References:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/143668232454635/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/martha-graham-style-technique-and-choreography/10750.html
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071126082205AAxOgG1
Source: Pérez, J., 1995, "Yerma: Overview" in Reference Guide to World Literature, 2nd ed., edited by Lesley Henderson, St. James Press.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lI33Qz1VLg
http://yermedea.blogspot.co.uk/2012_08_01_archive.html
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Week 5 Washerwomen dancing!
All I'm saying is simply this that all life is interrelated, that somehow were caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. For some strange reason, I can never be what u ought to be until you are what you ought t be. You can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This quote is to say that everything we do and do not do has an effect. This can be applied to the rehearsals to say that now we have to push ourselves even harder and consider our contribution to the rehearsal process and product. This washerwomen have been rehearsing a lot, especially the new salsa section. It has built up into a more fast paced salsa. We have mixed movement from traditional salsa with the main gestures that represent fertility and the womb. I picked up the new bit quickly. I need to add a lot more expression to my movement in the salsa section especially. Washerwomen had a video session outdoors on Wednesday. Washerwomen represent the firing squad that is going to shoot Yerma. We symbolised a gun with our fingers and concentrated on facial expression. The whole scene is very intense and the wind and cold outdoors definitely added a necessary effect to our performance. In 1930's spain that is how she would have been punished. Visualising the horror helped us as performers.
In the next weeks I want to further develop expression in my movement, perform with confidence and improve in technique classes. I aim to do that by attending every rehearsal, learning through observing others perform and rehearse collaboratively.
This quote is to say that everything we do and do not do has an effect. This can be applied to the rehearsals to say that now we have to push ourselves even harder and consider our contribution to the rehearsal process and product. This washerwomen have been rehearsing a lot, especially the new salsa section. It has built up into a more fast paced salsa. We have mixed movement from traditional salsa with the main gestures that represent fertility and the womb. I picked up the new bit quickly. I need to add a lot more expression to my movement in the salsa section especially. Washerwomen had a video session outdoors on Wednesday. Washerwomen represent the firing squad that is going to shoot Yerma. We symbolised a gun with our fingers and concentrated on facial expression. The whole scene is very intense and the wind and cold outdoors definitely added a necessary effect to our performance. In 1930's spain that is how she would have been punished. Visualising the horror helped us as performers.
In the next weeks I want to further develop expression in my movement, perform with confidence and improve in technique classes. I aim to do that by attending every rehearsal, learning through observing others perform and rehearse collaboratively.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Week 4 Extending the performance
On Monday the washerwomen developed a section in Victor's and Yerma's solo in act one. That section includes peeking and at that point we use our baskets to peek through. I suggested we reverse the same phrase yet this idea was not included as it makes more sense if we stay on a low level and carry on our washing and gestural movement. Everything in that section is in 8 counts and should be very easy to work with. It includes canon and dancing in trios.
On Tuesday we had a long rehearsal and carried on with the washerwomen. We have an entire section on the floor that includes bits from two different dances, Yerma's solo and washerwomen's line section. The added bit shows how Yerma's clock is ticking and is making fun of Yerma's concerns. I contributed to the idea of Yerma's clock ticking and used my arm to show the clock and then bend the elbow, bring it down sharply to my stomach and lean forward. I came up with this movement to show the pain of Yerma. As was said in the rehearsals, the washerwomen are very nasty people. I will be making the sounds of crying, shouting and weeping on the stage. We used different choreographic devices that included canon. The intention is to show the washerwomen looking at Yerma and the movement has to be very exaggerated in order for it to work. The canon moves into a unison section followed by two groups of dancers, one group staying on a high and one on a low level. There is also a bit that uses contact work from the workshop we have had. That is rolling back to back on each other.
On Tuesday the rehearsal went well. We used motif development to make the piece longer. We developed the original line section and made it more moving. Later that whole section was dropped. At that point there should be a change in rhythm as the audience have now seen 5 minutes of gestures and gossiping. There will be some salsa that we will be doing on Friday.
