Closure of the Kedja Symposium in Copenhagen
This final block concludes on the Kedja Workshop. The questions asked from the audience after the workshop will here be used as material to give an input on why and how the choreographers has been working with their choice of music.
Question 1
How come majority has chosen lyrics? How do you relate to the music?
Responds:
1. The lyric makes it easier to work with timing. The focus has not been the meaning of the words, but the counting and structure. The lyrics also functions as cues to the dancers, making it easier to hit the same count.
2. The song caught my attention, I find rhythm and lyrics equally important. To use the rhythm of the lyrics has been one way of working with the task.
3. I researched on the music and its background material. It comes from “Ophelia” from “Hamlet”. I have been reading the play and using its story to create the choreography and building a connection between the musical material and the movement material.
Question 2
Have you had the opportunity to discuss the process?
1. We have been in many different places at different times, so during the days we have been working separetly in our groups, not having the opportunity to share and evaluate. It would have been nice having the opportunity to see more of each other, not just in the workshop group, but also with all the other participants of the symposium…. (Applaud from the audience)
2. As the choreographers has been living on the same hostel, we have been spending quite some time in bars discussing art, dance and this working process. But in the daytime we haven’t had time ore opportunity to really discuss it.
After this questionary round, Kim finishes by adding, that when doing the exercises in the morning classes, the choreographers and dancers have been discussing the different possibilities music gives, and how to use it.
The lesson has been to learn the idea of being precise. ”Music is constructive – use it!”
With these final words the audience breaks up, and one week of lectures, touring, seminars, workshops, dancing, counting, structurating… is to end. Now it is time for everyone to meet up, at the same time and place for the first time. A big evening arrangement with dinner, dancing and surprises has been arranged at “dansescenen” for everyone. It is time to say hello to a lot of new faces…
mandag den 8. september 2008
søndag den 7. september 2008
Saturday
Saturday – Run Through at 11.45
Final day of the workshop.
After morning class, the whole group meets for a run through of the choreographies.
For the first time they get to watch each other’s work.
The biggest difference between today and yesterday is the performativity.
The relation between the dancers, the facial expressions, the eyes, the directions of the focus in the room, is being added to the physical actions.
The use of comics – funny walks, funny eyes and the movement languages, supplies the dancing with a theatrical dimension, creating new expressions.
“Props” or at least the utility of dancers having, as an example, the same length of hair, is being used – as well as the function of long hair being slapped on the floor, creating an extra musicality.
Each dance has its own dynamic, own expression, own way of resolving the task of using the key word “musical structure”.
The energy is very focused this morning, and the run through offers a lot of different chorographical choices and priorities.
The common thing though, is – a part from the specific use of structure in the music – the use of long lines - arms stretching up, to the side, down etc… The use of levels, of space, of mixing and repeating movements, similar timing, similar movements and very much the use of open and closed forms. In general many of the choreographies uses the contrast between sharpness and softness.
The run through is not being commented – no question asked – no critics.
After the run through Kim asks the groups to go through Wednesdays exercise, “The nine nine” as it is called. The expressions on the dancers faces shows a bit of confusion… Wednesday suddenly seems far far away – but as seen before – once at the floor and once the music comes on – this extra level of energy appears – dancers and choreographers counts, talks, rehearses, crawls, jumps – concentrates…
It all comes back to them – and some how it looks more assembled than the first time their were showing it… The actual use of the exercise in the daily work has obviously made it easier for the dancers to work naturally with the counting..
I ask Kim why he chooses to make them repeat the exercise, and he responds that he thinks it is important for the dancers and choreographers to remember were it all started.
After lunch:
Groups are working through their bits – no more counting, instead details are pit pointed in order to increase the perfection of the movement material. The emotional limits are getting tighter.
Dancers having difficulties accepting bits that does not work – Choreographers pulling the last out of the dancers – really focusing on the small parts now – “don’t look there, look here”, “more face”,” more shoulders” etc. The breathing is getting a bit heavy in “sal 2” – everybody trying to get the last out of it.
As one of the choreographers mentions, she tends to forget that this is a working process, a workshop. This means that, like in any other workshops, it is the learning process that should be of biggest importance – not the result – it rarely is so, though… Everyone wants to deliver a nice and fully accomplished result for the showing.
