Friday Lessons

Revue

Light theatrical entertainment consisting of a series of dances, songs and variety acts.


- Fun
- Thematic
- Strong facial expression/character

There's No Business Like Show Business

Which actions demonstrate different styles?

- can can, kicks, clapping
- use of skirt holding
- hair, bell ringing

Scottish:
Traditional scottish dancing

French:
Traditional can-can, high kicks

Big Finale:
- everyone on stage
- colour scheme


Easter Parade
Drum crazy:
How does Fred Astaire use prop?
- Incorporates the setting (toy shop) into the choreography
- Uses the drums to create routine
- Adds drum playing into routine and also uses them to hold and dance with
- Used moving and non-moving objects e.g jumping on the desk, hitting feet on drums
- Used drums to change dynamic
- Effortless when using props
- Used the child to turn
- Used rabbit to turn

A Couple of Swells
How do the two dancers show characterization?



- through prop/costume teeth, hats, coats - beggers, poor
- stylistic features, the way they walk etc.
- satirical, pretending to be rich
- strong facial expressions - raising up chin
- physical, sticking out pinkies
- actions match lyrics "sail down the avenue" etc



Singin' In The Rain
Make 'em laugh:

How does the dancer show comedy?

- weird jumps, floor movements
- contact with person he wants to make laugh
- funny up movements, facial expression
- falling, fake fight and contact with pillow figure/rag doll
- spins on the floor
- flips off the wall, then goes through the wall
- random mistakes, slapstick
- taking the mick out of himself
- actions do not match words

Duet between Gene Kelly and Cyd Cherise - Dream Sequence:

How does she show her personality through movement?

- Hip wiggles/bum shake
- Shimmy
- kicking of objects
- interacts closely to him then stops at last minute, playing hard to get, teasing
- quite bitchy, up herself personality

Gentleman Prefer Blondes

Diamonds are a girls best friend:

Which steps are often used in the choreography of a large scale musical theatre production number?

Spins, hip bounces, poses, chest touching, shimmy, hand shakes, hops/leaps, kicks, hand on hips upside down, arm rotations, active stillness

White Christmas

Mandy:

Uses claps, step turns, box step, knee claps, body ripples, hand twirls, shoulder popping, stamps, long walks/steps, leans, leg extensions, back bends/high releases, step ball change, lifts

Gee, I wish I was back in the army:

Uses triple step, arm gestures, linking arms, contact gestures, marching, cross steps, facial expressions, twists, jive based steps, bends, falls, use of props

Moulin Rouge
ACTION:
- Slaps roses away as she is not interested in romance, only material goods

SPACE:
- Use of level, main character higher up than everyone else through lifts and staging which shows authority and her thinking she is better than everyone else
- The moments where she was being lifted by everyone flying around at beginning in the high up chair

DYNAMICS:
- sharp hands and arm gestures
- fast paced, upbeat
- matched the music
- frantic, wild, excitable mood through dynamic

RELATIONSHIPS:
- audience were rich men, all wanted the same thing which was her
- drawing people towards her then pushing them away, teasing

Viva La Diva
What can you do with a cane?

Isolations, walk with it, spin holding it, twiddle it, tap dance with it, tap the cane on the floor, windmill with it, lean with it, make rhythms with it, pose with it

What can you do with a chair?

Lean on/off the chair, walk round it, jump off it, spin/drag/move it, stand on it, push down on it, pose on it, isolations, sit on it