structure and sadness

Question 1

what is the intent

Answer 1

tells the story of the construction and collapse of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, 1970. The performance also expresses the ripple effect this had on the community.

Question 2

who is the performance by

Answer 2

Lucy Guerin Dance Company

Question 3

when was it first performed

Answer 3

2006

Question 4

what is the structure

Answer 4

Binary
part A- building/collapse
part B- dancing/families grieving

Question 5

what design concepts were used to convey this

Answer 5

1. LED screen/structure
2. See Saw
3. wives

Question 6

how did the LED screen/structure convey the intent from design concepts

Answer 6

1. blue fluorescent projections on screen in angular pieces then flips to a structure
   - shows current state then goal
2. lighting behind is on structure rather then workers
   - highlights how finishing structure is valued over the safety of the workers
3. music/sound is industrial and ominous
   - foreshadowing + builds suspense

Question 7

how did the see saw phrase convey the intent from design concepts

Answer 7

1. dancers move on see saw in a canon making the structure rock
   - testing gravity, foreshadowing, builds suspense, symbolic of the bridge
2. levels, 4 dancers are standing while one sits/climbs over the edge of the see saw
   - foreshadowing as he is symbolic of a corpse and eventually falls off the see saw
3. leads to the collapse of the structure when the see saw hits the ground too fast
   - domino effect, emphasises importance of ensuring stability of structure and the imbalance of gravity leading to the collapse of the structure

Question 8

how did the wives convey the intent from design concepts

Answer 8

1. costuming= black long dresses
   - symbolic of grief and death, black dresses= funeral attire
2. lighting= very dark
   - grief as lost loved ones, their absence impacts more than just the deceased men
3. plank of wood with men folding themselves around it
   - symbolises corpse/deceased husbands

Question 9

what choreographic devices are used to convey the intent

Answer 9

1. repetition (duos using their bodies to ‘construct’ something)
2. canon (on see saw)
3. motif (corpse)
4. unison (widows experiencing grief)

Question 10

how does repetition convey the intent

Answer 10

duos work together and use their bodies
- rely on each other to build structure
- angular repetitive movements= building a structure is a repetitive process

Question 11

how do canons convey the intent

Answer 11

on see saw, one person would move after another and the weight movement would rock the see saw.

domino effect effecting gravity pulling down structure

Question 12

how do motifs convey the intent

Answer 12

workers in corpse-like positions

foreshadowing before the structure collapses
- reminds audience of those who passed away

Question 13

how does unison convey the intent

Answer 13

widows move in angular/sharp movements at the same time which shows the audience the ripple effect of pain/grief from incidents like this

Question 14

how does body convey the intent

Answer 14

1. body shapes are curved and angular
   - straight= structure/strength
   - curved= weakness/collapse
2. activity/movement types are random and irregular
   - unbalanced leading to collapse

Question 15

how does space convey the intent

Answer 15

1. the structure occupies most of the stage
   - structure is seen as more important compared to workers

Question 16

how does dynamics convey the intent

Answer 16

1. sharp, explosive movements in close proximity to the structure
   - wreak-less/unstable
2. sustained/suspended movements that collapse
   - fall/collapse of structure

Question 17

how does time convey the intent

Answer 17

tempo/accent changes match the mood of the piece helping to convey the construction and collapse

Question 18

how are duos used to convey the intent

Answer 18

• 3 sets of duos in part B that shows deceased husbands manipulating wives showing how grief controls you

Question 19

how are trios used to convey the intent

Answer 19

(after men stop manipulating them) the 3 widows begin dancing slow/heavy, touching chest/cradling air and avoid eye contact
- weight of sorrow, yearn for husbands, symbolise isolation during mourning

Question 20

how are ensembles used to convey the intent

Answer 20

the workers
- strength/repetition of labour: mimic repetition of tasks of construction
-teamwork: collaboration required for large projects
- fragile structure: performance progresses movements go from angular to collapsing
-trauma/aftermath: movements become slow/lifeless, helpless and weighted
- costumes: individual work attire becomes creased, etc.