15.30
Gathering, going through the order of today’s show – repeating it again.
16.15
Time to go in and show the results of what they’ve been working on. Dancers are warming up – running around in the room, stretching, rehearsing – breathing – it’s very performance like, and a very nice atmosphere to be in, it ads a good and intense energy!
Once in the performance room, Kim introduces the showing to the audience:
He talks about the importance of music, about how music can overwhelm you – let you in to a universe where it takes over the dancing – leaving it as an accessory.
He explains that the aim with this workshop, has been to work out the relationship between music and dance – not letting the music getting away with everything, and that “The horror of the counting” has been the one strict rule to follow. He refers to the exercises of counting the structure in the music, and to the fact that the only rule has been to obey this structure – the rest - in terms of movement material has been of total freedom.
With this introduction the first choreographer stands up giving a little personal introduction to the work - and then, the show begins.
In the next and final blog, I will be concluding on the past week workshop, closing up by going through some of the questions that the audience got to ask the choreographers after the showing...
Final day of the workshop.
After morning class, the whole group meets for a run through of the choreographies.
For the first time they get to watch each other’s work.
The biggest difference between today and yesterday is the performativity.
The relation between the dancers, the facial expressions, the eyes, the directions of the focus in the room, is being added to the physical actions.
The use of comics – funny walks, funny eyes and the movement languages, supplies the dancing with a theatrical dimension, creating new expressions.
“Props” or at least the utility of dancers having, as an example, the same length of hair, is being used – as well as the function of long hair being slapped on the floor, creating an extra musicality.
Each dance has its own dynamic, own expression, own way of resolving the task of using the key word “musical structure”.
The energy is very focused this morning, and the run through offers a lot of different chorographical choices and priorities.
The common thing though, is – a part from the specific use of structure in the music – the use of long lines - arms stretching up, to the side, down etc… The use of levels, of space, of mixing and repeating movements, similar timing, similar movements and very much the use of open and closed forms. In general many of the choreographies uses the contrast between sharpness and softness.
The run through is not being commented – no question asked – no critics.
After the run through Kim asks the groups to go through Wednesdays exercise, “The nine nine” as it is called. The expressions on the dancers faces shows a bit of confusion… Wednesday suddenly seems far far away – but as seen before – once at the floor and once the music comes on – this extra level of energy appears – dancers and choreographers counts, talks, rehearses, crawls, jumps – concentrates…
It all comes back to them – and some how it looks more assembled than the first time their were showing it… The actual use of the exercise in the daily work has obviously made it easier for the dancers to work naturally with the counting..
I ask Kim why he chooses to make them repeat the exercise, and he responds that he thinks it is important for the dancers and choreographers to remember were it all started.
After lunch:
Groups are working through their bits – no more counting, instead details are pit pointed in order to increase the perfection of the movement material. The emotional limits are getting tighter.
Dancers having difficulties accepting bits that does not work – Choreographers pulling the last out of the dancers – really focusing on the small parts now – “don’t look there, look here”, “more face”,” more shoulders” etc. The breathing is getting a bit heavy in “sal 2” – everybody trying to get the last out of it.
As one of the choreographers mentions, she tends to forget that this is a working process, a workshop. This means that, like in any other workshops, it is the learning process that should be of biggest importance – not the result – it rarely is so, though… Everyone wants to deliver a nice and fully accomplished result for the showing.
15.30
Gathering, going through the order of today’s show – repeating it again.
16.15
Time to go in and show the results of what they’ve been working on. Dancers are warming up – running around in the room, stretching, rehearsing – breathing – it’s very performance like, and a very nice atmosphere to be in, it ads a good and intense energy!
Once in the performance room, Kim introduces the showing to the audience:
He talks about the importance of music, about how music can overwhelm you – let you in to a universe where it takes over the dancing – leaving it as an accessory.
He explains that the aim with this workshop, has been to work out the relationship between music and dance – not letting the music getting away with everything, and that “The horror of the counting” has been the one strict rule to follow. He refers to the exercises of counting the structure in the music, and to the fact that the only rule has been to obey this structure – the rest - in terms of movement material has been of total freedom.
