1)
Devising is a key part of physical theatre performances you cannot script how another’s body moves this is because everyone is of different sizes and shapes moving in different ways, it must come down to an individuals devising to create movement. It would be extremely difficult to script the way a company of people move, that’s why physical theatre depends so highly on the trial and error technique. That’s why it relies heavily on the performer’s impulses and improvisation. As mentioned on 4DR’s website “The company works collaboratively, meaning that they devise and choreograph the majority of work with full company input and dedication.” – (4DR physical theatre company website) Physical Theatre uses the body to communicate usually verbal narrative is removed from the equation entirely; it depends solely upon gestures both pedestrian, abstract and often on occasions to the point of grotesqueness.
2)
When Ana Sanchez-Colberg refers to physical theatre using the term hybrid, she implies that physical theatre is the perfect blend of dance and performance. It implies that by taking the very best parts of performance and the very best part of dance it creates an ultimate combination resulting in physical theatre. Weather it is the very best of both genres is down to an individuals perceptions but it cannot be argued that it is an amalgamation of both genres. Community dance UK speaking about DV8“They enjoy both drama and dance aspects of the Physical Theatre and aim to blend those forms of performing arts together in their own form of the genre” – (communitydance.org.uk) Just because movement is abstract or synchronized does not mean it must be labeled as dance, and just because performers are on stage does not give them the need to be labeled an actor. It could be said for example the genre of musical theatre is a hybrid of singing and theatre. Just like physical theatre, musical theatre take characteristics from different performance styles to create a new genre which is what is meant by a hybrid performance.
3)
Jasmin Vardimon company is becoming renowned for it contributions to physical theatre, Vardimon believes that it important to push your physical boundaries in order to achieve the best results and her work proves this affective. Vardimon believes in body memory, the theory that the body controls itself more than we give it credit for, and that once learned the body will retain the information independently of the mind. A key feature of Jasmine Vardimon Company making them a physical theatre company is the lack of narrative and the communication through the body. When been interviewed Jasmin Vardimon says “I'm interested more in communicating ideas. I think dance theatre is my language.” – (Jasmin Vardimon) this is a very typical mind set of a physical theatre company.
Bibliography
http://communitydance.org.uk/metadot/index.pl?id=23938&isa=DBRow&op=show&dbview - 23/02/09
www.4dr.co.uk - 23/02/09
http://www.article19.co.uk/06/interview/jasmin_vardimon_1.php - 23/02/09
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Sean Kennedy-Lockwood Process and performance blog assesment 1
1)
Throughout Process and Performance we have learnt how to create Physical Theatre using our bodies as a catalyst. Within the process we have explored movement-based theatre, combining dance and theatre to create a performance which holds a theme and/or meaning behind the movement, rather than moving for the sake of moving.
‘There must be a reason for it, not just "Look at what we're able to do: look how high I can kick my leg".’ (Lloyd Newson. 1995)
Physical Theatre performers also quite often feel very in touch with their character and goes through a journey, as we have within Process and Performance, which becomes very personal to them.
By using techniques like body memory and play we have learnt various movement and techniques to use together and consequentially we have been able to adapt this into a piece for people to interpret how they see fit. As a genre, physical theatre is a mix of both dance and avant-garde theatre and creates an interactive performance. There is no clear explanation of what Physical Theatre is, however, it has been shown to allow a greater degree of questioning concerning more difficult subjects and for them to be performed tastefully yet in an interesting aesthetic.
2)
The term ‘Hybrid character’ refers to two different genres joining together creating a new type of theatre that is innovative and creative. Physical theatre is a hybrid performance genre as it has taken two different performances dance and avant-garde theatre and merged them both to invent a new type of theatre. This type of theatre has not really got a clear genre of its own and theorists have argued which it should fall under dance or theatre ‘I don’t think of my company creating either dance theatre or physical theatre’ (Jasmine Vardimon, yesterday, 09th October 2009)
Physical theatre also includes movements based around pedestrian action; they extend these to create abstract images and performances. This is not usually seen within dance art forms, such as ballet, which generally uses more stylised movements.
