In yesterday's class we were able to experience a firsthand connection between dance and poetry. Not only did we have the pleasure of viewing intuitive pieces by our classmates, but we were able to view the different ways that poetry and dance could be connected. It was interesting to me how in a class of our size, we were able to see poetry being integrated with the structure of our pieces in such a variety of ways. People made choices to speak while performing, perform then speak, speak then perform, integrate a song with their poem and performance, have a recording of the poem play while performing, or even have a live reading of the poem while performing as part of the piece. Each performance provided a different tone of voice to the way the piece was performed, and allowed us to experience the connection between poetry and dance in a variety of ways.
Something else that caught my attention was the way that each and every dancer chose to use a form of repetition. Whether movement, pieces of their poem, or the music repeated, there was some kind of repetition present. This aspect of both dance and poetry can be extremely powerful, which I think became a proven point to our class yesterday. This also indicates yet one more way in which the two art forms can be connected and intertwined. Overall, I found the experience personally rewarding, both from my own personal performance and from from everyone else's. I was able to appreciate the beauty of dance on a new level, while gaining a new respect and appreciation for poetry.
Janine
Janine,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your careful observation on the overall creativity of our class integrating poetry and dance. As I watched our class perform, I became in awe of how poetry can come to life off the page. I realize that combining poetry with dance does not have to be structured. As we discussed in class the elements of poetry have to do with: metrical structures, accentual syllabism, feet and meters, line and rhyme organization, alliteration, and poetic form. However dance can be a free flow of movement creating a variety of interpretation. This is why this assignment was so unique because everyone had a different interpretation of connecting poetry with dance. We all express ourselves differently on paper and it truly shows in our passion for dance.
I agree, poetry and dance does not have to be structured. Each piece worked with different elements, which made it unique and interesting. It is obvious that our classmates thought about speed, intensity and about how the poem was said during the performance. These were variables one could play around with.
ReplyDeleteI wonder, how everyone's performance would change with a group of dancers? If a prop was used? If the location was not a dance studio? What would the audience say about what they see?