With this introduction the first choreographer stands up giving a little personal introduction to the work - and then, the show begins.
In the next and final blog, I will be concluding on the past week workshop, closing up by going through some of the questions that the audience got to ask the choreographers after the showing...
lørdag den 6. september 2008
Friday 5 September
Friday 5 of September
Today, the gathered material of the past weeks should start taking a final form – Some are focusing on going through details, others are still working with the chorographical form and movement language.
The groups are working in different places, and for each entered room the atmosphere is a new one. It is clearly not the day to interfere too much in the working process... But even so, the two workshop leaders is preparing their tour to go visit each one of them – giving advices, critics, ideas, commentary and compliments.
It is now that the past week’s intense work is either coming together ore rising questions about how it can come together before tomorrow. Many mixed emotions are flourishing; Tension, concentration, frustrations… But still, the dynamic in the groups is floating nicely.
It is now becoming more and more clear how the counts and structure is used – both dancers and choreographers are familiar with the music and the steps. Movements are embodied and practised – the time is used in a constructive way. Working with dynamics, with filling in and taking out.
Some parts needs more – some less – but the overall view is there.
In one group there is a lightness and calm that makes it very nice to watch – no stress no panic – no desperate counts – and a very good communication between the dancers and the choreographer. They do work a lot with cues in the music.
An other group is getting more into the complexity of the music – there is still a way to go - but the pressure also becomes the drive.
For Kim Brandstrup and Kim Helweg, leading the workshop, their task today is to go from group to group and give final remarks by focusing on the specifics.
One group is using a piece of music witch includes many different sounds and sound effects. The dancing itself is performed with great strength and bounded flow; the movements are tied and performed very slow.
There are a lot of changes in the music, an interesting piece, which makes it even more of a challenge to make the dancing equally interesting and keep up the curiosity.
The dancers are operating in different speed. One is transforming slowly, the other very quickly.
A Commentary from Kim Helweg is that the accent of the music should be followed more precisely. In the short note, the fall should be longer, not so quick, the music should be delaying the fall…
Also the beginning is a bit confusing. There is too much happening in to short time. It needs more awareness of how the music is used in relation to the movements.
Kim Brandstrup on the other hand, is more focused on how they use the dynamic of the movements to “hit” the music. The movements are a bit to hard, they should work with more lightness; play with the music so that the body becomes more of a free flow – a bit more trust as Kim puts it.
Other wise very nice – dynamically it works.
The group is very attentive of the remarks – taking them in, breathing deeply and obviously thinking: “how….” They go through it again, taking notice of the commentary, and when leaving, the group has transformed the constructive critic into action. It has given them more freedom and flow in the choreography.
They now know what to do for next couple of hours…
We leave for “Dansens hus” – a bit of a journey actually… traffic in cph, is apparently not flowing… So more than 30 min. later we are there…
The day passes by “disturbing” the dancers and choreographers, starting by putting more pressure on them, leaving them a bit on the defensive, but finally giving them some very nice input that makes it easier for them to continue the work and getting ready for tomorrow.
Today, the gathered material of the past weeks should start taking a final form – Some are focusing on going through details, others are still working with the chorographical form and movement language.
The groups are working in different places, and for each entered room the atmosphere is a new one. It is clearly not the day to interfere too much in the working process... But even so, the two workshop leaders is preparing their tour to go visit each one of them – giving advices, critics, ideas, commentary and compliments.
It is now that the past week’s intense work is either coming together ore rising questions about how it can come together before tomorrow. Many mixed emotions are flourishing; Tension, concentration, frustrations… But still, the dynamic in the groups is floating nicely.
It is now becoming more and more clear how the counts and structure is used – both dancers and choreographers are familiar with the music and the steps. Movements are embodied and practised – the time is used in a constructive way. Working with dynamics, with filling in and taking out.
Some parts needs more – some less – but the overall view is there.
In one group there is a lightness and calm that makes it very nice to watch – no stress no panic – no desperate counts – and a very good communication between the dancers and the choreographer. They do work a lot with cues in the music.