3)
DV8 falls into the art form of Physical Dance Theatre. They use a combination of contemporary dance and avant-garde theatre, with a mix of pedestrian movement to create a piece of theatre the audience can decode and draw their own interpretations from, which is a key factor of the physical theatre genre. Another aspect of physical theatre, which DV8 shares, is their belief that what is commonly identified as beautiful movement is limited and does not reflect the real world. They also question what is seen as beautiful movement ‘Can't something that comes across the stage twisted and contorted be beautiful?’ (Lloyd Newson & DV8, 22nd July 2003)
The Royal Ballet deals with similar issues of homosexuality as DV8 often do, however, their approach is what separates these two art forms, as the Royal Ballet take
a more conservative approach where as DV8 opts for a more radical style.
Bibliography
Lloyd Newson. Dance About Something, original interview David Tushingham, Enter Achilles programme DV8 Physical Theatre 1995 adapted from an interview that first appeared in 'Live' (Methuen)
Jasmine Vardimon, yesterday, danceXchange, Birmingham Hippodrome, post performance discussion.09th October 2009
Lloyd Newson & DV8, adapted from an interview by Zoë Boden, Article 19 22nd July 2003 www.article19.co.uk
Throughout Process and Performance we have learnt how to create Physical Theatre using our bodies as a catalyst. Within the process we have explored movement-based theatre, combining dance and theatre to create a performance which holds a theme and/or meaning behind the movement, rather than moving for the sake of moving.
‘There must be a reason for it, not just "Look at what we're able to do: look how high I can kick my leg".’ (Lloyd Newson. 1995)
Physical Theatre performers also quite often feel very in touch with their character and goes through a journey, as we have within Process and Performance, which becomes very personal to them.
By using techniques like body memory and play we have learnt various movement and techniques to use together and consequentially we have been able to adapt this into a piece for people to interpret how they see fit. As a genre, physical theatre is a mix of both dance and avant-garde theatre and creates an interactive performance. There is no clear explanation of what Physical Theatre is, however, it has been shown to allow a greater degree of questioning concerning more difficult subjects and for them to be performed tastefully yet in an interesting aesthetic.
2)
The term ‘Hybrid character’ refers to two different genres joining together creating a new type of theatre that is innovative and creative. Physical theatre is a hybrid performance genre as it has taken two different performances dance and avant-garde theatre and merged them both to invent a new type of theatre. This type of theatre has not really got a clear genre of its own and theorists have argued which it should fall under dance or theatre ‘I don’t think of my company creating either dance theatre or physical theatre’ (Jasmine Vardimon, yesterday, 09th October 2009)
Physical theatre also includes movements based around pedestrian action; they extend these to create abstract images and performances. This is not usually seen within dance art forms, such as ballet, which generally uses more stylised movements.
3)
DV8 falls into the art form of Physical Dance Theatre. They use a combination of contemporary dance and avant-garde theatre, with a mix of pedestrian movement to create a piece of theatre the audience can decode and draw their own interpretations from, which is a key factor of the physical theatre genre. Another aspect of physical theatre, which DV8 shares, is their belief that what is commonly identified as beautiful movement is limited and does not reflect the real world. They also question what is seen as beautiful movement ‘Can't something that comes across the stage twisted and contorted be beautiful?’ (Lloyd Newson & DV8, 22nd July 2003)
The Royal Ballet deals with similar issues of homosexuality as DV8 often do, however, their approach is what separates these two art forms, as the Royal Ballet take
a more conservative approach where as DV8 opts for a more radical style.
Bibliography
Lloyd Newson. Dance About Something, original interview David Tushingham, Enter Achilles programme DV8 Physical Theatre 1995 adapted from an interview that first appeared in 'Live' (Methuen)
Jasmine Vardimon, yesterday, danceXchange, Birmingham Hippodrome, post performance discussion.09th October 2009
Lloyd Newson & DV8, adapted from an interview by Zoë Boden, Article 19 22nd July 2003 www.article19.co.uk
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
richard shields blog assesment 1
Blog assessment 1 Richard Shields
1)
The phrase physical theatre strikes controversy from a lot of theorist. Some theorist claim that physical theatre would fall into the dance theatre area, where as others would claim that it is acting with aesthetic movements. Furthermore some theorist claim that it is a fusion of them both, a new area not fully explored. “The characteristics of physical theatre are many and varied. Indeed the term is virtually impossible to define.” (Callery, D (2001) p.3)
Though my training of physical theatre, my view on the aforementioned argument has changed dramatically. Initially I believed physical theatre to be just dance, a set of choreographed movements only there because someone believed them to be aesthetically pleasing. But I now believe that although physical theatre may have derived from dance, the movements all have significance and meaning to the performance.
