Dance Commons^™

Enter The Movement: Generating Stimulus From Sceneography And Proposing 'De-Sign' As A Tool For Choreographic Invention, Helene Gee Markstein

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to provide the notion of ‘de-sign’ as a proposed aid for movement composition and is the core framework of my research, which is aimed at empowering the dancer/choreographer with a multi-disciplinary aesthetic and a focus for dialectic discussion and experimentation with all material enclosed within the scenographic. De-sign is a method for decoding scenography (as a deconstruction tool to extract the components of composition classified as elements and principles). The play on words is a deliberate acknowledgement of the ‘design’ in the scenographic environment which, in this study, takes into account that all forms …

Uncovering A Genre : The Integration Of Suspended Aerial Apparatus And Contemporary Dance Practice In Australia, Catherine Ryan

Theses : Honours

Genres in the performing arts are constantly shifting and changing, with many artforms evolving into new spheres of performance. It is not uncommon for creators to employ tools and techniques from various disciplines to support their artistic vision and enhance their work. A number of contemporary dance artists have begun to explore movement in the air by adapting skills or equipment from other disciplines and industries to suit their needs. At the same time, some circus artists and aerialists have been lowering their apparatus to incorporate ground-based movement into their work. It is this cross-pollination between art-forms that has formed …

Skipping Against Hegemony: Where Are States Of Lightness In Contemporary Dance-Making?, Margaret J. Phillips

Research outputs 2013

Dance relies on physical ideas born out of human experience. Changes in what we “do” and “transmit” in the context of pedagogy should follow the shifting and informed perspectives of the time, reflecting scientific, sociological, and imaginative advancements and practices. One day, while a young girl skipped down a university pathway, that principle was brought into question. This innocent protagonist’s skipping provoked a search for explanations of the erasure of a complex “foundational” action from the grounds of adult knowledgeable behaviour. Could this dismissal of a physical idea bear any correspondences with a limited range of contemporary dance compositional modes …

Capturing Dance: The Art Of Documentation (An Exploration Of Distilling The Body In Motion), Kasey J. Lack

Theses : Honours

This research paper is an exploration of documenting and capturing live dance performance in regards to three artistic mediums, Notation, Photography and Film. This piece of writing discusses practitioners who have contributed to the development of these processes such as: Ann Hutchinson Guest, Rudolf von Laban, Eadweard Muybridge, Lois Greenfield, Ted Shawn, Norman McLaren and Sue Healey. In conjunction with historical and current day research the secondary document provided alongside this thesis describes the practical investigation undertaken. The reflections included define first-hand discoveries of how these three mediums of documenting interconnect to describe a contemporary dance solo. Thoughts, findings and …

The Synergy Of Visual Projections And Contemporary Dance, Hannah Molly Timbrell

Theses : Honours

Projections are becoming an increasingly common part of contemporary dance performance, however, I believe that choreographers do not always integrate the media to form a dependent synergy. My research addresses the principal question: What are the factors that indicate that there is a critical relationship (synergy) between projection, including art work, moving images or light and the dancer in a contemporary dance performance? A brief history explains the background and development of lighting technology, through to film and more recently motion capture technology. Through sources of pre-existing literature and my interpretation of video excerpts of contemporary dance, I explore various …

Intimate Encounters: A Study Of The Interaction Between Dancer And Observer, Caitlin Mackenzie

Theses : Honours

This paper explores the world of intimate performance, looking at the effect intimate spatial relations have on the connection between performer and audience. The constraints and unspoken formalities of traditional theatre conventions are examined, with a focus on the resulting relationship between the individual audience member and the performer. Comparisons of performances respecting traditional conventions, and those which are site-specific, one-on-one and involve audience interaction, will provide the basis of the examination of the nature of intimate performance and the audience-performer relationship. Performance interaction is compared to nonverbal social interaction and what the blurring of these phenomena means. Essentially I …

The Dancing Imagination: How Does Imaginative Imagery Facilitate Movement Qualities In Dance Training And Performance?, Rachel Perica