An other group is getting more into the complexity of the music – there is still a way to go - but the pressure also becomes the drive.
For Kim Brandstrup and Kim Helweg, leading the workshop, their task today is to go from group to group and give final remarks by focusing on the specifics.
One group is using a piece of music witch includes many different sounds and sound effects. The dancing itself is performed with great strength and bounded flow; the movements are tied and performed very slow.
There are a lot of changes in the music, an interesting piece, which makes it even more of a challenge to make the dancing equally interesting and keep up the curiosity.
The dancers are operating in different speed. One is transforming slowly, the other very quickly.
A Commentary from Kim Helweg is that the accent of the music should be followed more precisely. In the short note, the fall should be longer, not so quick, the music should be delaying the fall…
Also the beginning is a bit confusing. There is too much happening in to short time. It needs more awareness of how the music is used in relation to the movements.
Kim Brandstrup on the other hand, is more focused on how they use the dynamic of the movements to “hit” the music. The movements are a bit to hard, they should work with more lightness; play with the music so that the body becomes more of a free flow – a bit more trust as Kim puts it.
Other wise very nice – dynamically it works.
The group is very attentive of the remarks – taking them in, breathing deeply and obviously thinking: “how….” They go through it again, taking notice of the commentary, and when leaving, the group has transformed the constructive critic into action. It has given them more freedom and flow in the choreography.
They now know what to do for next couple of hours…
We leave for “Dansens hus” – a bit of a journey actually… traffic in cph, is apparently not flowing… So more than 30 min. later we are there…
The day passes by “disturbing” the dancers and choreographers, starting by putting more pressure on them, leaving them a bit on the defensive, but finally giving them some very nice input that makes it easier for them to continue the work and getting ready for tomorrow.
torsdag den 4. september 2008
Thursday, 4 September
KEDJA 4 September 2008
There is much more to it than dance, music and structure…
Today is my second day… This means familiar faces and a more integrated understanding of the content of the workshop – This slightly growing overview gives me the possibility to notice other areas of the workshop – Expanding my view from being strictly on the technical part of the assignment to paying attention to how they work together, how their corporate. I was thinking of that when my mind crossed the fact that this hole symposium is established with the goal of bringing Nordic and Baltic dance professionals together in order to limit the boundaries and creates opportunities for dancers to work together across countries, becoming more mobile.
One can say that one of the fantastic things about dance is the universal language that the body is able to express and create – we do not have to understand each others languages, but we do have to understand each other – we still need the ability to communicate, especially in the working process. Although this could become an extra challenge for the groups, it seems to be a force – an extra bonus. Because of the various training and schooling background each of them brings along, the approach to the task offers both challenges and familiarity. It also gives both dancers and choreographers the pleasure of working with someone new – both in background, techniques, schooling and nationality- And It gives the opportunity to work in a different space, a new room every day. So even though some of them may be familiar with the task demanding to show and comprehend how dance and music are structures that fits perfectly together – complements each other, the circumstances around the task also gives input and makes the process happen.
This morning
I focus on specific groups – not much running around, staying at one place for a long time.
One of choreographers is leaving today – Just for a day, though – he is leaving at noon and coming back Friday Night. This means that the dancers must work for themselves and that the “outer eye” ad the loud speaking counts will be missing for a while. But the challenge is interesting for all of them. It means that it is very important for the dancers to get to now the exact counts in order to practice correctly.
After his departure, the dancers spend a whole lot of time figuring out the exact counts. It is a tricky piece by John Cage - but the accuracy is important for the dancers ability to work properly.
(Apr. counts: 882844410888887(climax) 8 - 878 (tempo rising) 4444 (speed rising through two last fourth) 6 (boom boom) 65 85 444444441)
The choreography itself is at a very high speed, demanding a high level of physicality of the dancers, The Movement language varies from open to closed forms – open upper chest – arms going up, head rising – in contrast to arms closing, body going downwards. As the music develops – the rhythm is getting faster, the use of space expanding, and the dynamics of the movement becoming sharper.