On Friday we did some salsa with the washerwomen. We still used the cloth to move around with and I believe it will look very good once we get it. We used elements of basic salsa, ballet, susie que walks, shimmies etc. There is a lot of leaps and hops, turns and the counts need to be sorted out. I was struggling with the leaps and straightening of the legs. I need to practice the jump called assemble. Ballet classes should help me to strengthen and straighten my limbs. We are doing assemble jumps every ballet class.
On Tuesday we had a long rehearsal and carried on with the washerwomen. We have an entire section on the floor that includes bits from two different dances, Yerma's solo and washerwomen's line section. The added bit shows how Yerma's clock is ticking and is making fun of Yerma's concerns. I contributed to the idea of Yerma's clock ticking and used my arm to show the clock and then bend the elbow, bring it down sharply to my stomach and lean forward. I came up with this movement to show the pain of Yerma. As was said in the rehearsals, the washerwomen are very nasty people. I will be making the sounds of crying, shouting and weeping on the stage. We used different choreographic devices that included canon. The intention is to show the washerwomen looking at Yerma and the movement has to be very exaggerated in order for it to work. The canon moves into a unison section followed by two groups of dancers, one group staying on a high and one on a low level. There is also a bit that uses contact work from the workshop we have had. That is rolling back to back on each other.
On Tuesday the rehearsal went well. We used motif development to make the piece longer. We developed the original line section and made it more moving. Later that whole section was dropped. At that point there should be a change in rhythm as the audience have now seen 5 minutes of gestures and gossiping. There will be some salsa that we will be doing on Friday.
On Friday we did some salsa with the washerwomen. We still used the cloth to move around with and I believe it will look very good once we get it. We used elements of basic salsa, ballet, susie que walks, shimmies etc. There is a lot of leaps and hops, turns and the counts need to be sorted out. I was struggling with the leaps and straightening of the legs. I need to practice the jump called assemble. Ballet classes should help me to strengthen and straighten my limbs. We are doing assemble jumps every ballet class.
Dancing with the cloth
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Week 3 Developing the characters
On Monday we were rehearsing independently. The Washerwomen carried on where they were left and we created another 32 counts of movement material that could possibly be used for our phrase. New movement ideas came from visualising the scene and simply improvisation. We also considered the props such as the sheets and baskets and started moving around with them. At first we tried everything that came to our minds then later we cut out the bits that did not feel right or were not connected to the theme. The lesson was more about getting on terms with the washerwomen and using movement that is relevant to our theme. I had an idea of a freeze frame in the corner. The washerwomen all stand in a cluster and then one by one freeze into a position. This idea was included and I thought it could also change in rhythm repeating the few positions we had.
On Tuesday we focused on characterisation. We all created a motif on washerwomen last week. The motif we did is not related to our new characters that are now called Grumpy, Bashful, Sleepy, Sneezy and Happy all inspired by the seven dwarfs. Each one of us now has a character and mine is bashful, shy, timid. How did I develop my character? First of all, we all changed our motifs on the spot according to our character. I more or less dropped my motif, however, it was still useful to play around with the whole idea of washerwomen to understand where they might be coming from. I first of all, changed my body language and became less upright in my posture. I did not face the audience, I turned myself upstage. I then started to give the audience short glimpses that should convey my nervousness and timidness. Also, I considered relationships to other characters. For example, I should be slightly afraid of other characters, especially grumpy. I also considered reactions in relation to other characters. If sneezy sneases I start shivering and become a little shocked. It is important to stay in your character throughout the performance. I was told to correct my posture as my posture changed and became upright, I should be staying in a slight contraction position holding my abdominals in to show that I am not an open individual. Also, I was told that a shy person would be looking around a lot more, trying not to face any other character.
