Assignment 1 - Analysis of Newspaper Dance PDF

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Assignment 1 - Analysis of Newspaper Dance...

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NEWSPAPER DANCE ANALYSIS Gene Kelly Eugene Curran “Gene” Kelly was born on the 23rd of August 1912 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was the third son of James Kelly, a phonograph salesman, and Harriet Curran. Gene and his brother were enrolled in dance classes at the age of eight, and at the time did not enjoy it. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1933, Gene’s family opened a dance studio later renamed it The Gene Kelly Studio of Dance. Gene served as a teacher at the studio and in 1937, after successfully managing and developing the family’s dance studio business, he moved to New York City in search of work as a choreographer. His first big breakthrough was in the award winning The Time of Your Life which opened in 1939 – it was his first time performing his own choreography on Broadway. After many successful shows he was signed with MGM, and went on to choreograph and star in several MGM movies. One of Gene’s films with MGM, Anchors Weight (1945), garnered him his first and only Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. In 1950 Gene starred in Summer Stock along with Judy Garland, and later followed two musicals that secured his reputation. These films were An American in Paris (1951) and, probably the most popular and admired of all musical movies, Singin’ in the Rain (1952).

Newspaper Dance        

Title of work: Newspaper Dance Duration of analyzed work: 5 minutes Choreographer: Gene Kelly Performed by: Gene Kelly Music: Reprise of “You Wonderful You” by Saul Chaplin Performed: Summer Stock, 1950 Sections: 3 (A, B, C) Formal Structure: Ternary – Narrative

Expressive Intention Newspaper Dance explores the feelings of being in love – the heightened emotions, the different outlook on life and the appreciation of life’s simplest pleasures. He experiences everyday things with a curious and playful perspective – a squeaky floorboard, a newspaper, a wooden bench; before a headline in the newspaper catches his eye and he returns to his normal, ordinary ways.

Influences on Expressive Intention 1. Storyline of the movie:  Gene Kelly’s character, Joe, falls in love with Judy Garland’s character, Jane. 2. World War II:  Throughout the 1940s, America was preparing for, fighting in or helping the world recover from WWII. The public needed breaks from their often nightmarish realities, so Hollywood’s movie musicals provided a much needed morale boost before, during and after the war.

Influences on Movement Vocabulary 1. Family and Upbringing:  Gene’s father loved sports, especially hockey, which they enjoyed playing during winter. Gene also played with a semi-professional ice hockey team. He later credited hockey for some of his movement vocabulary, as his choreography is often performed wide open and close to the ground.  Gene’s mother loved theatre and sent him to dance lessons.  Gene’s working class upbringing prompted a desire to develop an everyman dance style. He wanted to look as masculine as possible, so his style was full of vigorous movement (e.g. fierce tapping and athletic jumps). 2. Dance Training:  Gene’s mother became involved in running a dance studio, at which he taught and helped with.  Gene attended summer classes at the Chicago Association of Dancing Masters, which is where his appreciation for jazz grew.  Gene was classically trained but later studied modern dance in New York with Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey. 3. Movie Musicals:  Gene’s movement vocabulary was influenced by many musical films of the 30s and 40s. He was focused on creating integrated film musicals where the dancing and singing helped to drive the story.  His characters appeared to be the “average guy” and this quality appealed to audiences.

Influences on Production Elements 1. Mobility of camera:  The dance had to be filmed in one continuous shot because there was limited editing available  The camera was located on a track that followed Gene as he performed 2. Costume:  Everyday clothes were worn to give Gene an “average guy” look 3. Music  Technology influenced the inclusion of the squeaky floorboard and the ripping sound of the newspaper 4. Set:  Realism influenced the choice of set  The outdoor barn contrasted other musicals of the time which often featured glitzy sets/theatres

Influences on Form 1. Theatrical dance:  Historically, dance numbers in musicals were separate to the storyline (e.g. Berkley’s dance numbers interrupted the narrative)  Gene disregarded Berkley’s traditional use of form, and instead integrated the story into the dance 2. Film technology:  The dancer was filmed from head to toe, and were as few cuts as possible

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If there were cuts they had to be seamless transitions to allow a unified composition

3. Music  The form was influenced by the music (e.g. new sections are introduced as instruments are added to the music)

Motifs 1. Newspaper:  The newspaper could symbolise Jane, a girl Joe is falling in love with  The newspaper is manipulated in many ways which could show the different qualities in Jane  Joe walks away with the newspaper, communicating that Joe has chosen Jane and accepts his love for her  Joe appears to be more interested in the newspaper throughout the solo,  Example: Section 3 begins with Joe jumping onto the newspaper and using his feet to split it down the middle, a manipulation of the newspaper motif. He then kicks one half away, before using his feet to rip the other half into two more pieces. Joe repeats this ripping movement one last time to the two remaining pieces of the newspaper, before performing three consecutive pirouettes on one of the small segments. He continues by running in a circular pathway and kicking each part of the newspaper away, in time with the accents in the music. This movement phrase could represent his excitement and eagerness to confess his love to Jane. 2. Floorboard:  The floorboard represents Abigail, Joe’s current partner  The floorboard is permanently set in the ground, which could signify that Abigail will always be around.  The squeakiness also tells the viewer that the floorboard is out of place, which could literally reflect Joe and Abigail’s relationship.  Joe utilises the floorboard motif less and less throughout the sections, demonstrating that he is more interested in focusing on the newspaper.  The floorboard is not used at all in the last section, apart from when Joe walks over it as he is leaving. He does not flinch at the squeaky sound which could communicate that he is going to leave Abigail.  Example: In section 1, Joe slowly locomotes by walking downstage where he comes across a squeaky floorboard, a motif. He immediately presses it with the ball of his right foot while slightly leaning his upper body away from where he is tapping, communicating his curiosity.

Choreographic Devices 1. Accumulation:  Example: Section 3 features even larger dimensions of energy qualities and movements, demonstrating that Joe is accepting the fact that he has fallen for Jane. His steps are wider, and the energy qualities most noticeable are force and power. 2. Repetition:  Example: Joe utilises the choreographic device repetition as he repeats a shuffle combination before stepping off the newspaper and

performing a complex sequence consisting of ball steps, heels and digs, occasionally going back to play around with the newspaper. 3. Embellishment:  Example: Towards the end of section 2, Joe performs a turning action of four consecutive pirouettes on the newspaper. This is embellished with a bent left leg, his right leg in a parallel retire and his arms close to his chest, which demonstrates that he is experiencing many new emotions....