The energy is rising – the dancing vocabulary mixes with running patterns, the circles gets bigger – up and down – body’s attacking each other without having any direct physical contact – the dynamic and energy of the movements responds to each other. Turning, accelerating, stopping etc. The movements are sharp – cutting through the air in high speed. The flow is constant – not much stopping up – attacking – falling – up again – running – looking – continuing…
Dancers:
When I saw the dancers rehearse this morning the choreographer was still there - counting and directing them – Next step was therefore to embody both dance and counts – Off course one can say that the familiarity with the musical structure gives the dancers a safety net in which they can feel free and move around, but one of the dancers explained – (when I asked if she, as a dancer, normally worked in such details with the music from structural point of view) - that the most common way of working with music, is listening and responding to the cues – instead of counts…
And working with rhythm instead of time.
Off course it is always important for a dancer to get to now the music- get it under the skin, but working with time is not necessarily a big priority in modern dance, as it, for some, is more common to work with peaks, and rhythm. This accuracy of time and counts are important
The dancer ends by saying that the challenge in this choreography is to describe and underline the time and the timing - not the music.
Afternoon:
I am watching another group working. In this rehearsal the choreographer is working with one dancer at the time – going through all movements, guiding the dancer by clapping the hands and repeating the same finish words.
The choreographer is here really taking advantage of the structure in the music by making the dancers work in different speeds, dynamics, on different levels with a completely different movement vocabulary;
One is very much on the floor – jumping on the knees – turning on the back “jumping” on the back – crawling on the floor - the hole sequence is dominated by many small movements, all being kept on the floor level. The other dancer is working in a different dynamic– more movements done In “staccato” – again many small movements – very precise shoulder ticks – head ticks – all in order to fit the “invisible counts” of the music. By invisible counts I mean all the small things in the music that one cannot hear.
She works standing up – combining the use of long lines and shapes with the ticks. Mixing static with quickness and more stressed movements.
The music is actually very slow – but the choreographer uses the “underneath” structure of the music - a quick continuing123 – it comes clear to me that working with the structure not necessarily means to work with the rhythm.
I ask her if the counts and the rhythm is the same thing, she responds that for her the rhythm is something that is put into the dance – something the dance creates – So even though the music is listen to as very slow, she is working with the undertone of the music, something that is not clear to the ear, but lies underneath. When the movements underline the undertone, it supplies the music with an extra layer and dimension. The peaks in the music are fully filled out by the choreography. When the music is filled out in such details, it gives room for the dance to repeat sequences by changing the speed and counts – another count and thereby another dynamic and speed. The music itself is quite melancholic – but with the dynamic of the movements, this dark melancholic universe is giving new life, something extra - it creates musicality that are not present when hearing the piece without the dance to support it. I found that very nice and fulfilling.
As I have now been here for two days I can see how the choreographers uses the first two days morning classes to fill out the counts – to fully work with the structure of the music – and in this case, to go further into it.
Tomorrow they will be approaching the ending of the workshop and preparing for the showing on Saturday – The frames seems to be clear and set for everyone – now it needs to be filled out and worked further with.
A new interesting day is soon to come…
There is much more to it than dance, music and structure…
Today is my second day… This means familiar faces and a more integrated understanding of the content of the workshop – This slightly growing overview gives me the possibility to notice other areas of the workshop – Expanding my view from being strictly on the technical part of the assignment to paying attention to how they work together, how their corporate. I was thinking of that when my mind crossed the fact that this hole symposium is established with the goal of bringing Nordic and Baltic dance professionals together in order to limit the boundaries and creates opportunities for dancers to work together across countries, becoming more mobile.
One can say that one of the fantastic things about dance is the universal language that the body is able to express and create – we do not have to understand each others languages, but we do have to understand each other – we still need the ability to communicate, especially in the working process. Although this could become an extra challenge for the groups, it seems to be a force – an extra bonus. Because of the various training and schooling background each of them brings along, the approach to the task offers both challenges and familiarity. It also gives both dancers and choreographers the pleasure of working with someone new – both in background, techniques, schooling and nationality- And It gives the opportunity to work in a different space, a new room every day. So even though some of them may be familiar with the task demanding to show and comprehend how dance and music are structures that fits perfectly together – complements each other, the circumstances around the task also gives input and makes the process happen.
