jumps and contact work (hugging) we thought that heavy movements would expresses the feelings of a family losing each other and having that last moment with them.

flow- we used flow as how each movement went with each other and how we used the weight of each movement used. Also we used strong  and sharp this was by the contact section ( Rob and Opal ) an the hugging section with all of us at the very start of the routine.

Also we ensured that we used performance skills this was by sense of rhythm how we were able to feel the beat and project throughout dancing to the music, spatial awareness by knowing where we were facing, the direction of the action, and the size of the space we had and to have our own space to not bump into each other when dancing to be spread out. Flexibility within each other when using a range of different styles (disco, house and whacking).Stamina how long we could all go for and that we were weren't out of breath to quickly during the dance when using a range of different styles continuously.

Our ideas developed from our original dance planner by researching into Thailand tsunami and watching The Impossible to find out how it would affect everyone and what actually happened on that very day on 26th December 2004. Many peoples life’s and homes were taken away from them, we wanted to recreate the whole story but by having the story of a family on holiday enjoying a day out at the beach. We kept the original idea as we all agreed and was all very interested about recreating the story of what happened. We thought this would also be a good as it responded to the stimuli "elements". Our choreography developed through researching pictures of how a wave was created as we wanted to create how the ocean created such a big wave to take away many peoples life's and homes. We used movement components for this ,this was by turning,falling,travelling and stillness for creating a wave. Also, another way of how our choreography developed was by using props the boxes and a picture of the family this was an idea to make the dance more realistic and to draw the audience in. 

To improve my own practice for future choreography I think that asking peoples opinion on what I have choreographed and how I could develop my work to make it more interesting to watch for the audience and that I could have asked Kat/Roasia students for advice improving my work. Also,to improve in future choreography I think that I could explore different dance styles that I don't usually use, I could also improve onto diverse choreography. When finishing of a routine I should polish up and always use my technique when applying different dance styles.