There is one interesting way of developing movement that we tried in our rehearsals. The opening scene was formed out of a warm up. We all walked around the space and created 8 counts of movement in our heads. Then we continued walking around but one of us performed the motif that was just created in our minds. After that we paired up and learned each other's motif's. Then we grouped into 4's and learned each other motifs. We could also choose the order. Then we showed that sequence to the audience and they related it to the character's in Yerma. Firstly it represented the idea of confusion because we use canon a lot and the movement is fast taking bits from everyones character that makes the audience very confused. We were told that expression should be in each movement in the opening scene. That it is not simply a movement. If we visualise the characters and have more intention/emotion when we dance then it should become more expressive. The audience can then guess what the story we are trying to tell is about. I myself have noticed it too, only a slight change in our movement can make a huge difference. Therefore, I started dancing with more expression in my body and also considered facial expression. As a result, I had to think a lot more when I was dancing.
On Wednesday we choreographed the line section and it was no longer some sort of improvisation. We also repeat this section later on in the performance. We repeat the section yet make it look more like a dance. So instead of gestural movement our movement expands and becomes more moving. The whole piece was made longer using duets and trios and a bit from Yerma's solo. I did a duet with Daniella and the idea is that the old woman helps me overcome my shyness. I used body ripples to show the idea of a ritual and Daniella was the leader in my duet. She initiates the movement.
I thought Martha Graham could be an inspirational choreographer as her choreography is very expressive. Not just the contraction and release but the curved shapes that are soft, welcoming whereas the straight lines are usually strong and intimidating. Martha Graham took the natural movement of the body and theatricalised it. That is widely used in our piece and I will also use Graham's contraction when moving round the space to show the idea of being closed and inwards rather than projecting. Also, Graham was interested in the basic body language. Graham pointed out that the torso was the seat of emotional responses. I thought I will be using my torso more from now on and have shoulders up most of the time. The inhalation and exhalation of the body that could be used to show the nervousness of my character.
The rehearsals this week have gone very well. I have a better idea of what I will be doing as characterising helps to feel more comfortable on the stage. During the next weeks I want to focus on expression and how to integrate expression in my dance. When rehearsing it is important to pick on expression first and then the technique as expression might become lost when not rehearsed properly.
On Tuesday we focused on characterisation. We all created a motif on washerwomen last week. The motif we did is not related to our new characters that are now called Grumpy, Bashful, Sleepy, Sneezy and Happy all inspired by the seven dwarfs. Each one of us now has a character and mine is bashful, shy, timid. How did I develop my character? First of all, we all changed our motifs on the spot according to our character. I more or less dropped my motif, however, it was still useful to play around with the whole idea of washerwomen to understand where they might be coming from. I first of all, changed my body language and became less upright in my posture. I did not face the audience, I turned myself upstage. I then started to give the audience short glimpses that should convey my nervousness and timidness. Also, I considered relationships to other characters. For example, I should be slightly afraid of other characters, especially grumpy. I also considered reactions in relation to other characters. If sneezy sneases I start shivering and become a little shocked. It is important to stay in your character throughout the performance. I was told to correct my posture as my posture changed and became upright, I should be staying in a slight contraction position holding my abdominals in to show that I am not an open individual. Also, I was told that a shy person would be looking around a lot more, trying not to face any other character.
There is one interesting way of developing movement that we tried in our rehearsals. The opening scene was formed out of a warm up. We all walked around the space and created 8 counts of movement in our heads. Then we continued walking around but one of us performed the motif that was just created in our minds. After that we paired up and learned each other's motif's. Then we grouped into 4's and learned each other motifs. We could also choose the order. Then we showed that sequence to the audience and they related it to the character's in Yerma. Firstly it represented the idea of confusion because we use canon a lot and the movement is fast taking bits from everyones character that makes the audience very confused. We were told that expression should be in each movement in the opening scene. That it is not simply a movement. If we visualise the characters and have more intention/emotion when we dance then it should become more expressive. The audience can then guess what the story we are trying to tell is about. I myself have noticed it too, only a slight change in our movement can make a huge difference. Therefore, I started dancing with more expression in my body and also considered facial expression. As a result, I had to think a lot more when I was dancing.