This morning
I focus on specific groups – not much running around, staying at one place for a long time.
One of choreographers is leaving today – Just for a day, though – he is leaving at noon and coming back Friday Night. This means that the dancers must work for themselves and that the “outer eye” ad the loud speaking counts will be missing for a while. But the challenge is interesting for all of them. It means that it is very important for the dancers to get to now the exact counts in order to practice correctly.
After his departure, the dancers spend a whole lot of time figuring out the exact counts. It is a tricky piece by John Cage - but the accuracy is important for the dancers ability to work properly.
(Apr. counts: 882844410888887(climax) 8 - 878 (tempo rising) 4444 (speed rising through two last fourth) 6 (boom boom) 65 85 444444441)
The choreography itself is at a very high speed, demanding a high level of physicality of the dancers, The Movement language varies from open to closed forms – open upper chest – arms going up, head rising – in contrast to arms closing, body going downwards. As the music develops – the rhythm is getting faster, the use of space expanding, and the dynamics of the movement becoming sharper.
The energy is rising – the dancing vocabulary mixes with running patterns, the circles gets bigger – up and down – body’s attacking each other without having any direct physical contact – the dynamic and energy of the movements responds to each other. Turning, accelerating, stopping etc. The movements are sharp – cutting through the air in high speed. The flow is constant – not much stopping up – attacking – falling – up again – running – looking – continuing…
Dancers:
When I saw the dancers rehearse this morning the choreographer was still there - counting and directing them – Next step was therefore to embody both dance and counts – Off course one can say that the familiarity with the musical structure gives the dancers a safety net in which they can feel free and move around, but one of the dancers explained – (when I asked if she, as a dancer, normally worked in such details with the music from structural point of view) - that the most common way of working with music, is listening and responding to the cues – instead of counts…
And working with rhythm instead of time.
Off course it is always important for a dancer to get to now the music- get it under the skin, but working with time is not necessarily a big priority in modern dance, as it, for some, is more common to work with peaks, and rhythm. This accuracy of time and counts are important
The dancer ends by saying that the challenge in this choreography is to describe and underline the time and the timing - not the music.
Afternoon:
I am watching another group working. In this rehearsal the choreographer is working with one dancer at the time – going through all movements, guiding the dancer by clapping the hands and repeating the same finish words.
The choreographer is here really taking advantage of the structure in the music by making the dancers work in different speeds, dynamics, on different levels with a completely different movement vocabulary;
One is very much on the floor – jumping on the knees – turning on the back “jumping” on the back – crawling on the floor - the hole sequence is dominated by many small movements, all being kept on the floor level. The other dancer is working in a different dynamic– more movements done In “staccato” – again many small movements – very precise shoulder ticks – head ticks – all in order to fit the “invisible counts” of the music. By invisible counts I mean all the small things in the music that one cannot hear.
She works standing up – combining the use of long lines and shapes with the ticks. Mixing static with quickness and more stressed movements.
The music is actually very slow – but the choreographer uses the “underneath” structure of the music - a quick continuing123 – it comes clear to me that working with the structure not necessarily means to work with the rhythm.
I ask her if the counts and the rhythm is the same thing, she responds that for her the rhythm is something that is put into the dance – something the dance creates – So even though the music is listen to as very slow, she is working with the undertone of the music, something that is not clear to the ear, but lies underneath. When the movements underline the undertone, it supplies the music with an extra layer and dimension. The peaks in the music are fully filled out by the choreography. When the music is filled out in such details, it gives room for the dance to repeat sequences by changing the speed and counts – another count and thereby another dynamic and speed. The music itself is quite melancholic – but with the dynamic of the movements, this dark melancholic universe is giving new life, something extra - it creates musicality that are not present when hearing the piece without the dance to support it. I found that very nice and fulfilling.
As I have now been here for two days I can see how the choreographers uses the first two days morning classes to fill out the counts – to fully work with the structure of the music – and in this case, to go further into it.
Tomorrow they will be approaching the ending of the workshop and preparing for the showing on Saturday – The frames seems to be clear and set for everyone – now it needs to be filled out and worked further with.
A new interesting day is soon to come…
Kedja, Wednesday 3 September - Now with text...
