Christopher Bruse -ROOSTER
Describe the choreographic style of Christopher Bruce, and explain how it is reflected in Rooster. Christopher Bruce began his career as an impressive dancer, but as a choreographer he is nothing less that passionate and humane. He enjoys making people feel something and people come to theatres to see just that and his ability to fuse contemporary technique with an important relationship to ballet. Being greatly inspired by humanity, Bruce deliberately incorporates issues in society into his pieces and as a part of his choreographic style, through use of historical references and reflection, which are placed into a context that would interest and involve a current audience. He recognizes that ballet is an important part of dance, but tries to break down the barriers between contemporary and ballet in his choreography. His motto is that 99% is technique and 1% is inspiration and with this ideal he begins to choreograph his pieces. Versatility is very important for his dancers to have in achieving the best results to suite his choreography. In his early works there was a deliberate decision to avoid expression and music was not added till after he had completed the choreography. Unlike these pieces which are socially and
It incorporates his use of issues in context to society, symbolism, use of other dance forms and the close relationship between movement and music, which compliment each other in the creation of atmosphere and emotion. Females in the other hand are more reserved with their movements and use small and subtle seductive movements to demonstrate their sexual liberation. Although these formations are not as such to modern day standards he uses this historical reference of the patterns formed in court dances along with pop dance movements to symbolize a party scene. Both male and female costumes are very symbolic of the era, with men wearing tight suits with bright shirts and the girls in short skirts with feather bowers and neckties. Although there is a large range of dynamic and meaningful complexity in each song or separate piece, Bruce neatly ties them together in the end to conclude his initial and final inspirational idea of the sixties era. Illusions to the use of drugs can be recognized in Ruby Tuesday with the lead dancer always playing with her hair, her general expressionless appearance and the lyrics mentioning her absence of mind, 'she comes and goes', 'Don't question why she needs to be so free'. Although his creation of Rooster is not driven by ideas that relate directly to issues of that period, in creating the piece and being reflective of that era issues are highlighted anyway. Gender expectations are carried throughout the whole piece with the use of motif development. The last piece, Playing with Fire combines segments from each song to summarise and comprise his underlying theme. Although the style of movements in relation to his other works would remain contemporary and uniquely Bruce, Rooster was created in a slightly different way, and he began choreography after being inspired by the music of the 'Rolling Stones', the period of the sixties of which he was apart and the whole nostalgia of that era. Colours on the other hand are used throughout variety of Bruce's works to provoke the atmosphere and certain emotions or as symbolism of a person's emotional state or position. In other Bruce pieces, such as Le Noce, he has also used colour as symbolism, with the use of white to demonstrate purity and dark blues to represent the mother and father figures. Drugs, death, parties, relationships and gender expectations are all brought up throughout, either as symbolic references, movement motifs or through use of sequencing and general atmospheric qualities. Although his approach was different for Rooster it still portrays heavily the elements which Bruce's choreography holds signature to.
Common topics in this essay:
Christopher Bruce,
Playing Fire,
Bruce Rooster,
Rockers Females,
Le Noce,
Red Rooster,
Paint Black,
Dream Rooster,
Black Ruby,
Lady Jane,
anger frustration,
christopher bruce,
playing fire,
party scene,
lead dancer,
incorporates issues,
movements demonstrate,
pop dance,
movement motifs,
gender expectations,
|
Acceptance Essays