Pedestrian movements are one main reason that theorist separate physical theatre from dance or acting.
The “performance style physical theatre indicated a departure from the accepted contemporary dance style, in that it did not rely on traditional dance vocabulary.... Newsons work is rooted in contact improvisation ... and is mixed with pedestrian movements and body language.” (Bremser, M. Jowitt, D (1999) p.228).
It is pedestrian movements that cause the audience to analyse rather than sit back and watch because it looks pleasant.
2)
“At a surface level, the term (physical theatre) has been collectively used to identify an eclectic production. The term itself ... Denotes a hybrid character and is testimony to its double legacy in both avant-garde theatre and dance.” (A.Sanchez-Colberg p.21) Ana Sanchez-Colberg states that physical theatre has hybrid characters, a fusion of different genres. Characteristics taken from dance and straight acting produce “hybrid characters”.
Physical theatre has still to be fully explored and still cannot be placed under a present genre. I believe that Physical theatre is a hybrid performance. Considered what we have established; we cannot place physical theatre strictly under dance as with a lot of dance performances, movements are choreographed to be aesthetically pleasing not analysed. But we cannot place it under conventional acting because it takes such influences from dance. But it does use characteristics of acting such as pedestrian movements and the meaning put behind movements. By fusing these we place physical theatre into a hybrid performance genre.
3)
“In 1986, Llyod Newson formed dv8 physical theatre, a company plotting their own exit from dance and, by 1994, their style of work was rapidly becoming what most of the general public, and many academics, thought of as physical theatre.” (Keefe, J (2007) p.119)
Dv8’s work is heavily reliant on physical movements inspired through different motivations. Dv8 describe their own work as “breaking down the barriers between dance, theatre and personal politics” (http://www.dv8.co.uk/about.dv8/artistic.policy.html)
The company are constantly pushing boundaries, personally and socially, with a lot of their work causing controversy. Dv8 do not believe movements need to be aesthetic; the movements produced in dv8’s productions are there because the characters give them meaning. Dv8 recreate traditional dance movements and add meaning to it, which pushes audience member to analyse it trying to interpret it. Dv8 create their work beyond theatre as we know it, and transform traditional dance into a new style placing them under the new genre of physical theatre.
Bibliography
Callery,D. (2001) Through the Body. Nick Hern Books
Bremser,M. Jowitt, D. (1999) Fifty Contemporary Choreographers. Routledge
Keefe,J. Murray,S,D. (2007) Physical Theatres: A Critical Reader. Routledge
http://www.dv8.co.uk/about.dv8/artistic.policy.html
Alex's first post on physical theatre as a hybrid.
In the genre of physical theatre I believe there to be 3 main features. Firstly Physical theatre uses very little language; this is shown by companies such as DV8 and motion house who use predominantly physical gesture to emphasize emotion. Another key feature of physical theatre practice and one that we have been using quite regularly in rehearsals is the technique of body memory, Jasmin Vardimon states with relation to the importance of body in the devising process that it is important ‘try to go further and create the antagonism then go back and see how things happen after you create’ in this she means that it is important to create initial performance actions but they can always be left behind if new physical developments occur and revisited after these ideas have been explored to enrich the initial piece. The final feature that I would like to comment on in the physical theatre genre is that of meaning, by this I mean that every single action in physical theatre has a meaning behind it. This in turn enables the audience to glean a richness and diversity of meaning from a performance that may not necessarily be achievable in traditional scripted theatre.
I believe that when Ana Sanchez-Colberg talks about the ‘hybrid character’ of physical theatre it is her intention to imply that the theatrical form cannot be sourced from one place, for example it can be argued that physical theatre is a mix of drama and dance. Even though there are many cohesive arguments to support this theory, there are equal amounts that are critical. In my opinion Murray explains why physical theatre is a hybrid, and why a hybrid is needed in modern day theatre.