Day 3
“The workshop investigates the choreographic material in relation to compositional and structural strategies of music and develops as a dialogue between the two art-forms (…) A series of challenges and tasks look at the development of structure, rule, improvisation and technique within the choreographic work.10 choreographers and 20 dancers experiment, research and challenge the parameters supplied by the music”.
Wednesday 3 Sep. 11.30-13.00
As I join the workshop, the dancers and choreographers have been working for two days – Kim Brandstrup has been given the participants a daily task, allowing them to work with the musical structure in the choreographic work. This way of working with structure and “rules” is likely to be quite challenging for the modern choreographers, especially if they are used to work within a frame of “free structure” – like developing movements from a feeling/movement/moment/tone/atmosphere – without any specific rules...
When it comes to modern dance, the starting point often tends to be open and “free”, there are not necessarily any given frame – here however, the challenge is to work with a given structure, and within that, explore the opportunities that lies in the relation and connection between music and dance.
The counting part is an important tool this Wednesday morning – it is not the musicality of the music, but the structure of the music that demands attention.
This morning, Kim Brandstrup starts by giving them a task:
The task is to follow and work with the counts:
9 9 1 2 2 7 9 6 6 4 4 4 8 1 2 2 3 5.
They all look a bit tired – some facial expressions seem to be saying – “we have more than enough to think about and work with...”
But given the task and approaching it - energy appears – the body and the (calculating) mind begins working together and with that, the facial expressions loosens up – the body starts moving – the choreographers fingers starts clicking: ” And a one, two, three... ”
The key task – is to follow the exact count – the choreographers counts – the dancers move – the movements somehow becomes secondary in the process – the important thing is to follow the count – The movement itself is very much the dancers task to develop and explore – the choreographers task is to make sure the movement is filling out the count. Somehow the dance material seem to come naturally – the focus is not whether the arm is bend or stretched, but if its follows the structure of the music.
The main challenge for the choreographers seem to bee to abandon their traditional way of working with choreography, or at least the most common one– and to find a whole new angle in approaching the work.
The techniques of modern dance are clearly dominating, but the use of dynamics, tempo and levels is different from group to group. They work - concentrated – for 45 minutes, exploring ways of filling out the counts - without music – then the music comes on... a new challenge seems ahead of them…
After the showing of the individual work, the choreographers are asked to respond on today’s task.
Some would have liked the music on from the beginning. Kim responds that the choices they made in the process where independent of the music. When there where not influenced by the music from the beginning, they explored new ways of working in order to create and develop dance – the structure was clear from the beginning, and thereby the choreographers where given the opportunity to develop material from a different perspective.
Some said they needed more time, some thought of it as a positive thing: No time to think – just work.
As an observer, I was quite impressed by the material they managed to establish in such short time – The level of concentration was high. There where not much time to explore, but it didn’t matter – the task was successfully accomplished, and the relation between dance and music was clearly there – even though they had not been working with the music - the structure itself was enough to create a fulfilled interaction between those components.
The Afternoon
In the afternoon the groups worked separately in different locations. Two days ago Kim Helweg and Kim Brandstrup had given them different pieces of music to choose from, and from those, one piece was picked out.
During the next couple of days the choreographers will be working with the structure of the music as well as the tools and techniques discovered from the morning classes, in order to develop choreography for a final showing on Saturday, of approximately 3-5 minutes each.
The challenge that follows the choreographers differs from person to person – from background to background.
For some, this as a whole new way of working with the interaction between dance and music - others are already familiar with this approach.
Some are very focused on the counting – waiting to put on the music, others are more focusing on trying out movement material that fits the structure, while others uses the music as main tool for getting along with the process. Some work are very specific and technical, others more based on the free movement and improvisation.
It is quite interesting to observe how the 10 choreographers choose to approach the task. Clearly they all have their own individual ways of getting into and ahead of the choreographic work – but for most of them this task demands new ways of thinking in the process of developing dance. The ultimate “freedom” is taken away, and replaced with a set of “rules” which complements their former knowledge and choreographic approach.
