Unit 4 Rosas

Task one

 The name of the piece is called ‘Rosas Danst rosas' it is by a woman called Anna Teresa De Keermaeker who is a Belgium choreographer and has created many memorable pieces of dance. When she was a child she studied ballet at Lambert in Brussels and continued ballet she then travelled to New York in 1981 when she found a new love for American post- modern dance at the Tisch School of arts. Rosas is best known for very abstract, repetitive, pedestrian and minimalistic style of dance. Rosa’s choreography works effectively because of how small body parts are highlighted and made the central theme of a motif and also the movements are cleverly pieced together to create rhythmic patterns resulting in perfect unison. The first performance in stage was in 1983 and the first film version was make in 1997. The theme of the dance in human behaviour and anger which is conveyed to the audience through the use of a range of sharp definite movements and soft sloppy movements, also a look of complete anger and irritation is kept throughout. The starting point behind the theme was making a music-dance relationship, taking human emotions that everyone feels such as anger, frustration, desperation and turning the emotions into a dance routine with a repetitive rhythm running throughout. There are two versions of this dance; film and stage, the stage version has 8 sections to it and 4 female dancers and was set by Keermaeker, the lighting was Remon fromont and the costumes for both stage and film was uniformed to give the effect of the institional feel of the dance. However the film was directed by Thierry de Mey who accompanied the piece along with peter vermeersch. The film had 18 dancers and only had 5 sections and the only lighting used was the natural light from the window. The stage production had electronic, percussion and minimalist music to accompany the natural sounds of the dancers on stage such has their breaths in and out and their sigh which also add to the theme and feel of ‘fed up’. The film uses different camera angles to also create the same effect and also layering images to create the repetitive nature of the dance. Also in the film it takes place in empty corridors and rooms also for one section chairs are used as on stage.        

Bibliography:

hilton junior (2015) Videodança - Rosas danst Rosas/ Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLZExpgBOY (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

In-line Citation:

(hilton junior, 2015)

Rosas vzw (2013) Rosas danst Rosas - Second movement. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssQsVnECVqU (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

In-line Citation:

(Rosas vzw, 2013)

Rosas and mail @rosas, fa. - (2013) Re: Rosas! The fABULEUS Rosas Remix project. Available at: http://www.rosasdanstrosas.be/en-home/ (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

In-line Citation:

(Rosas and mail @rosas, 2013)

Hendryckx, M. (no date) Re: Rosas! The fABULEUS Rosas Remix project. Available at: http://www.rosasdanstrosas.be/background/ (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

In-line Citation:

(Hendryckx, no date)

Task 2

The difference between the two versions is the film has much more of an institional feel to it, there are only 4 dancers in the stage version but the film version has 18.The films structure is made up of 5 sections whereas the stage has 8 sections. The set for the stage version is just chairs on stage with four dancers, the film however changes scenery to empty corridors and large rooms almost a school setting. Both version have a very institional feel they are just presented in a different way and the movements are very similar also lots of throwing your arms and head down over the knees. However the stage version they constantly are using the chairs the film however don’t always use the chairs. Both pieces are very repetitive and convey the same feeling of being fed up, the theme for both are also the same. When the film version uses chairs the chairs are set up in the same formations as the stage version with one person sitting on one chair with two empty chairs either side of them. The film version the costume is very baggy clothing and all the dancers are wearing the same which fits well with the repetitive movements which conveys to the audience a uniformed institional atmosphere. The setting throughout changes however in each scene the setting is very worn down such as the walls are discoloured the corridors are completely empty which emphasises the theme of the dance of human behaviour and emotions such as tiredness, anger, frustration etc. the setting in the film also is very old fashioned which I think is because it sets the time in which women were see has housewives. The music is also very repetitive which compliments the movement well, some noise is made though the human actions such as walking the sound of the footsteps is amplified which makes this piece very effective also at the beginning of the film there is just a single women dancing without a chair and it is complete silence except you can hear her feet sliding on the floor. Also the use of breath during particular moments accompanies the movement really well because it gives the audience a clearer understanding of each emotion that is being portrayed. There is  lot of body noise made throughout the whole piece such has the sound of an arm hitting the body which I think emphasises the theme .The camera also plays a vital role in the production of the piece. The camera catches and highlights minor insignificant movement like a hand dropping down which makes the viewer think about it a bit more and helps convey the message of piece it also emphasises the choreography effectively . The camera also focuses on different dancers as every dancer shows an individual emotion.  

