From the Social to the Pictorial: Figures of Representa7on

Transcription

1 From the Social to the Pictorial: Figures of Representa7on

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3 Court Ballet Comédies-Ballets Ballet D Ac5on Roman5cism

4 Court Ballet Catherine Medici ( ) Italy-France lover of opulence Employs Beaujoyleux to organize Ballet des Polonais (1573) and Ballet Comique de a Reine Louise (1581) Spectacles to celebrate weddings, visi5ng dignitaries, etc. Combined dance, poetry, music, and design Drew from literature of the 5me Heavy use of symbology and allegory through geometric figures Poli5cal ambi5ons Propaganda of harmony

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6 Thoinot Arbeau Nota5on Orchesography (1589) Steps, their size, 5me and sequencing Loca5on of dancers in space in rela5on to one another Conversa5on between instructor and dancer Provided brief history and general sense of feeling

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8 Implica5ons: Dance as a form of social interac5on Rela5on to other bodies revealed class, rela5ve status Dance as a mute form of rhetoric persuade viewers of their nobility, spiritedness, modesty, grace Dance as a way to acquire social and poli5cal capital (Franko) Moved towards organizing the body of the na5on-state

9 Comédies-Ballets Louis XIV ( ) Employs dancing-master Pierre Beauchamp Est. Académie Royale de Danse (1661) Est. a permanent group of dancers at the Opéra (1713) Moliere s Les Facheux (1661) 1 st comédies-ballets Linked dance and music with ac5on of the play Dancers/actors took ac5ve role in furthering the plot Nobleman and professionals both performed, Louis himself Majority of roles played by men Transi5on from noble amateurs into professional art Proscenium creates physical and psychic distance

10 1670 s: Louis XIV charges Beauchamp to make dance comprehensible on paper King of France

11 Beauchamp/Feuillet Nota5on Chorégraphie (1700) posi5ons, steps, sinkings, risings, springings, capers, fallings, slidings, turnings of the body, cadence, and 5me Planimetric view (bird s eye) Makes use of horizontal and ver5cal planes Absolute concep5on of 5me and space Single direc5onal orienta5on (true north) Space value free (abstract unmarked ground) Detached from music

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13 Implica5ons: Reorganiza5on of CORPOREALITY Dance equal foo5ng with music Dances became authored Separated composing, performing, prac5cing Emphasized ability to execute role not moral character Made space for virtuosity Inferred dance as universal language Link to ideas of na5on state & coloniza5on Cultural specifici5es smoothed out or erased

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16 John Weaver Father of Pantomime Translated Feuillet s text into English Danced dialogues Emo5ons into physical ac5on Ballet master became teller of stories Scenario of ballet served as documenta5on

17 Jean Georges Noverre Le[res Sur La Danse et Sur Les Ballets (1760) Ballet Master Ballet D Ac7on or patomime ballet Inspired by texts on pantomime while in London Drama7c movement should express rela7on between characters Former student of Paris Opera ballet- wanted change, further removal from opera 1776 named Maitre des ballets at Paris Opera by Queen Marie Antonie[e Fun fact: His birthday (April 29 th ) is Interna7onal Dance Day

18 1. Technique of Beauchamp must be held to individual s anatomy 2. Pedagogical considera5on of the dancer s personality and style is prerequisite to ar5s5c development 3. Validity and sincerity of drama5c gesture are of utmost importance in crea5ng a ballet 4. Called for logical development of plots (movement integrated) 5. Music be suited for the drama5c development of the ballet 6. Costumes, ligh5ng, décor be compa5ble with plot 7. Disappearance of mask and development of stage make-up for facial expression

19 Carlo Blasis The Code of Terpsichore (1828) New status of story ballet as popular genre Included history of dance Emphasis on geometric lines of the body Nota5on absorbed Line internalized in the flesh

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21 Roman5cism in Ballet s pointe shoes, tutus, illusion of weightlessness, female as non-human, exo5c locales, tragedy La Syphide (1827) Filippo Taglioni & Marie Taglioni Other Famous Roman5c Ballets: Giselle, Coppélia, Pas de Quatre, Le Corsaire, Paquita Other famous Roman5c ballerinas: Fanny Essler Other famous Roman5c choreographers: Marius Pe5pa