Professional Dance Works ANALYSIS

What Does Analysis Mean? Being able to describe what has been used in the dance, explain why it has been done that way and make judgements about the effectiveness. Being able to describe what has been used in the dance, explain why it has been done that way and make judgements about the effectiveness. Terminology we use to summarise this is: Describe Describe Interpret Interpret Evaluate Evaluate

What You Need to Look At Dance style Dance style Dancers Dancers Stimulus Stimulus Sections Sections Premier Premier Choreographic form Choreographic form Production style Production style Set Set Costume Costume Accompaniment Accompaniment Lighting Lighting Actions Actions Space Space Dynamics Dynamics Relationships Relationships

Dance Style The type of dance: Tap Tap Ballet Ballet Contemporary Contemporary Street dance Street dance Abstract Abstract Folk Folk Jazz Jazz

Dancers You will need to know how many dancers and of what gender. You will need to know how many dancers and of what gender.  How many men and how many women What characters are there in the dance and how many of each. What characters are there in the dance and how many of each.

Stimulus The starting point or points for the design of the dance; the idea behind the dance; the subject matter or topic; the meaning or intent of the dance. The starting point or points for the design of the dance; the idea behind the dance; the subject matter or topic; the meaning or intent of the dance. Could be a world issue, aural contribution, cultural influences, historical event, everyday activity. Anything really. Could be a world issue, aural contribution, cultural influences, historical event, everyday activity. Anything really.

Sections Titles of sections: this could be a name, number or description Titles of sections: this could be a name, number or description How the section starts and finishes: How the section starts and finishes:  Number of dancers  Where they enter and exit  Lighting  Formation  Accompaniment etc.

Premier When and where it was first shown to the public When and where it was first shown to the public  The exact date  Name of the theatre and perhaps the festival  The city and country  Who commissioned it (paid for it)

Choreographic Form The structure of the dance; Binary Binary Ternary Ternary Rondo Rondo Episodic Episodic Narrative Narrative Theme and Variation Theme and Variation

Production Style or Physical Setting The way it is presented to the audience; Proscenium stage Proscenium stage In-the-round In-the-round Site-specific Site-specific Naturalistic Naturalistic Symbolic Symbolic Abstract Abstract Dance for camera Dance for camera

Set Backdrop / Cyclorama Backdrop / Cyclorama Stage props Stage props Entry and exit points (stage directions) Entry and exit points (stage directions) Audience viewpoint or perspective Audience viewpoint or perspective

Costume What was worn by each of the dancers and WHY. WHY could be; What was worn by each of the dancers and WHY. WHY could be;  Characterisation  Era  Cultural influence  Narrative contribution  Practicalities for performing  To work with the lighting

Accompaniment This is sometimes also referred to a Aural contributions This is sometimes also referred to a Aural contributions It means the sound used in the dance. It means the sound used in the dance. This could be:  Music (most commonly)  Spoken word  Natural or found sounds  Silence  Made sound (by the performance)

Use of Accompaniment How the accompaniment is used refers to the way it relates to the dance performed. Direct correlation Direct correlation Mutual co-existence Mutual co-existence Disassociation Disassociation Music visualisation Music visualisation Enhancement of mood or character Enhancement of mood or character Call and response Call and response

Lighting Colour Colour Positioning Positioning Effect (spotlight, dappling, shadow, silhouette, dictating a dance area) Effect (spotlight, dappling, shadow, silhouette, dictating a dance area) Can also include visual effects such as computerised images. Can also include visual effects such as computerised images.

Actions WHAT movements are performed within the dance. WHAT movements are performed within the dance. DESCRIPTIONS of the shape and body parts used in the 5 actions (jump, turn, travel, stillness, gesture) INTERPRETATION of their meaning to explain why they were chosen for the dance / character (e.g. to show …)

Space WHERE the movements are performed WHERE the movements are performed DESCRIPTION of general space refers to the design of the group within the performance area; pathways, formations, stage position, proximity. Personal space refers to directions, levels, size of movements and where they are in relation to the body INTERPRETATION of the meaning for the chosen dynamics

Dynamics HOW the movements are performed HOW the movements are performed DESCRIPTION of the quality or energy of the movements can be broken down into; Time – Tempo and rhythm Weight – heavy, strong, light, gentle Space – restricted, tight or open, reaching Flow – free and fluid or stoppable and sharp INTERPRETATION of the meaning for the chosen dynamics

Relationships Who or what the movements are performed WITH Who or what the movements are performed WITH DESCRIBE props used, numbers of dancers and which relationships are used; ContactComplementary Unison CanonContrast Q and A MatchingMirroring Action & Reaction INTERPRETATION of the meaning for the chosen relationships