Constituent Features of Dance Physical Setting: Costume Design GCSE Area of Focus 2009 Section C: Essay Question

Example Essay Question What should be considered when choosing costumes for dance works? You should make reference to Bird Song (Davies) and four other dance works in your answer Name each work and the choreographer

Approaching the Question Provide a short introduction linking to question Provide a short introduction linking to question Ensure for each work you correctly name the title of the work and the choreographer Ensure for each work you correctly name the title of the work and the choreographer Give a short insight into the dance you are discussing to show understanding of the piece Give a short insight into the dance you are discussing to show understanding of the piece Clearly state the point you want to raise but make sure you explain/justify your point giving relevant detail about the costume Clearly state the point you want to raise but make sure you explain/justify your point giving relevant detail about the costume Where possible provide evaluative points Where possible provide evaluative points Take care on the structure of your essay Take care on the structure of your essay

Use Of Costume Possible Points for Discussion Support/create character Support/create character Associate with theme Associate with theme Enhance alignment of movement Enhance alignment of movement Define contrast of groups onstage Define contrast of groups onstage Form a relationship to the set design Form a relationship to the set design Enhance the dancers’ dynamics Enhance the dancers’ dynamics Link to the era of the dance Link to the era of the dance Enhance the lighting design Enhance the lighting design Link to a cultural setting Link to a cultural setting Define gender Define gender Suited to dance style Suited to dance style Provide visual clue to narrative Provide visual clue to narrative Evoke a particular mood Evoke a particular mood

Additional Discussion Points Adds realism/fantasy Adds realism/fantasy Enhances flow to movement Enhances flow to movement Adds colour interest Adds colour interest Indicates age Indicates age Adds humour Adds humour Indicate time of day Indicate time of day Links to geographical setting Links to geographical setting Masks support characterisation Masks support characterisation Suggests season Suggests season

Works Used for This Essay Bird Song (Siobhan Davies 2004) Bird Song (Siobhan Davies 2004) Soda Lake (Richard Alston 1981) Soda Lake (Richard Alston 1981) Nutcracker! (Matthew Bourne 1992) Nutcracker! (Matthew Bourne 1992) Les Sylphides (Michel Fokine 1909) Les Sylphides (Michel Fokine 1909) Ghost Dances (Christopher Bruce 1984) Ghost Dances (Christopher Bruce 1984)

Bird Song (Siobhan Davies) Costume Designer: Genevieve Bennett Costumes create individualism within group whilst suggesting a sense of unity. Costumes create individualism within group whilst suggesting a sense of unity. Explain this drawing reference to the styles of the costume in this work Explain this drawing reference to the styles of the costume in this work The costumes’ colour and texture enhance and relate to elements of the lighting used The costumes’ colour and texture enhance and relate to elements of the lighting used Expand on this giving an example from the dance Expand on this giving an example from the dance Give an opinion on either of the points raised in terms of effect/ importance. Give an opinion on either of the points raised in terms of effect/ importance.

Bird Song (Davies)

Soda Lake (Richard Alston) The costume for this dance creates a direct relationship to the sculpture by Nigel Hall The costume for this dance creates a direct relationship to the sculpture by Nigel Hall Explain this point drawing reference to the colour/how the dancer almost becomes an extension of the sculpture Explain this point drawing reference to the colour/how the dancer almost becomes an extension of the sculpture The close fitting nature of the costume allows the alignment of the body to be seen and how the soloist relates to the sculpture The close fitting nature of the costume allows the alignment of the body to be seen and how the soloist relates to the sculpture Explain how the design of the costumes allow for positions to be seen clearly – link to shape of sculpture Explain how the design of the costumes allow for positions to be seen clearly – link to shape of sculpture Evaluate how it helps our understanding of moments in the dance Evaluate how it helps our understanding of moments in the dance

Soda Lake (Richard Alston) Dancer: Mark Baldwin

Nutcracker! (Matthew Bourne) Designer: Anthony Ward Liquorice Allsorts The two designs for these characters clearly separate the trio in terms of gender The two designs for these characters clearly separate the trio in terms of gender Justify this point by explaining how the costume design captures this Justify this point by explaining how the costume design captures this The costume links into the cultural reference of the dance style – Spanish - and reinforces the music used for this trio The costume links into the cultural reference of the dance style – Spanish - and reinforces the music used for this trio How do features of the design capture a typical Spanish flavour whilst retaining their reference to Allsorts? How do features of the design capture a typical Spanish flavour whilst retaining their reference to Allsorts? Evaluate the effectiveness of either points raised or both? Evaluate the effectiveness of either points raised or both?

Nutcracker! (Matthew Bourne) Liquorice Allsorts

Les Sylphides (Michel Fokine 1909) Designer: Alexander Benois The costume for the Sylphs in this work capture and pay homage to the Romantic period in ballet. The costume for the Sylphs in this work capture and pay homage to the Romantic period in ballet. Explain this point by detailing features of the costume that are typical of this period Explain this point by detailing features of the costume that are typical of this period The designs not only capture a sense of purity but also enhance the ethereal nature of their character The designs not only capture a sense of purity but also enhance the ethereal nature of their character How does the colour and texture of the costume and tutu capture this and enhance the soft dynamic mood of the movement? How does the colour and texture of the costume and tutu capture this and enhance the soft dynamic mood of the movement? Evaluate the importance of this to the effectiveness of their character Evaluate the importance of this to the effectiveness of their character

Les Sylphides (Michel Fokine)

Ghost Dances (Christopher Bruce) Designer: Belinda Scarlett The Ghosts The masks used for the ghosts adds realism to their character whilst evoking no emotion The masks used for the ghosts adds realism to their character whilst evoking no emotion Explain how the details of the masks portray their character within the work. Consider features/colour/fixed skeletal look/deathly feel Explain how the details of the masks portray their character within the work. Consider features/colour/fixed skeletal look/deathly feel The tight fitting lycra cat suit not only sculpts the body to show shape but enhances the sense of power these creatures represent The tight fitting lycra cat suit not only sculpts the body to show shape but enhances the sense of power these creatures represent Consider colour/details of muscle definition enhances power of movement sense of strength. Link to movement Consider colour/details of muscle definition enhances power of movement sense of strength. Link to movement Evaluate the effectiveness if this costume Evaluate the effectiveness if this costume

Ghost Dances (Christopher Bruce) The Ghosts