Bibliography:

hilton junior (2015) Videodança - Rosas danst Rosas/ Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLZExpgBOY (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

in-line Citation:

(hilton junior, 2015)

Rosas vzw (2013) Rosas danst Rosas - Second movement. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssQsVnECVqU (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

In-line Citation:

(Rosas vzw, 2013)    

Task 3

The reviews in the guardian appreciate the work of Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker the writer clearly recognises the hard work and strength that is put into the dance Rosas Danst Rosas and can really find and relate to the meaning behind the piece. The most recent reviews were more positive about the dance and could understand the abstractness of the dance unlike in 1983 when it was first performed the audiences reaction was much more negative and didn’t appreciate the hard work, time and effort that was made to perform the piece as the audience was described as being “bored to sobs” which I think reveals the evolution of the way people view dance as nowadays dance can be seen more as a piece of art than a ‘sport’ or a ‘technical skill’. The guardian gives clear detail to the dance and recognises certain movements like ”smoothing their hair, resting their heads, clutching their foreheads and making their shoulders bare” which clearly illustrates the attention to detail the writer has identified. The writer has shown appreciation to Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker “vivid and ferocious attention to detail” which illustrates even the smallest of movements was made the main focus of the dance as this is what made the piece so recognisable and unique.

The British theatre guide gave mixed reviews on the dance Rosas Danst Rosas, its appreciation for the hard work and effort was made clear however also clearly states the hard work and effort the dancers put in was matched by the amount of hard work and effort the audience put in to sit through and endure the one hour and forty minute long dance as the writer honestly says “half the length of the dance would have been just as good” however is aware the “journey” is what makes the piece important and unique. However at certain points of the dance the writer of the review struggles to find the reason for what makes the dance different from others as they say “a dancer drops to the floor. Yes they are worn out. That’s what dancing does-no masking the reality” this only but reveals the closed minded view on certain movements of the dance as they find hard to understand the meaning on parts of the dance. The writer says the piece caused the “person next to him to nod off” which reveals how he was watching the person next to him when there is a whole stage In front of him which make them question is this boring to all of the audience or is it just me.

Overall the piece had very mixed views on the piece from being boring to the most amazing clever piece of choreography performed I feel it for those who are very opened mind to simplicity and can enjoy the theme of the dance ‘human behavior’.

Reference

Mackrell, J. (2016). Rosas | Dance review. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2009/sep/09/rosas-review [Accessed 21 Nov. 2016].

Britishtheatreguide.info. (2016). Theatre review: Rosas Danst Rosas at Sadlers Wells. [online] Available at: http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/rosas-rev [Accessed 21 Nov. 2016].

Task 4

Beyoncé in 2011 had released her music video to her new song “countdown” however the dance moves has struck similarity to almost identical to Ann De Keersmaeker choreography in the dance Rosas Danst Rosas. De Keersmaeker clearly explains in the guardians review that if Beyoncé had asked permission for her choreography then she would have given that permission however de Keermaeker was given no recognition for her work and clearly states that what Beyoncé did was plagiarism and the theme and meaning behind the dance had been taken in Beyoncé’s new version. Beyoncé did not respond to these accusations straight away however Beyoncé and her co-director, Adria Petty, say that they merely used the choreography as inspiration in the dance and used the choreography to honour Ann De Keersmaeker, however failed to give her any recognition for her work.

