I knew in this rehearsal the scene I wanted to create, the mood of the scene and the music but I didn't have the choreography. I went to the rehearsal with the idea that I wanted to create a scene about the delicacy of the body after childbirth and in this specific story after a caesarean section. I wanted something which showed that you could only move with the help of others initially after birth.
I thought about using some trust exercises to begin but on the way to rehearsal I remembered some excellent exercises where you sculpt the other performers into different positions and a way of developing choreography (which I use a lot) to come from these sculpted positions.
The exercises worked really well and I later learned that the process was really necessary to arrive at the fairly complex choreography.
Once we had a cycle of movement between the different sculpted positions I introduced the music to the dancers and we discussed making the movement more tender. I still hadn't discussed with the cast what this scene was about. From the cast's perspective they were still just trying to execute a choreographic task.
Having introduced the music and the aspect of tenderness I asked them to repeat the cycle of movement with the dancer now able to move more for herself. Then on the third cycle she moved unaided.
We found the music ran out before the end of the movement which I love as it does accentuate the final few seconds of movement. During the break we discussed the meaning of this scene and me and Mary discussed childbirth with the two Graces and the impact it has on your body.
It was a really productive rehearsal as we came away with not just a new scene but a really beautiful new scene.
I thought about using some trust exercises to begin but on the way to rehearsal I remembered some excellent exercises where you sculpt the other performers into different positions and a way of developing choreography (which I use a lot) to come from these sculpted positions.
The exercises worked really well and I later learned that the process was really necessary to arrive at the fairly complex choreography.
Once we had a cycle of movement between the different sculpted positions I introduced the music to the dancers and we discussed making the movement more tender. I still hadn't discussed with the cast what this scene was about. From the cast's perspective they were still just trying to execute a choreographic task.
Having introduced the music and the aspect of tenderness I asked them to repeat the cycle of movement with the dancer now able to move more for herself. Then on the third cycle she moved unaided.
We found the music ran out before the end of the movement which I love as it does accentuate the final few seconds of movement. During the break we discussed the meaning of this scene and me and Mary discussed childbirth with the two Graces and the impact it has on your body.
It was a really productive rehearsal as we came away with not just a new scene but a really beautiful new scene.
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