At the same time the heterogeneous diversity of forms unhinges all those
Methodological certainties that have previously made it possible to assert large-scale
Causal developments in the arts. It is essential to accept the co-existence of divergent
theatre forms and concepts in which no paradigm is dominant. (Simon Murray, 2007, 13)
So in answer to the question, is physical theatre a hybrid performance genre? I believe it is, in its experimental nature and willingness to break away from traditional theatre convention. Which particular performance practises physical theatre is a hybrid of, however, is still very much up for debate.
The Dance theatre company DV8 fall under the remit of physical theatre, it has often been said that this company were somewhat of a flag ship for the genre of physical theatre. On their website www.dv8.co.uk one of the frequently asked questions that the company receive is what is physical theatre? They respond with the statement that ‘they are focusing on making the work, not standing outside analysing it.’ However as I am not involved in making the work that they are producing I will try and give an explanation as to why Dv8 are a physical theatre company. Dv8 are a company that fuse dance and traditional theatre, often using their bodies to send messages and give meanings that would be extremely difficult to portray through purely text based theatre. So when Ana Sanchez-Colberg implies the ‘hybrid character’ of physical theatre I believe the work of DV8 and physical theatre companies like them to be a shining example of how physical theatre is experimenting with well established conventions and taking their work in new directions in the genre of theatre as a whole.
Bibliography:
Simon Murray And John Keefe.; Physical theatres; GB;Routledge Ltd; 2007; page 13
http://www.dv8.co.uk/about.dv8/LN_TBSWY_Q+A.html
23.02.09
http://www.dv8.co.uk/about.dv8/artistic.policy.html
23.02.09
I believe that when Ana Sanchez-Colberg talks about the ‘hybrid character’ of physical theatre it is her intention to imply that the theatrical form cannot be sourced from one place, for example it can be argued that physical theatre is a mix of drama and dance. Even though there are many cohesive arguments to support this theory, there are equal amounts that are critical. In my opinion Murray explains why physical theatre is a hybrid, and why a hybrid is needed in modern day theatre.
At the same time the heterogeneous diversity of forms unhinges all those
Methodological certainties that have previously made it possible to assert large-scale
Causal developments in the arts. It is essential to accept the co-existence of divergent
theatre forms and concepts in which no paradigm is dominant. (Simon Murray, 2007, 13)
So in answer to the question, is physical theatre a hybrid performance genre? I believe it is, in its experimental nature and willingness to break away from traditional theatre convention. Which particular performance practises physical theatre is a hybrid of, however, is still very much up for debate.
The Dance theatre company DV8 fall under the remit of physical theatre, it has often been said that this company were somewhat of a flag ship for the genre of physical theatre. On their website www.dv8.co.uk one of the frequently asked questions that the company receive is what is physical theatre? They respond with the statement that ‘they are focusing on making the work, not standing outside analysing it.’ However as I am not involved in making the work that they are producing I will try and give an explanation as to why Dv8 are a physical theatre company. Dv8 are a company that fuse dance and traditional theatre, often using their bodies to send messages and give meanings that would be extremely difficult to portray through purely text based theatre. So when Ana Sanchez-Colberg implies the ‘hybrid character’ of physical theatre I believe the work of DV8 and physical theatre companies like them to be a shining example of how physical theatre is experimenting with well established conventions and taking their work in new directions in the genre of theatre as a whole.
Bibliography:
Simon Murray And John Keefe.; Physical theatres; GB;Routledge Ltd; 2007; page 13
http://www.dv8.co.uk/about.dv8/LN_TBSWY_Q+A.html
23.02.09
http://www.dv8.co.uk/about.dv8/artistic.policy.html
23.02.09
Process and Performance 08 09
Hi! welcome to Alex, Pete, Blake, Sean and Richards Process and Performance blog site!
Here we plan discuss our reactions to the devising process of Porto and our perspectives on physical theatre as a whole.
Here we plan discuss our reactions to the devising process of Porto and our perspectives on physical theatre as a whole.
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