Dance Commons^™

The Production Of Choreography Influenced By Works Of George Balanchine, Tiffany Guy

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

One of the most renowned Ballet Masters in the history of dance is George Balanchine. By studying his works and feedback from his dancers, my goal is to gain enough information to develop a two to three minute choreographed work of my own, incorporating the influence of Balanchine’s style and design. In my research, I will be examining his history and the interviews of Balanchine-influenced dancers, reflecting on personal experiences, and dissecting his choreography and elements of my own work in creating my final choreography. Within my piece, I will be manipulating various uses of rhythms, implementing Balanchine-style movements, and …

Martin, Meredith (Fa 454), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid for Folklife Archives Project 454. Transcripts of four telephone interviews conducted with dance educator and choreographer Forrest W. Coggan by Meredith Martin, a graduate student in Western Kentucky University's Folk Studies Department.

Interviews With Forrest Winston Coggan (Fa 454), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Oral Histories

Transcripts of four interviews (Click on "Additional Files" below) with Forrest Winston Coggan, dance educator and choreographer. The telephone interviews were conducted in 2006-2007 by Meredith Martin, a graduate student in Western Kentucky University's Folk Studies Department.

In Passing, Julia Allisson Cost

Scripps Senior Theses

My intentions for "In Passing" were to build the beginnings of an education philosophy through a richly varied choreographic process. I wanted my dancers to come away from this work with a heightened eagerness to explore the unfamiliar and an increased confidence in their ability to support one another and be supported, and I wanted to learn to more effectively and tenderly lead a group of many different personalities through a long-term creative experience. I think we have been successful.

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 …

'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 …

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 …

Dance, Jody Weber

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

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 …

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 Choreography And Production Of "Jacob Five: A Journey Into The Olive Vineyard", Laurie Behunin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of choreographing "Jacob Five: A Journey into the Olive Vineyard" was to artistically express a religious allegory in order to praise God as well as to bring the audience, dancers, and choreographer to a new understanding of the passage from which it was derived. The 39-minute dance was presented April 10, 1993 as a dance fireside. Following the performance, an informal discussion was held to give the audience an opportunity to respond to the dance. These comments were considered and recorded as part of the evaluation of this thesis. Both the thesis and video of "Jacob Five: A …

Project In Choreography, Maura Murphy

Senior Scholar Papers

After researching the effects that Eastern philosophies and art forms have had on Western choreography, I noticed that those who implement the Eastern concepts of unity of body and mind produce dances which are more than phrases of movements strung together every eight counts.

As a dancer, I have a tendency to view many dances in terms of pointed feet, straight legs, and cohesiveness of ensemble work, as opposed to seeing the actual choreography. However, when watching video tapes of some "new wave" choreography by various artists interested in East Asia, I saw the dances as whole entities.

I was …

Seerveld Dance Recital, James Koldenhoven

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Dance Choreography, James Koldenhoven

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

The Reformatory And Choreographic Contributions Of Micheal Fokine, Elaine Louise Bauer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Many individuals have contributed to the development of dance throughout its history--some as choreographers, some as teachers, and others as performing artists. But there is no personality more significant nor more relevant to dance as we know it today than the Russian artist, Micheal Fokine.