How many projects should an individual be involved with? I find myself asking this question today. This is to take into consideration companies you perform with, companies you run, classes you take, and any side projects in which you are involved. I think the answer is different for each individual, but it seems as though the priorities for figuring out the limit are a bit confused for many in the Boston dance scene. Certainly, it is possible to be involved in multiple companies. Also, it is possible to have a company and perform for someone else. But when is it too much?
I've found my limit to be four different companies at any given time. Even that is a bit overwhelming at times. If I'm choreographing a project, then I can really only handle performing for one other company. The crux of the matter is keeping up one's technique. Ideally, a 'serious' dancer should be dancing 7 days a week. This would include rehearsals and classes. The problem, it would seem, with the Boston dance scene is that there are so many small companies that individuals become involved with several small companies, fill the available schedule with rehearsals, and then forget about class. As dancers, we need to be taking class. And I'm just as guilty of this as the next person. If I'm lucky I take one class a week. There simply is no substitution for taking class. I also think that many of the choreographers in the area would feel better about their dancers if more were taking consistent classes to improve and maintain their technique.
This was a little bit of a rant, but I'm curious to get feedback. How much is too much for you? Do you honestly feel that you can choreograph and dance for someone else at the same time and give each the amount of attention they deserve? Do you take class? Are there enough classes? Is all of this moving in the wrong direction because dance is merely a hobby? How does one go about convincing dancers to take more classes? The financial argument is tough to combat but is that what really keeps people away?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Music - Lyrics
I'm writing this post in three parts, corresponding to experience as a choreographer.
Beginning choreographers - stay away from lyrics. The temptation to create movement that literally interprets the lyrics is simply too great. As creating new movement and phrases is often difficult as a new choreographer, this will only hinder your creativity. Also, lyrics can be confusing for the audience. They add another level of sensory information that can distract the audience from paying complete attention to your piece. It is difficult at first to deprive yourself of music with lyrics, but as one of my college professors put it 'if the lyrics already tell the story, why would you need to see the dance?'
Experienced choreographers - generally stay away from lyrics. This has more to do with my sensory comment from above than anything else. Remember that what ever the sounds you choose to use in your choreography, they add a layer of sensory information that the audience must absorb. During the rehearsal process, we become so very familiar with our chosen music that it becomes second nature. What we must remember is that our audience will be hearing that music for the first time while simultaneously seeing our composition for the first time. This is not to say that it will never be successful, in fact quite the opposite. As long as you keep in mind that there will be a lot of information being transmitted to the audience and you manage that flow of information well, it can be extremely effective. Also, when considering lyrics in other languages, decide if the voice blends in as if it were another instrument or if it stands alone. In the first case treat it as such. In the second, make sure to take this into account. It may not be an issue at all but it could create an issue if your audience spends the time they should be watching your piece trying to decipher the lyrics.
Studio choreographer - use lyrics. This is for those out there teaching children or populations that are new to dance. Your choreography should be focused on the student. Challenge them in performance ability, but showcase the lessons they have learned in their course of study. Lyrics can be an easy way for students to relate to the music and for those who have difficulty hearing rhythms or counting music, it gives them an alternative. The words also help with memory. And especially for the very young, it gives you ideas for movement. *Note - this is in direct conflict with what I said earlier.* The more obvious the movement, the more obvious the connection to the music/lyrics, the easier it is for young ones to remember. Also, repeated movement to repeated words is a huge help.
Beginning choreographers - stay away from lyrics. The temptation to create movement that literally interprets the lyrics is simply too great. As creating new movement and phrases is often difficult as a new choreographer, this will only hinder your creativity. Also, lyrics can be confusing for the audience. They add another level of sensory information that can distract the audience from paying complete attention to your piece. It is difficult at first to deprive yourself of music with lyrics, but as one of my college professors put it 'if the lyrics already tell the story, why would you need to see the dance?'
Experienced choreographers - generally stay away from lyrics. This has more to do with my sensory comment from above than anything else. Remember that what ever the sounds you choose to use in your choreography, they add a layer of sensory information that the audience must absorb. During the rehearsal process, we become so very familiar with our chosen music that it becomes second nature. What we must remember is that our audience will be hearing that music for the first time while simultaneously seeing our composition for the first time. This is not to say that it will never be successful, in fact quite the opposite. As long as you keep in mind that there will be a lot of information being transmitted to the audience and you manage that flow of information well, it can be extremely effective. Also, when considering lyrics in other languages, decide if the voice blends in as if it were another instrument or if it stands alone. In the first case treat it as such. In the second, make sure to take this into account. It may not be an issue at all but it could create an issue if your audience spends the time they should be watching your piece trying to decipher the lyrics.
