My gesture phrase performed twice, with two different readings of text. The first performance is danced to a reading from The Onion, the text is a comedic paragraph about children living in "single parrot households." The second performance is to one of m favorite musical theater songs read as a dialogue. It is "The Actuary Song" from I Love You Because. The change my classmates suggested I make for the second reading is that I face the back and show the audience a different angle of the study.
For my Social Political Project I found that it was important to choose a topic that means something to me and is very close to my heart (positively or negatively.) As a daughter & older sister from a divorced household this topic is something that weighted very heavily on me, especially growing up. Over the years I slowly learned that my parents divorce ended up being a blessing rather than a curse. It was by no means a clean and an easy transition. At the tender age of 11 I felt as if my world was falling apart, but as time went on I learned a) responsibility for my little sister b) how to be a good mediator (a skill that has been helpful in friendships and relationships later on) and c) that both my parents love my sister and I indefinitely and would both give up their entire world for us. From the day I heard the (what I thought was) heartbreaking news my life has only improved and my parents have been able to show me the miraculous human beings they both are with a much freer spirit. I have grown closer to each of them and learned so many wise lessons from their personal experiences. But most importantly I have learned that when it comes to marriage and creating a family of my own I must rush absolutely nothing and do it right the first time.
Here I will post the step by step creative process of my work, eventually leading up to the final piece as a whole.
Below is the video recording of my work in progress. Unfortunately I was not able to coordinate schedules with the other people I would like to have in my piece so all that could be recorded at this time is myself solo. With that said please note...
The opening of the piece I would like to have very theatric to the song "Love" by Matt White. My dancers will be Jon & Maria, playing a young husband and wife. The choreography begins with Jon down on one knee in proposal stance and then progresses to fun section of literal choreography depicting the "honeymoon" stage of a relationship. This includes partnering, lifts, and all smiles;)
As the song continues they will begin to show dissatisfaction with each other and begin to act out an argument, ending with them faced back to back center stage at the end of that song.
The next section of the piece is stillness. As the husband and wife stand angered in opposite directions The child (myself) will be laying behind them center stage. During this stillness the thunderstorm will sound and the lights will flicker, and end in a dim half light setting preparing for the final statement of the piece.
The final portion of the piece is to "Cold" by George Mendez and the primary focus is on the child, and their point of view. Durning this the husband and wife will be used mostly as props but will still be present on stage, and do still have some set choreography. They are instructed to walk apart from each other to offstage as slowly as possible, and exit by the end so the child is left on stage alone.
**The entire 5 minutes of the final song will be used, when I was recorded parts were rushed and off time because of the lack of bodies and partner work** Motions that I tried to show in the recording but will later have another person include (in order)...
-Grabbing of Jon's ankle and using it to propel myself on the floor, and wrapping my body around his leg, so I will end sitting on his foot. (he will then take a step with me on his foot)
-Jon lifting me up and circling me around cradles in his arms and then tossing me away.
-Grabbing Jon's shirt and attempting to pull him in opposite direction
-Tugging on Maria's bun/ponytail multiple time, being pulled back to standing position (she will be lunging back to an arch and then release to a straight standing position)
-Pushing Maria's body from head to toe (facing her) and being defeated
-Physically picking up Maria's right foot and placing it one sep back
-Being flicked off of maria's foot
Divorce: Phase II
Final
The final title I chose for my piece is "De voiced." The main perspective I aimed to show was the child's, and the concept was to show how they have no say in the matter and are essentially left voiceless. "De voiced" is just a play on Divorce.
Feedback
-Clear use of male role, established 1st then used it.
-Clear begging, mood, and relationship. Can I show "joy" rather than just "happy?"
-Clear staging of Parent to child & clear movement vocabulary.
-Clear staging of solo & intent of pushing Maria's feet vs Jon's feet
-Use of detail & full bodied movement
-The piece is about divorce but what is being said about it could be clarified. Not a social political piece, piece based on divorce.