Theses : Honours

The purpose· of this case study was to explore how imagery facilitates movement quality in dance training and performance. A literature review on classifications of direct and indirect imagery and imagery in relation to neuroscience, was investigated to firstly define imagery. The confusion over defining movement quality led to a literature review on Kinesiology and Gaga methods and how these dance-training methods utilise imagery in different ways to enhance the movement quality of dance in training and performance. Qualitative research methodology was used in this case study. The case study used a purposeful sample of eight subjects who were undergraduate …

Dancing With Risk: Risk-Taking As A Performance Practice In Contemporary Dance, Gemma Dawkins

Theses : Honours

Why is risk intentionally cultivated in contemporary dance? What purpose does it serve, for performers, choreographers and audiences? This thesis explores the ways in which risk-taking affects the meaning and significance of a dance work. It seeks to question whether the use of risk can render a dance more powerful, affecting or confronting, or whether intentional risk overshadows and, thus, detracts attention away from the aesthetic content. I also ask how being 'at risk' affects the performer. Can it engender investment and authenticity? The risks explored in this thesis include both physical and emotional or intellectual risks. I refer to …

The Ephemerality Of Dance, Abby Frances Johnson

Theses : Honours

"A dancer is bound to the given form of the human body" (Hamalainen, 2009, p. 107). As an art form, dance relies on the movement of these bodies. Dance is not fixed but can leave a lasting impression on the viewer. As a performance art, dance is truly ephemeral- a term that has been defined as "lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace" (Encarta®, 2009). As a dance performer and spectator, I am affected by this ephemerality on a daily basis. Within this thesis, I initially outline what constitutes dance as ephemeral. I then …

Historically And In The Context Of Globalisation, How Do Western European Perceptions Of Folk/ Traditional Dance Pervade And Shape The Field Of Dance?, Emma Fishwick

Theses : Honours

With the international dance community becoming increasingly globalised, how do Western European perceptions of folk/ traditional dance pervade and shape the field of dance? This paper will discuss Western European perspectives towards traditional and folk dance and investigate the origins of such perspectives, if they do indeed exist. In doing so the reasoning of Western European perspectives will be examined, considered and questioned alongside that of non-Western European perspectives. The thesis is compiled from a wide range of textual sources that explore Western European world views in relation to non-Western European perspectives to argue that such perspectives do, to a …

The Success And Sustainability Of Improvisation In A Live Performance Context, Ashleigh Rose Berry

Theses : Honours

I am interested in investigating the value improvisation holds when placed in a live dance performance context. I am discussing improvisation in terms of it being an individual exploration of one's movement potential to create a personal movement language. Within this, I place focus on the body as a source of knowledge and the embodied movement possibilities that inevitably make up each individual dancer's personal movement language. I am also interested in the audience's perceptions of what defines successful dance and the dancer and audience relationship that forms during the duration of a performance. Can the practice of improvising be …

Constellations, Pathways Through The Body : An Exploration Creating New Movement Pathways Using Dual Patterning, Gemma Laing

Theses : Honours

This research paper is an exploration of the creation of movement using dual patterning, which is the tracing of two patterns simultaneously as a dual task. This piece of writing discusses practitioners Twyla Tharp, Trisha Brown and Lisa Kraus in their experiments with altering bodily habit. It also discusses patterns, imagery, bodily knowledge, and coordination to help facilitate the experiment. Thoughts and findings from the studio are discussed from the process to gain understanding of the experiment. Utilizing bodily intelligence or bodily knowledge, the body initially experiences a separation of hemispheres or halves of the body to enable the process …

The Communicating Dance, Alison Plevey

Theses : Honours

Does dance have the ability to communicate universally to all observers at some level of human engagement? This paper discusses theatre dance as a human communicative medium, the characteristics of how it communicates and to a certain degree why and what it communicates. In doing so the intentions of the communicating dancer and choreographer are considered alongside that of the receptive and responsive audience. The thesis compiles a survey of textual sources pin pointing the unique communicative abilities of dance, as an artistic, expressive and meaningful form of non-verbal communication establishing suggestions of the ways it may be universally communicable.