On Wednesday we choreographed the line section and it was no longer some sort of improvisation. We also repeat this section later on in the performance. We repeat the section yet make it look more like a dance. So instead of gestural movement our movement expands and becomes more moving. The whole piece was made longer using duets and trios and a bit from Yerma's solo. I did a duet with Daniella and the idea is that the old woman helps me overcome my shyness. I used body ripples to show the idea of a ritual and Daniella was the leader in my duet. She initiates the movement.
I thought Martha Graham could be an inspirational choreographer as her choreography is very expressive. Not just the contraction and release but the curved shapes that are soft, welcoming whereas the straight lines are usually strong and intimidating. Martha Graham took the natural movement of the body and theatricalised it. That is widely used in our piece and I will also use Graham's contraction when moving round the space to show the idea of being closed and inwards rather than projecting. Also, Graham was interested in the basic body language. Graham pointed out that the torso was the seat of emotional responses. I thought I will be using my torso more from now on and have shoulders up most of the time. The inhalation and exhalation of the body that could be used to show the nervousness of my character.
The rehearsals this week have gone very well. I have a better idea of what I will be doing as characterising helps to feel more comfortable on the stage. During the next weeks I want to focus on expression and how to integrate expression in my dance. When rehearsing it is important to pick on expression first and then the technique as expression might become lost when not rehearsed properly.
Symbolising the unit
Week 2 Brainstorming ideas
That week we were focusing on how we want to present Yerma. We decided that we want to present Yerma as it might have been back in the day in early 20th century Spain. The washerwomen decided on the props they want to use that will be the baskets, the washing line and the linen. Also, ideas for the film. For example, some baby clothes hung on the line that blown by the wind to symbolise the sadness and yearning of Yerma. The washerwomen used the chairs in the rehearsals to represent the baskets. It was the idea of using the baskets and sheets to dance with. We started off using different levels, some of us medium, some high level, some low level and each one of us was doing the laundry. We turned around in a circle and changed positions. I came up with the idea of a circle because circle symbolises the idea of a unit. Then we turned the chairs around and used them as baskets, sat on them and rolled around to include them in our dance.
Then one of us started the gossip and it spread. What really helped to get into the gossipy characters was using some gossiping lines and then what would our first reaction be(first response). We changed positions and turned, changed levels, came more into a cluster and then spread out a bit more, in other words used a variety of ways to show the idea of a team and gossiping. Different gestural movement was used- clicks, claps, rolling eyes, hand gestures, playing with hair etc.
Washerwomen then turned the baskets(chairs) around and created a motif with the laundry and around the baskets. There was something I wanted to include that was to throw the sheet in the air but it did not realise as people thought it did not have enough intention in it. When we showed it to our audience the audience liked the gestural movement the most and did not enjoy the dancing bit. Therefore, during the next few weeks we will be focusing more on the physicality of washerwomen and what kind of gestures they would use. The performance will be expressionist dance work as our movement will convey the theme, emotional responses and the characters in it. Expressionist dance practitioner Pina Bausch, for example, used repetition to convey the theme. We will probably be using repeated phrases as the whole washerwomen section has to be at least 8 minutes long.
The rehearsal process this week went quite well. We need to come up with more ideas and then decide what to include in the final performance. My aim for next week is to visualise the washerwomen's performance and how they are going to use the props. Also, look at the physicality of actresses in Lorca's Yerma. This is the video I used:
Then one of us started the gossip and it spread. What really helped to get into the gossipy characters was using some gossiping lines and then what would our first reaction be(first response). We changed positions and turned, changed levels, came more into a cluster and then spread out a bit more, in other words used a variety of ways to show the idea of a team and gossiping. Different gestural movement was used- clicks, claps, rolling eyes, hand gestures, playing with hair etc.
