Return to Reason and Ballet Mecanique have massive abstraction influences. In fact, since the film Return to Reason has “Dada-Abstractionist” tendencies (O’Pray 18) it can expand well beyond the photographically structural chronicle that is being portrayed in Ballet Mecanique. The shapes or figures that are presented in some of the scenes as well patterns that are generated by focused loop editing underline the ongoing change in a technologically-fluent world. They are portrayed as a cycle of discovery; because technology has become more useful, humans quickly discover that technology can not only be expanded in the future, but the way a social landscape operates will also change to reflect its rising influences. To a certain extent, it …show more content…
They are purposefully not supposed to tell a specific story, but do so inadvertently. The story is that through abstract figures, the world is not entirely a constructed setting; it also has some rather peculiar features that populate its environment (statues are a perfect example). Ballet Mecanique, however, takes a subtle approach into associating links between objects. Instead, of relying on pattern-object parallel to convey an inferred narrative, Ballet Mecanique uses the process of object composition and detaching certain parts of the object(s) to infer alternating graphic complements. In order to make the complement much more plausible, a carousel scene would be cleverly and delicately dissected and rotated as if it were a side wheel. It would then be followed by a rotating colt so that the viewer can continue to identify the graphical pattern. In Ballet Mecanique, the open/close eyes side up and upside down, if put together would relay a symmetrical cinematic feature that instantly catches the viewer’s attention. Editing techniques are employed to change concrete perceptions of graphically matching scenes. Also, the objects become familiar as soon as they are grasped, but by editing them they are observed very differently (Bordwell & Thompson 407) and the context drastically changes. Some familiar objects are incased in black or white backgrounds. Also, the swinging and turning objects become part of a “mechanized ballet” theme supplementing the bond that man and machine have when contributing to a developing world. To emphasize this theme, it focuses on an array of rotating or swinging objects into an abstract style of both humans and objects synchronizing to convey a broader universal concept. The
The corps de ballet should be used for plot development and as a means of expression.
The choreographic intention of “Emergence” was the exploration of merging diverse elements together to see what comes from it, like the emergence in relation to arrangements and structures made in nature. The choreographic intention expanded from the idea of concealment. This was clearly identified in the beginning trio where the female dancer is shown trying to escape from her hiding place. In appraisal, the choreographic intention of “Image” was a more simplistic interpretation, one that explored identity and how it is made up of personal experiences we endure and that along the way we are influenced and sometimes inveigled, which can make revealing who we really are at the core oppressive. In comparison to “Emergence”, the movement in “Image” was more vague and indefinite in relation to linking movement to the choreographic intention. Through manipulation of structural devices such as groupings, stillness, tempo and dynamics, the
By swaying in the delicate phrases and jerking with the harsh ones, the performers became the dancers in the ballet. They expressed different levels of emotion when required which reflected their playing.
The history of ballet is rich, complex and full of powerful meanings depending on the time period. Ballet in the 15th century was seen as something that only select individuals could do, whereas, the 20th century ballet can be preformed by anyone. By thinking about how ballet performers have changed, a question may be thought is, have the people attending these ballet performances changed as well as the performers themselves? Today, children from ages two and up start taking ballet and family members come and watch their final recitals. National ballet companies are also an event and often draw attention to the higher-class individuals who have a taste for ballet. The ballet world could be seen as to having a quite array of attendees, events and functions, but that might not have always been the
Whether we look at a romantic ballet like La Sylphide or a classical ballet such as Sleeping Beauty, audiences are constantly mesmerized by the gracefulness and weightlessness of the ballet dancers. They seem to defy the laws of physics, which is greatly possible due to the use of the pointe shoe. However, many masterworks that were created in the Romantic era did not solely rely on the pointe shoe to help convey messages. Instead, the choreography, dancers, scenic elements, subject matter, and music all helped shaped masterworks such as La Sylphide, Napoli, and Giselle. Similarly, in the Classical era, these elements all played a role in shaping famous ballets like La Bayadere, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake. But once we take a closer look at these ballets from the Classical era, we can see how much ballet evolved. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the Romantic era was the stepping stone for this pure art form that we have been able to preserve for more than 160 years.
They have been modified by the producers, so that moving persons and objects, having been taken from the paintings, form an action, which I am going to describe in the following.
As written in Ballet and Modern Dance, “The choreographer played the role of the painter, selecting what the viewer saw and directing his focus to different performers or areas of the stage” (155). This statement describes Merce Cunningham’s approach to choreography and space perfectly. In Cunningham’s works, there is no front and center spot. The front and center spot takes place all over the stage and the performance can be viewed from any angle. Also, Independence was central in Cunningham’s works. For example, the video shown in class of the dancers in the warehouse, shows the dancers at every angle and even when the camera focuses on one