Topic outline

  • General

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    • Dance

    • In this Dance taster course you will complete the following.

      Introduction
      Video

      Extended Reading

      Summary


    • Introduction

    • Welcome to this short introduction to the Dance course.  

      This will help to prepare you for when you start learning Dance with Gower College Swansea! 


    • Video

    • Video #1: Morning

       As part of your Dance course you will study the Rambert Dance Company from 1966-2002 learning about the changes that occurred in the company, the different Artistic Directors and the pieces performed by the company over the years.  

      Watch the following You Tube videos; they will show you a typical day in the Rambert Dance Company: 


    • Video #2: Afternoon 


      The 1960s saw the start of a process to introduce modern dance to Britain. (Modern dance is a form of theatrical dancing which began in the early 20th Century, originally in opposition to the formality of ballet. As the dance form has developed, this distinction has become less evident. The term ‘modern’ has in some cases been replaced with other labels e.g. contemporary). Ballet Rambert played a key part in this development and 1966 heralded a period of change in the company.  Four of the key practitioners were: 

      1. Marie Rambert
      2. Norman Morrice
      3. Robert North
      4. Richard Alston

      Visit these links to explore these practitioners further, make some notes about them and their key achievements. 

      Summary 

      Here’s a quick summary of the things covered in the film: 

      1. Marie Rambert first saw Isadora Duncan in 1910, it was here that she aspired to become a dancer. 
      2. 1958 Norman Morrice created Two Brothers.
      3. In 1981 Robert North is appointed artistic director. 
      4. Richard Alston succeeded Robert North as artistic director.

    • Video #3:  Little Red Rooster - Christopher Bruce

      Another element of your Dance course is: Compulsory set work and area of study.  In the example below, the set work is: 

        • Title: Rooster 
        • Choreography: Christopher Bruce, 1981 
        • Music: songs recorded by the Rolling Stones 
        • Costume designs: Marian Bruce 
        • Lighting designs: Tina MacHugh 

       Have a look at an example of this piece in the video opposite: 


      You Can explore all of the 8 songs that makes up Rooster here:  Rooster Playlist

      What an amazing piece!  Here’s a summary of the work: 

       

      • The themes of the work reflect the lyrics and ideas in the music and the social attitudes of the 1960s.  
      • The work is also a celebration of the music by the Rolling Stones.  
      • The work is made up of eight distinct dances, each performed to a different song. 
      • There is often a transition from one dance to the next, establishing a connection.  
      • The use of movement motifs, often linked to the lyrics, is evident in the choreography this is known as music visualisation. 


      To help you understand this piece better, have a look at the resources book: Rooster Resource Pack

    • Summary

    • Thank you for completing this short course, we hope you enjoyed it!  We look forward to seeing you when you join us for your Dance with Gower College Swansea. 


    • Extended Reading

      Video #4: Taliesin Arts Centre - Dance Days

      Head over to the       Rambert YouTube Channel to explore free online class tutorials! 
         
      Browse their other resources here - Rambert: Other Resources

      Set work background information - AQA: Areas of Study and Set Works

    • Here are some videos that might interest you from GCS TV.