Washerwomen then turned the baskets(chairs) around and created a motif with the laundry and around the baskets. There was something I wanted to include that was to throw the sheet in the air but it did not realise as people thought it did not have enough intention in it. When we showed it to our audience the audience liked the gestural movement the most and did not enjoy the dancing bit. Therefore, during the next few weeks we will be focusing more on the physicality of washerwomen and what kind of gestures they would use. The performance will be expressionist dance work as our movement will convey the theme, emotional responses and the characters in it. Expressionist dance practitioner Pina Bausch, for example, used repetition to convey the theme. We will probably be using repeated phrases as the whole washerwomen section has to be at least 8 minutes long.
The rehearsal process this week went quite well. We need to come up with more ideas and then decide what to include in the final performance. My aim for next week is to visualise the washerwomen's performance and how they are going to use the props. Also, look at the physicality of actresses in Lorca's Yerma. This is the video I used:
Week 1 Yerma Introduction
About the author
Federico Garcia Lorca's was born at the end of 19th century. He grew up in a rural area in Southern spain. Lorca's family soon became wealthy and they moved to the city of Granada. That had a major influence on Lorca's whole persona. Lorca found himself to be homosexual, growing interest in literature and the arts. Lorca's writing is strongly influenced by the Catholic society the writer lived in and it's principles did not appeal to Lorca. Lorca was murdered at the age of 38 by Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War.
About the play
Yerma is a three act tragedy from Federico Garcia Lorca. The main character is Yerma, an isolated housewife longing to become a mother. Yerma is not a woman's name but an adjective normally referring to barren land. Yerma's problem lies not within her infertility but in her husband, Juan, who does not want children. Out of honour and loyalty towards her husband Yerma sacrifices her own happiness. Due to marital fidelity Yerma is denying her desire for Victor. Her unfulfilled longing is intensifyed by Yerma's childhood friend Maria who is constantly pregnant. Yerma focuses on themes of moral, isolation, fear, maternity, obsession, upbringing.
Washerwomen in the play
My role within the play is to develop the character of a Washerwoman. Lorca named Washerwomen a group of women gossiping about Yerma. He did not have individual names for the women merely because they represent a team that intensifies Yerma's frustration. They are a group of village women who wash other people's laundry for a living. I imagine them as very down-to-earth characters who have little or no ambition in life so they spend most of their day gossiping. They know about Yerma's problems and wonder why she hasn't got a baby with Juan. The washerwomen have also seen Yerma with Victor and are now gossiping about Yerma desiring Victor. In a way, Washerwomen are the reason Yerma killed her husband. Washerwomen made the matters worse and increased Yerma's humiliation. The chorus judges Yerma and symbolises the society back in the day when people were very traditional. Washerwomen represent the major role of a woman in 1930's Spain that is to be a child bearer and take care of the household. Yerma feels worthless considering she can't fulfil her desire to become a mother. Washerwomen also comfort Yerma saying that Juan is the one who does not live up to the expectations of society.
On the very first week of Yerma we focused on the play and the characters in it. The first class was Contact Improvisation where we rolled on each others bodies and did some contact improvisation. What is interesting is that there was always a leader and a follower. Sometimes it was chosen and the A and B changed roles but other times it was not decided but became evident naturally. We were using each other bodies to create movement material and it was all purely technical.
Then in a group we discussed the play and talked about the main themes and characters in the play. Our idea of Yerma is still very vague and we are just getting into the characters and the relationships between them. For example, we did some gestural work on the washerwomen that we modernised into office women and created a scene that was interlinked, i.e. how women get to work on a train, car, metro and how they use modern communication tools, i.e. email, phone to pass on the gossip.