'Youth Ventures Into The Unknown' Developing An Individual Style Of Dance Making, Kate Herron

Theses : Honours

As a new emerging dancer and artist who is highly interested in the form of choreography, the search for knowledge and understanding of where choreography has come from as well as how to generate works have been at the forefront of my personal journey in dance. My thesis looks at and asks how the formal choreographic elements and approaches can assist new choreographers in developing an individual style of dance making? This question leads to the various approaches and elements taken from famous choreographers over time, and assesses how new emerging artists can draw from these examples as a way …

Architects Of The Identity Of Dance: Gender Inequity In Achievement And Acknowledgment In Australian Contemporary Dance, Quindell Orton

Theses : Honours

Evidence suggests that males receive more opportunities, awards and dominate the dance scene in terms of artistic directorship of high visibility, large budget contemporary dance companies within Australia. This research investigates why and how males have come to be the architects of the identity of dance and the factors which may inhibit a counterpart female's likelihood of assuming the same role. Much of this paper deals with constructing hypotheses for how gender disparities in contemporary dance may have come about. In order to devise informed hypotheses, I have gathered data on government funding and national dance awards. In addition interviews …

The Relationship Between Working Memory Capacity And Movement Memory Of Dancers, Katrina Louise Muller-Townsend

Theses : Honours

Working memory capacity span tasks are suggested to predict complex cognitive behaviour across varied domains (Conway et al., 2005). However, it has been criticised that expert skills are highly situational and domain specific (Marteniuk, 1974). The current research aimed to investigate whether general memory span was related to movement span, and furthermore, whether this can predict dance learning. It was expected that memory for movement would be positively correlated with measures of working memory, due to the specific components of working memory, such as the capacity of the phonological loop. Furthermore, it was expected on the basis of previous research …

Dreaming In Motion: Maintaining Community, Culture And Identity Of First Australians, Ian R.T. Colless

Theses : Honours

No abstract provided.

The Classics And Her Cygnets: Classic Choreographies And Their Contemporary (Counter) Parts, Leeke Griffin

Theses : Honours

The proliferation of contemporary interpretations of classic works throughout the history of dance is substantial, yet there is little scholarly acknowledgement of contemporary interpretations as a genre unto themselves. Unlike other art forms, there is a lack of academic research into contemporary interpretations within dance and their place in dance history. This thesis delves into the genre of contemporary interpretations of classic choreographies, uncovering their popular appeal, the various approaches, their role and contribution to dance history. The second part is a comparative Swan Lake case study, examining the works of Mats Ek, Matthew Bourne and Garry Stewart in reference …

Is Dance Good For The Body Or Not? : An Examination Of Body Awareness And Injury Prevention For Specialised Tertiary Dance Students, Kylie Murray

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this research paper is to discover more about tertiary dance and the effects that dance has on the body. I will discuss the pressures that dance places on the body, looking specifically at the years during full time study as a tertiary student. I will address dance issues such as common injuries, the reasons these injuries occur, prevention strategies, the effect that dance has on the mind and training conditions generally. Research into tertiary dance education programs, dance injuries, injury prevention, and general dance patterns will be supported by survey responses to come to some conclusions about …

Cinematography And Choreography: "It Takes Two To Tango", Laura Boynes

Theses : Honours

As a practicing dancer and choreographer with a developing interest in film, the lifelong struggle (where many have gone before) to capture and accurately depict choreography on screen, intrigues me.

Who should dance the camera or the choreography? These are questions that have been pondered by choreographers and theorists for centuries, with pioneers such as Busby Berkeley and Maya Deren each finding their own answers to success.

This thesis discusses the creation and production of dance film, and the importance of movement in front of and behind the camera lens. I believe experimentation and research are the most effective methods …

Photography, Dance And The Concept Of Punctum, Rhiannon Newton

Theses : Honours

... catching the underground home from the performance. Alone ... tears streaming down my face ... but I feel warm, uplifted, acutely sensitive. I can't pinpoint exactly what part of the performance or what idea is particularly affecting me. There is a broadening in my screen of vision, an excitement in previously unnoticed detail... an older wisdom (Journal 2007).

