Mary Wigman : Dance Expressionism

 

I

Warm Up


II

Stretching


III

Video





IV
 
Dance Expressionism
 
Expressive dance from German Ausdruckstanz, is a form of artistic dance in which the individual and artistic presentation (and sometimes also processing) of feelings is an essential part.

It was a revolution. It would be more expressive, and show more spirit and emotion and less virtuosity. The dance would be improvisational, uninhibited and provocative. Future spiritual and bodily reform movements expressed themselves in a new "natural" naked dance.

Schools for expressionist dance had special philosophies and emphases for dance, such as naturalness, breathing, tension / relaxation etc. It was often associated with floor contact, "weight" of dance movements, and experiments with music. Body and physicality were strongly emphasized. 

Rudolf Laban was a theoretical prominent figure who was based on metaphysical ideas and one of the pioneers of Ausdruckstanz in Germany. From 1913-1918, Laban operated a school for art on the colony Monte Verita in Ascona, Switzerland, which became a teaching centre for the new dance. Among his students were Kurt Jooss and Mary Wigman.

Mary Wigman was an important trendsetter as a dancer, choreographer and teacher. In her school in Dresden (opened in 1920) she taught Europe's premier aspiring dancer.

 

Analysis

Students discuss among themselves Mary Wigman's ideas about dance. Using the question below as a prompt, they post they write about it and post their reflection on Discussion Board.





QUESTION 1
 
According to Mary Wigman; what are the two things a dance must always do?



V

Video




Analysis

Students discuss among themselves Mary Wigman's ideas about dance. Using the question below as a prompt, they post they write about it and post their reflection on Discussion Board.


QUESTION 2
 
What does the narrator mean when he says that "Wigman was able to transport moves simply with her movements"?
 
-------------------------------

VI


VIDEO - LINK
 
Analysis

Students discuss among themselves Mary Wigman's ideas about dance as illustrated in Kreutzberg's work. Using the question below as a prompt, they post they write about it and post their reflection on Discussion Board.

QUESTION 3


In this video Harald Kreutzberg, Wigman's student and dance partner, dances the expressionist piece Dispute with God. Why can we call this dance piece expressionist?
 
----------------------------------- 

VII

Dance Expressionism and Abstraction 

Group Work

 

 
Activity 1

 Abstract Expression of Emotions

After watching this piece choreographed by Wigman, choose a them for the group in which you use expressionism as a tool for your phrase to develop.
 


VIII

Dance Expressionism and Abstraction 

Solo Work

Activity 2

 Abstract Expression of Emotions
 
Create a dance/movement phrase using each one of the emotions listed below.

1. Vanity
2. Surprise
3. Greed
4. Sadness
5. Hate 
6. Happiness
7. Fear
8. Love 
 
POST YOUR DANCE/MOVEMENT PHRASE  ON DISCUSSION BOARD.

 IX

Jornaling

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Kinesphere: Trace Forms

Introductions / Laban's Concept of Choreutics

Music Scale / Art Nouveau