west side story Flashcards
(21 cards)
aural setting for cool
they shout cool , crazy , go
syncopation = accenting the off beat
body procussion
sound effects emphasise anger
cross phrasing
continuous clicks
out bursts of pow
what does the continuous clicks in cool show
creates tension but also shows their unity as a group
what is the storyline in cool
it is lead by the new leader of the jets called ice because riff was killed by the sharks
how is the aural setting of cool described
one of the most rhythmically complex scores
what does the jets costumes show compared to the sharks
jets wear american colours whilst the sharks are more colourful
what does the sound effects in cool do
emphasise danger
actions to show contained anger in cool
the guy punching his own hand
throwing splayed arms up into the air with the ssss sound effect
breaking out into fast tapping sequences
kicks whilst shouting pow and throwing their arms up
motif for procussion and sound effects
trios perform this in cannon
they lung forward on their left leg and clap twice before pivoting to the back kicking their right leg out and throwing their arms up head back
they huff
they then pivot back to the front contracting their left leg into a retire
huffing again
very explosive
Motif from the prologue
The camera is in a Birds Eye view showing the road which has jets written on in
The 7 gang members step jump turn and and on the writing and the back 4 step onto their right leg kicking their left leg out to the side at 90 degreees. They have their torso folded forward and their arms are reaching to the sides. They then clasp their hands together and throw they up above their heads whilst bringing the left leg into retire
All 7 dancers then do a step jump turn to come face to face with a shark
This not only demonstrates robins dance style but clearly shows that the sharks and intruding on jets territory
Who are Tony and Maria
Tony is a jet and is Romeo
Maria is the sister of the sharks leader and is Juliet
Why are the sharks in nyc
They are looking for a place to claim territory but this is already the jets territory which creates conflict
Themes
Gang culture
American themes
Freindship
Love
Conflict
Urban life and realism
Sense of community
Divided community - between the rich and the poor
Hate
Predijuce
Racism
How did Bernstein and robins get influences for the gang culture
They visited the poorest areas of NYC and LA to experience it for themselves
How did Antony Tudor influence WSS
Robins was in his ballet Romeo and Juliet in 1943
What is the music influence by
Fancy free and on the town
What is the complex music is cool influenced by
Stravinskys rite of spring
Style
Latin - shows the cultural diversity of New York City
Bursts of energy
Contrast in gang style
Ballet
Vaudeville
Characterisation creates mood in the scenes
Jazz
Naturalism
Seamless transitions into and out of movement
Gestures
Fusion of styles
Impacts
Gritty themes focusing on real people which influenced fosse and contrasted previous musicals
Won academy awards
Established the need for a triple threat - revolutionised musical theatre by integrating dance , singing and acting
Addressed social issues that resonated with audiences
How does WSS show development of American jazz
It contrasts fancy free with a more eclectic style with the introduction of new styles to American jazz
Use of camera
Begins with a Birds Eye view in order to establish territory of the jets
Filming through obsticles such as the gates of the basket ball courts makes you feel closed in and like you’re viewing it from an on lookers perspective
In cool cameras are used to make you feel like you are in the round and trapped in the gang
It is also filmed at a low level to make the dancers feel more intimidating
How was WSS culturally important
It was made at a time when the civil rights movement was gaining more traction challenging segregation and discrimination
It also addressed and criticised American social issues
