Thursday 13 December 2018

"Artistic Atoms" Big Ideas Dance with the Break Class Fall 2018

Artistic Atoms

It was interesting to go back through my notebook and type out all of the tasks and games we played in the Break class. I came across a couple of things that I had forgotten about and am planning on working them back into the piece. This is the second time that I have made a dance that is improvised with set tasks and the first time I have actually had a good chunk of time to work with the dancers on it. I really like the idea of having the same dance playing out a little bit differently each time. You never know who is going to be the one left at the end, walking back into the painting. The unknowing breathes new life into the piece.

Big Ideas 

Steve Paxton
Chart: Sports/shapes
Contact Improvisation
Atoms
Painting: Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2 by Marcel Duchamps
Angles/shapes 


Oct. ? 2018
Tasks
1. 6 step / meet in the middle / move around each other without touching
  • eye contact with partner
  • nod bye as you go back 
  • *change the return
2. Choose a footwork / meet / low table
  • pause / connection / more players 
  • one person starts to leave, sound, or creepy hand
  • complex shapes
  • What would happen if we were standing or had some standing players?
3. Atoms - top rocks - stop music  - call # - no group you have to freeze
  • What do atoms do? change speed? or no group - you keep moving? 
4. 3 Shapes from Painting: Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2 by Marcel Duchamps
  • music, move, freeze 
  • change directions when you meet someone or a wall
  • freeze fast
  • eye contact  
  • starting in tight - make eye contact - change places - for each shape - staying close / trying not to touch. 

Oct. 15, 2018 

1. side 1: 6 step / footwork across / freeze
  • side 2: Footwork IN - make a connection 
  • Freeze together / 1 leaves / 2 stays frozen until 3 comes.  
  • start 1-1
  • move to 2-2 one from one side/other
  • full group
2. 3 shapes from painting
  • 3 levels - standing in one spot
  • moving - music stops - freeze
  • moving - you choose when to freeze, once frozen - someone has to come join you - connect through a space with their shape - that unlocks you.
  •  
  • Close together/tight
    • number 1,2
    • 1's move / 2's frozen in shape / level 1  
    • 1's make connection -arm through space - frees that person (or people) they move. 
    • Repeat
    • moving out to fill the space. 
  1. start by door / end in all the space 
  2. start center front / end in all the space 
  3. start at window end at whiteboard 

Oct. 17, 2018

1. Project painting- imagine it small on a wall then growing bigger. I'll make it big - find an angle (3 level shapes) 

  • music starts / do your three moves to the music
  • music stops / freeze
  • travel from one side to the other
 2. 2 groups on each side
  • 1 dances out / keeps dancing until dancer from other side dances out / connect in some way (gentle - can be a non-connection connection like before). 
  • once connection is made / dancer 1 exits / changing sides 
  • 1-1
  • 2-2
  • all
3. All moving to music / everyone has a number
  • I call a number 
  • that person 
    • stands somewhere new 
    • faces new direction 
    • freezes / moves repetitively 
    • something everyone can do 
    • can be simple - one head
  • Everyone must join in doing the same thing
    • can't use words
    • formation
  •   Once everyone is repeating / or freezing 
  • the person who started it breaks it 
  • fill the space 
  • I call another number 
Small groups: 1-7 / 8-14 / 15 - 22

Oct. 24, 2018 

*Atoms
* 3 Shapes
* Pairs freeze/break shape
*Projection Painting

  • Project painting large - start in the painting. 
    • everyone has a partner / 3 / 4 
    • Know your 3 shapes / 3 levels
    • You do 3 shapes - slowly moving on the path 
    •  When you are done / freeze in last shape
    • you can do them in whatever order you feel works best
    • partner moves / next person in the group  
  • No contact - round one
  • Must contact - either touch or through a space - round two
  • Once across: 
    • Freeze for one round 
    • move footwork atf
    • freeze in middle 
    • partner footworks / unlocks the freeze 
    • move to the other side - done for now! 

Oct. 29, 2018

  • 3's - 1,2,3 - all different sides
    • 1 enters freeze
    • 2 enters over / through - moves 1 - freeze
    • 3 enters over / through - moves 1 + 2 Freeze 
    • leave 1,2,3 

  Nov. 5, 2018

  • Repeat above with projection and live feed
    Atoms - no group keep moving around
    From Atoms
    *NEW*
    • Frozen- when only one left w/o a group that person will stand somewhere in the front. 
    • start 1,2,3,4, action 
    • Frozen atoms peel off and join that group when they feel like it. 
    *NEW* Over / under ATF
    *NEW* Improv - have someone in your mind that is your partner (unknown partner)
    • You do the opposite - they are up you are down. 
    • Stay as far away from them as you can 
    • You can switch partners when you think they have noticed you are their partner or whenever you feel like it.

    Nov. 14, 2018

    After joining 1,2,3,4 movement
    • 1,2,3,4 leader stops - freeze 
    • everyone leaves the stage 

    Up and Down - Unknown partner game 
*1,2,3,4 - is your 3 shapes from painting

Review all:
  • Painting 
  • across unlock partner 
  • atoms 3,4,5
  • repeating movement 
  • freeze - stay 
  • leave everyone else.  
  • Frozen start moving - unknown partner game 
    • others leave - return to painting until painting is filled. 
Drills:
  • 1 6 step / 1 push-up Repeat 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5
  • 1 2 step / 1 tricep dip Repeat 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5
  • 1 3 step / 1 squat Repeat 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5
Partner Game - stay away / up or down / opposite of partner

Painting 1,2,3 / 2 or 3's / pathway towards audience then move to sides and go across.
Stagger start - or why is there a chunk of blank space? Get transition to across smoother or only have a couple of partners go...

Maybe stagger the start of the groups going across. Make two lines on one side and three on the other? Forget your partners... you unlock whoever is frozen and that freezes you - then you wait to be unlocked.

Engaging audience - facial expressions.

Nov. 28, 2018

  • Side groups grow into more than just pairs? Do 6? pairs (12) 
  • Then make groups of 4 or 6 - morph into one giant group that gets released then atoms begin - when the song changes? 
Atoms: random
  • 2 games 
  • repeat 3 shapes if you are a leftover
  • join
  • 1st - the person at the front breaks and goes back into the game 
  • 2nd - the person freezes and everyone leaves - go back into the painting 
  • Frozen ones stand up, look at painting, walk closer, reach out, freeze, step into it. 
Three shapes - one at a time
  • (our shapes are not always clear) 
  • small groups ATF low, medium, high
  • connect to next player but can't use hand. 
  • stop connection at the middle/at the sound to travel more ATF - speed up and get across