"Reality' is always, already encoded, it is never raw" (Fiske in Underwood.2003, p5). Codification negates abstraction or loss of information. "We do not live among and relate to physical objects and events. We live among and relate to systems of signs" …

Lost In Translation: Making Sense Of Dance Through Words, Paul T. O'Sullivan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of this paper is to enter into the debate about meaning and movement and challenge the idea of dance as linguistic communication. Without words, and even with words according to some linguistic theorists, it's not possible to make sense unless we come to an agreement about a set of shared concepts. This is difficult in dance, an art form that has been silent, but undergoing evolutionary change for a large part of its history. I take the point of view that performance movement is even more arbitrary than text as a form of signification. We can read words …

The Influence Of Genetics And The Environment On Human Personalities, Relationships And Experiences, Patrice Smith

Theses : Honours

It's no mystery that our genetic make-up plays an integral part in the outcome of our lives, but to what extent exactly are our personalities, relationships and experiences pre-determined by this genetic code? There are two forces that contribute to the outcome of these aspects of our lives. Genetics and Environment. The significance of the environment, i.e., our upbringing, lifestyle and the world around us is often emphasized by psychologists as the more dominant force, however our genes are just as, if not more, influential on our lives. My choreographic process is directly in relation to the group of artists …

The Dancing Mind, Rebecca Mccormac

Theses : Honours

How is it that we go from the unknown to the known? Is there a parallel relationship between mind and body? How does the brain inform the body? An active approach to cognition conceives of the mind as one with the body. The human brain controls feeling, cognition, perception, action, learning and other basic functions, and therefore it is vital to consider the influence of neuroscience on the development of cognitive psychology and vice versa, when looking at a dancing body/mind.

What Are The Benefits Of Dance In Relation To Developing Creative Potential For The Individual?, Shannon Riggs

Theses : Honours

This thesis proposes to discuss the benefits of creativity for the individual and highlight the increasing importance of creativity in today's society. The thesis discusses how creativity can be identified, nurtured and developed and what factors effect the development of creative potential. Creativity plays a major role in dance as an art form. This thesis draws attention to the fact that dance teaches many of the key skills needed to develop creative potential and how dance can be utilised as an avenue to enhancing an individual's creative ability. This thesis will outline the parallels between learning dance and developing creative …

Dis-Patch: Practice As. . . Practice And Research, Jonathan Mustard, Chrissie Parrott

Creative Connections Symposium @ BEAP2004 September 4, 2004

Dis-Patch is the title of a dance work that was partly the outcome of research into ways in which movement in space might successfully correlate to the parameters of sound. The process of making the work in workshops, rehearsals and performance both altered our view of, and added to the background research. It became evident in this process that certain outcomes, whilst alien to musically conventional ears, were nevertheless valid and interesting sonic translations of the choreography. The performance demonstrated how issues within and between disciplines can be re-problematised through the creative and innovative use of technology. It is our …

Phillip Adams, Nanette Hassall

Creative Connections Symposium @ BEAP2004 September 4, 2004

This paper explores the importance of narrative in Phillip Adams’ work. Despite the fact that he is seen by the critics as a member of the ‘post moderns’ in dance in Australia there are significant ways in which we see him depart from the traditional understandings of those terms in order to develop a more idiosyncratic and personal style.

Accumulated Response In Live Improvised Dance Performance, Joanna T. Pollitt

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The response project and accompanying thesis aim to affirm the role of the dancer as an authority in revealing patterns and traces of accumulated lived experience, knowledge and ideas through the practice and performance of dance improvisation. The dancing body is investigated as a dynamical and complex system of research that is embedded in a process of continual response to the present. These bodily inscriptions and the process of active response form the seminal grounds for the physical and energetic exchange of improvised dance in performance.

Tracing Image And Bodily Displacement In Modern And Postmodern Dance, Carolyn Margaret Griffiths

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Through time the dancer has been both celebrated and disadvantaged by antithetical ideas: the division of soul and body, form and matter, life and death, artist and audience. For the romantics, the dancing body stood in a relationship to poetic thought in much the same way as the dancer stood to the body. Notions of the body in early modernism arose from cultural and political constructs through which poets and writers examined the nature of truth. These poets, Yeats in particular, hinted at a premise that a whole history of culture may be necessary to explain why women and art …