On the first week we thought of a modernised Yerma and how it is related to nowadays. Nowadays there ARE women who can't get pregnant and women who do not leave an abusive relationship. Even though women have the freedom of choice the problems still exists. Also, we talked about how maternity is something deeply important to a woman and what yearning Yerma must have felt since she her desire was not fulfilled. That was also written beautifully in the play how women are hollow without a baby. I believe every woman experiences a maternal instinct at some point in their lives.
We were creating movement that was gestural and literal, also very simplistic. There was little or no structure in our work during the first week our ideas focused on the characters and the relationships between them. Washerwomen agreed from the start that they are a unit.
Federico Garcia Lorca's was born at the end of 19th century. He grew up in a rural area in Southern spain. Lorca's family soon became wealthy and they moved to the city of Granada. That had a major influence on Lorca's whole persona. Lorca found himself to be homosexual, growing interest in literature and the arts. Lorca's writing is strongly influenced by the Catholic society the writer lived in and it's principles did not appeal to Lorca. Lorca was murdered at the age of 38 by Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War.
About the play
Yerma is a three act tragedy from Federico Garcia Lorca. The main character is Yerma, an isolated housewife longing to become a mother. Yerma is not a woman's name but an adjective normally referring to barren land. Yerma's problem lies not within her infertility but in her husband, Juan, who does not want children. Out of honour and loyalty towards her husband Yerma sacrifices her own happiness. Due to marital fidelity Yerma is denying her desire for Victor. Her unfulfilled longing is intensifyed by Yerma's childhood friend Maria who is constantly pregnant. Yerma focuses on themes of moral, isolation, fear, maternity, obsession, upbringing.
Washerwomen in the play
My role within the play is to develop the character of a Washerwoman. Lorca named Washerwomen a group of women gossiping about Yerma. He did not have individual names for the women merely because they represent a team that intensifies Yerma's frustration. They are a group of village women who wash other people's laundry for a living. I imagine them as very down-to-earth characters who have little or no ambition in life so they spend most of their day gossiping. They know about Yerma's problems and wonder why she hasn't got a baby with Juan. The washerwomen have also seen Yerma with Victor and are now gossiping about Yerma desiring Victor. In a way, Washerwomen are the reason Yerma killed her husband. Washerwomen made the matters worse and increased Yerma's humiliation. The chorus judges Yerma and symbolises the society back in the day when people were very traditional. Washerwomen represent the major role of a woman in 1930's Spain that is to be a child bearer and take care of the household. Yerma feels worthless considering she can't fulfil her desire to become a mother. Washerwomen also comfort Yerma saying that Juan is the one who does not live up to the expectations of society.
On the very first week of Yerma we focused on the play and the characters in it. The first class was Contact Improvisation where we rolled on each others bodies and did some contact improvisation. What is interesting is that there was always a leader and a follower. Sometimes it was chosen and the A and B changed roles but other times it was not decided but became evident naturally. We were using each other bodies to create movement material and it was all purely technical.
Then in a group we discussed the play and talked about the main themes and characters in the play. Our idea of Yerma is still very vague and we are just getting into the characters and the relationships between them. For example, we did some gestural work on the washerwomen that we modernised into office women and created a scene that was interlinked, i.e. how women get to work on a train, car, metro and how they use modern communication tools, i.e. email, phone to pass on the gossip.
On the first week we thought of a modernised Yerma and how it is related to nowadays. Nowadays there ARE women who can't get pregnant and women who do not leave an abusive relationship. Even though women have the freedom of choice the problems still exists. Also, we talked about how maternity is something deeply important to a woman and what yearning Yerma must have felt since she her desire was not fulfilled. That was also written beautifully in the play how women are hollow without a baby. I believe every woman experiences a maternal instinct at some point in their lives.
We were creating movement that was gestural and literal, also very simplistic. There was little or no structure in our work during the first week our ideas focused on the characters and the relationships between them. Washerwomen agreed from the start that they are a unit.
The Washerwomen
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