Studio choreographer - use lyrics. This is for those out there teaching children or populations that are new to dance. Your choreography should be focused on the student. Challenge them in performance ability, but showcase the lessons they have learned in their course of study. Lyrics can be an easy way for students to relate to the music and for those who have difficulty hearing rhythms or counting music, it gives them an alternative. The words also help with memory. And especially for the very young, it gives you ideas for movement. *Note - this is in direct conflict with what I said earlier.* The more obvious the movement, the more obvious the connection to the music/lyrics, the easier it is for young ones to remember. Also, repeated movement to repeated words is a huge help.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Rules
Is there such thing as absolute truth? (Hint: its a trick question.)
The answer is yes. If you were to answer no, you would be stating an absolute truth, thus negating your answer. I bring this up not to begin an existential/humanistic debate, but to qualify some of my recent posts. As I bring up topics, there certainly are right and wrong answers, good and bad decisions to be made. But the point I would like you to remember is that all of the topics discussed on this blog don't guarantee that you will make a wildly successful piece. (Point-in-case: what is a successful piece?) These are a guide line and point of discussion. Generally, I've found these 'rules' to be true. I've also found that breaking them can open new doors.
So use the rules, break the rules, challenge the rules. Even rules that I don't mention or get wrong. Just remember that there are rules.
The answer is yes. If you were to answer no, you would be stating an absolute truth, thus negating your answer. I bring this up not to begin an existential/humanistic debate, but to qualify some of my recent posts. As I bring up topics, there certainly are right and wrong answers, good and bad decisions to be made. But the point I would like you to remember is that all of the topics discussed on this blog don't guarantee that you will make a wildly successful piece. (Point-in-case: what is a successful piece?) These are a guide line and point of discussion. Generally, I've found these 'rules' to be true. I've also found that breaking them can open new doors.
So use the rules, break the rules, challenge the rules. Even rules that I don't mention or get wrong. Just remember that there are rules.
Continuity
Recently a friend of mine commented on the importance of continuity in set design. This is one such topic where I take a difficult position. I would say that continuity compliance is the rule in dance composition as well as set design and many other mediums. Except when it is not.
Let me first define continuity. In creative fields, continuity is consistency. In film production, the continuity supervisor makes sure that set pieces and positioning remain consistent from one shot to the next. The set design conversation was regarding the level of realism throughout a set. In choreography, continuity applies to several different aspects, but the most important is continuity of movement. Is the movement vocabulary at the end of the piece consistent with that of the beginning? If not, does the progression of the piece create a continuity which relates the two vocabularies? A big note here is the difference between 'consistent' and 'same'. In dance, the movement does not have to be the same to be consistent, it must only relate. The length to which the movement can be manipulated while still relating to the rest of the piece, can only be determined on a case by case basis.
When is continuity not the rule? When you choose to make it not the rule. If the choreographer specifically chooses to avoid continuity (in the conventional sense) then the piece could still be successful. And when you think about it, by choosing to avoid continuity, the choreographer has created a new continuity. When it comes to determining the validity of such choices, see my last post about the magical 'why'. As long as you can confidently defend your choice, you should be in the clear.
Let me first define continuity. In creative fields, continuity is consistency. In film production, the continuity supervisor makes sure that set pieces and positioning remain consistent from one shot to the next. The set design conversation was regarding the level of realism throughout a set. In choreography, continuity applies to several different aspects, but the most important is continuity of movement. Is the movement vocabulary at the end of the piece consistent with that of the beginning? If not, does the progression of the piece create a continuity which relates the two vocabularies? A big note here is the difference between 'consistent' and 'same'. In dance, the movement does not have to be the same to be consistent, it must only relate. The length to which the movement can be manipulated while still relating to the rest of the piece, can only be determined on a case by case basis.
When is continuity not the rule? When you choose to make it not the rule. If the choreographer specifically chooses to avoid continuity (in the conventional sense) then the piece could still be successful. And when you think about it, by choosing to avoid continuity, the choreographer has created a new continuity. When it comes to determining the validity of such choices, see my last post about the magical 'why'. As long as you can confidently defend your choice, you should be in the clear.
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