How this will grow and hopefully open new doors for each of them, will be revealed over the next couples of days…
“The workshop investigates the choreographic material in relation to compositional and structural strategies of music and develops as a dialogue between the two art-forms (…) A series of challenges and tasks look at the development of structure, rule, improvisation and technique within the choreographic work.10 choreographers and 20 dancers experiment, research and challenge the parameters supplied by the music”.
Wednesday 3 Sep. 11.30-13.00
As I join the workshop, the dancers and choreographers have been working for two days – Kim Brandstrup has been given the participants a daily task, allowing them to work with the musical structure in the choreographic work. This way of working with structure and “rules” is likely to be quite challenging for the modern choreographers, especially if they are used to work within a frame of “free structure” – like developing movements from a feeling/movement/moment/tone/atmosphere – without any specific rules...
When it comes to modern dance, the starting point often tends to be open and “free”, there are not necessarily any given frame – here however, the challenge is to work with a given structure, and within that, explore the opportunities that lies in the relation and connection between music and dance.
The counting part is an important tool this Wednesday morning – it is not the musicality of the music, but the structure of the music that demands attention.
This morning, Kim Brandstrup starts by giving them a task:
The task is to follow and work with the counts:
9 9 1 2 2 7 9 6 6 4 4 4 8 1 2 2 3 5.
They all look a bit tired – some facial expressions seem to be saying – “we have more than enough to think about and work with...”
But given the task and approaching it - energy appears – the body and the (calculating) mind begins working together and with that, the facial expressions loosens up – the body starts moving – the choreographers fingers starts clicking: ” And a one, two, three... ”
The key task – is to follow the exact count – the choreographers counts – the dancers move – the movements somehow becomes secondary in the process – the important thing is to follow the count – The movement itself is very much the dancers task to develop and explore – the choreographers task is to make sure the movement is filling out the count. Somehow the dance material seem to come naturally – the focus is not whether the arm is bend or stretched, but if its follows the structure of the music.
The main challenge for the choreographers seem to bee to abandon their traditional way of working with choreography, or at least the most common one– and to find a whole new angle in approaching the work.
The techniques of modern dance are clearly dominating, but the use of dynamics, tempo and levels is different from group to group. They work - concentrated – for 45 minutes, exploring ways of filling out the counts - without music – then the music comes on... a new challenge seems ahead of them…
After the showing of the individual work, the choreographers are asked to respond on today’s task.
Some would have liked the music on from the beginning. Kim responds that the choices they made in the process where independent of the music. When there where not influenced by the music from the beginning, they explored new ways of working in order to create and develop dance – the structure was clear from the beginning, and thereby the choreographers where given the opportunity to develop material from a different perspective.
Some said they needed more time, some thought of it as a positive thing: No time to think – just work.
As an observer, I was quite impressed by the material they managed to establish in such short time – The level of concentration was high. There where not much time to explore, but it didn’t matter – the task was successfully accomplished, and the relation between dance and music was clearly there – even though they had not been working with the music - the structure itself was enough to create a fulfilled interaction between those components.
The Afternoon
In the afternoon the groups worked separately in different locations. Two days ago Kim Helweg and Kim Brandstrup had given them different pieces of music to choose from, and from those, one piece was picked out.
During the next couple of days the choreographers will be working with the structure of the music as well as the tools and techniques discovered from the morning classes, in order to develop choreography for a final showing on Saturday, of approximately 3-5 minutes each.
The challenge that follows the choreographers differs from person to person – from background to background.
For some, this as a whole new way of working with the interaction between dance and music - others are already familiar with this approach.
Some are very focused on the counting – waiting to put on the music, others are more focusing on trying out movement material that fits the structure, while others uses the music as main tool for getting along with the process. Some work are very specific and technical, others more based on the free movement and improvisation.
It is quite interesting to observe how the 10 choreographers choose to approach the task. Clearly they all have their own individual ways of getting into and ahead of the choreographic work – but for most of them this task demands new ways of thinking in the process of developing dance. The ultimate “freedom” is taken away, and replaced with a set of “rules” which complements their former knowledge and choreographic approach.
How this will grow and hopefully open new doors for each of them, will be revealed over the next couples of days…
onsdag den 3. september 2008
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