There are many similar movements between to the two versions of the dance in fact there’s a whole set routine of floor choreography that has been copied identically to Ann de Keersmaeker version . The motifs on the chair has been copied also there’s a part where Beyoncé makes one shoulder bare then puts her top back over it which is also in the original version. Also there is a lot of head throwing over the chairs which is also the same as de Keersmaeker version where the four dances throw their heads forward over the chairs and come back whilst smoothing their hair down which is exactly what is dances in Beyoncé’s version. Even the whole set, costume and makeup is very similar to Ann de Keersmaeker. At the beginning of the countdown music video there is an image of Beyoncé with her hair and makeup done to look almost exactly like a photo of Ann de Keersmaeker, also the set of the music video is pretty much exactly identical to the film version of de Keersmaeker version as its set in an almost abandoned school or hospital, the costumes are also very similar as the same style of baggy ripped clothes are worn by the dancers in the countdown music video. Even the staging of the whole piece is exactly the same with one main dancer in the front in whom was Beyoncé and 3 backing dancers behind in a straight horizontal line. There’s also another movement where the main person in front rips both the shoulders of her top of her shoulders and put them back again and Beyoncé has clearly copied the same movement. Rosas Danst Rosas was not the only piece of work Beyoncé had been “inspired” from de Keersmaeker work.

Despite all the similarities between the two versions there is a very obvious difference. The original version has a “fed up” “annoyed” feel to the dance as the theme behind it is human behaviour and is all about the different emotions people feel, however Beyoncé’s version is much more sexualised and has a much more happier feel to the dance which I think is for the entertainment factor rather than having an actual meaning behind the dance like Ann De Keersmaeker does. 

Reference

 Bibliography:

(No Date) Available at: https://www.theguardian.com› Arts › Stage › Dance (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

In-line Citation:

([CSL STYLE ERROR: reference with no printed form.])

Task 5

I do believe what Beyoncé did was plagiarism because if your inspired by something you’ll have elements of your inspiration incorporated in your own style and would have worked on it and developed your inspiration to make it your own, also by saying someone has inspired you it means you look up to them and respect them and therefore you would give recognition to that person or at least mention their name, however Beyoncé didn’t do either and even failed to ask permission to the creator of the choreography so you can’t help but think she did try to ‘steal’ the choreography and pass it off as her own. Also Beyoncé has said she “borrowed” the choreography which is a complete false statement because if you borrow something you have the intentions of giving it back which in this case you can’t do. The choreographer to the countdown video has admitted Beyoncé was influenced by Ann de Keersmaeker however I feel her video has gone beyond the point of just being influenced. Beyoncé’s version of the dance is much more sexualised than the original version which has obviously taken away the original meaning behind the dance this however I feel does not justify “borrowing inspiration” because the dance moves are exactly the same except with a more happier expression on the face than fed up which I don’t think changes the dance. I agree with Ann de Keersmaeker’s response because the video is very good and enjoyable to watch and Beyoncé has danced it very well however it would have been more respectful to her to have given recognition. I also agree when she says she neither “angry or honoured” because she can’t be angry at the fact that someone like Beyoncé has found an interest in her work and loved it so much that she put more or less the same routine in her video yet she can’t feel honoured because Beyoncé didn’t ask for her permission and if you didn’t already know who Ann de Keersmaeker was then you may have been fooled in thinking that is was Beyoncé’s choreography to begin with. I also agree when she says how it’s sad it’s taken 30 thirty years for such an amazing piece of choreography to be noticed because it only emphasises the idea of the more popular you are and the more fans you have the more your work is appreciated and noticed for example if there’s a dance routine and the most amazing dancer in the world danced it and Beyoncé danced it  people would rather see Beyoncé dance it because of the name she’s got for herself rather than watch someone who hasn’t got such a big name which just expresses the idea of how you should  give every piece of choreography a chance before you judge it and watch it with an open mind. I think the line between inspiration and plagiarism is  very thin as most dance moves have been danced by many performers yet it is not classed as plagiarism for example when Beyoncé throws her head forward , that move has been danced by many yet they are not accused of stealing choreography but I feel like Beyoncé was because she took the same move in the exact same order in the exact same setting with the exact same style and put it in her video without any reference from where it came from and she must known full well where the work had come from who she been “inspired” by.

