Visual and Performing Arts, Part 11
Question 1: Compare ballet and modern dance.
Answer 1: Ballet and modern dance differ in almost every aspect. Ballet originated in the late 1400s Italian Renaissance as a means of providing elaborate entertainment for the aristocratic society. The form evolved into a highly technical dance centered on precise movements delivered in a graceful, flowing manner exists today as a form of classical dance. Modern dance, on the other hand, originated in the century as a means of expressing free movements completely opposite in form to the rigid structure of a work of classical ballet. This form has been further developed into a means by which radical dancers can express a variety of original movements. One of the few similarities between these two genres in the fact that both provide a way for expressive content to be conveyed to an audience, they use completely opposite principles. The concept of modern dance might never have developed if ballet had not been what it is.
There are lots of good resources about Performing Arts that you can find available.
Question 2: Explain how the integrity of a choreographed work could be maintained while being performed with the application of a dancer’s personal expression.
Answer 2: In order to maintain the integrity of the work, a dancer would need to have a thorough understanding of the concept or emotion that the choreographer intends to convey to the audience. Once the concept is understood, a dancer would then have the opportunity to decide which skills and techniques to employ in order to allow for the best possible performance. Because no two dancers would execute the same sequence of movements and steps in exactly the same way, some of the dancer’s personal expression would be present in any work in which he or whe was involved, which might actually compliment the integrity of the piece by introducing some variety to the work.
Question 3: Discuss, using specific terms, the process by which a dance might be critiqued.
Answer 3: Dance can be analyzed on a number of levels including aesthetic qualities, principles of composition, quality of movement, etc. Aesthetics can be described as a philosophical study pertaining to beauty and nature, and the projection of those principles through dance, while the principles of composition describe the way a dance might be created by employing different elements of choreography (continuity, unity, variety, etc.). It would also be important to assess the timing of the movements of a work in relationship to the accompanying music, and the ability of the dancer(s) to perform the necessary movements and steps. All of these concepts can be combined to help the viewer reflect on the stylistic nuance of the choreographer whose work is being analyzed.
Previous: Visual and Performing Arts, Part 10 - Next: Visual and Performing Arts, Part 12
|