Bibliography:

News, A. (2011) Did Beyonce copy choreographer? Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2011/10/beyonce-accused-of-plagiarizing-choreographer/ (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

In-line Citation:

(News, 2011)       

Horwitz, A. (2011) Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker vs. Beyonce. Available at: http://www.culturebot.org/2011/10/11496/anne-teresa-de-keersmaeker-vs-beyonce/ (Accessed: 6 December 2016).

in-line Citation:

(Horwitz, 2011)  

Task 6

Firstly in order to create our own pieces of choreography we observed the ‘chair’ dance from Rosas Danst Rosas by Ann de Keersmaeker and evaluated and researched the theme, meaning and detail of the dance. We then identified how we could incorporate elements of the original version into our own pieces so it still had the same feel at certain moments in the piece. We developed our pieces by choosing sections of the chair dance that we liked most and put them in the order we felt looked best to the audience, the original version was set as a motif of four movements repeated four times with a stop in-between, each movement was names a- g .we then decided what order we wanted It to be in and then finally created 32 counts of our own choreography .In order to learn the ‘chair’ dance we watched a tutorial online that walked though step by step each of the movements in great detail this helped everyone to correct the style of the movements which resulted in a much stronger piece , the tutorial online was also helpful as it went through the counts we made the piece much more cleaner when we all performed it together. The tutorial was put online after Beyoncé’s had been accused of ‘stealing’ the choreography I think this was because whoever put the tutorial online wanted people to see the choreography for how it is originally meant to be performed with the correct intention when performing they clearly didn’t want the theme of the dance to be taken away when Beyoncé had realised her version of the dance.

 The choreographer and the dancers in the video that we watched was helpful because it gave us an idea of how the dance is meant to look and gave us an   image of how we should perform it and the type of facial expressions and emotions we need to put into the dance it also highlighted clearly what parts of the dance need to be aggressive and what parts need to be more relaxed this helped our piece replicate the original. We used devices such as cannon, travel, repetition, changing the speed of the movements and levels when creating our own pieces. When using travel we moved to different chairs is a very ‘slobby’ way this was to convey the feeling of being ‘fed up’ which was originally in de keersmaerker’s piece we done this by hanging our arms low and dragging our feet and rocking backwards and forwards before taking a step. We repeated our movements of four which was inspired by the original, we changed the speed of some movements by making some slow and soft and making some sharp and quick for example we slowly look round in a semi-circle then at the last minute we all make a very sharp head movement to finish the semi-circle which I think adds an aggressive feel to the piece. We also added levels by standing up on top of our chairs and then in cannon we dropped down off the chair sitting backwards on it. We also added elements of Beyoncé’s version after watching it so it added something different to the piece and also then you could see a clear difference between the original and copied version of the dance. We done this by changing our facial expressions to a happier girly version and making our movements more girly like putting our hands on our hips and kicking our legs more. We ensured that our work was clearly presented as de keersmaeker’s work by adding elements of the original movements like hitting our stomach and flinging our arms behind us.

Overall I feel our piece went successfully and as a group I feel we finally all came together as group to produce the best piece we could have possibly done despite have a few problems in rehearsal we managed to all agree in the end and we was all happy with the decisions that were made. Individually I feel I performed well however there is always room for improvement and I think when we perform this again I will be better and much cleaner because we’ve already performed it once and now know what we have to do to improve. I think this project has made me realise how easy it is to think that someone can easily take someone’s work without people realising and all that persons hard work and effort could be taken and appreciated but get no recognition for it,  also how popularity can change people’s mind in thinking an illegal action is fine for some but not for others and how you should always be careful when finding inspiration because you could be copying without realizing.