Within Her Eyes Flashcards
(30 cards)
1
Q
Who is the choreographer of Within Her Eyes?
A
James Cousins
2
Q
What company performed Within Her Eyes?
A
James Cousins Dance Company
3
Q
What dance style is Within Her Eyes?
A
contemporary, contact
4
Q
What is the choreographic approach to Within Her Eyes?
A
improvisations were filmed where female didn’t touch the floor with different rules applied - not looking, pulling away, intimacy
5
Q
What are the stimuli of Within Her Eyes?
A
love story with a twist - loss, love, dependency, loyalty, longing, memory
6
Q
What are the starting points of Within Her Eyes?
A
stage production of ‘There we have been’, narrative/emotional themes of love & physical idea of keeping female dancer off floor
7
Q
How many dancers are there in Within Her Eyes?
A
2
8
Q
What is the structure of Within Her Eyes?
A
a prologue with 6 continuous sections in 1 seamless journey - narrative
9
Q
What is the performance environment of Within Her Eyes?
A
site-sensitive, dance for camera
10
Q
What is the CI of Within Her Eyes?
A
- high emotional intensity
- abstract love story
- female leads all of movement
- total contact throughout - female never touches floor
- narrative of the females pull to her late lover & trying to allow herself to move on with a man who cares so much for her - opening & closing movement
11
Q
What actions are there in Within Her Eyes?
A
- simple pedestrian - hair behind ear, wrapping around body
- female reaching away
- opening & closing actions
- poignant use of eye contact
- contact - lifts, counterbalances circling around male
- female leading until final section
12
Q
What space is used in Within Her Eyes?
A
- close proximity throughout - intimate & complicated relationship
- females direction towards sky & away from male shows her grieving & longing for her past lover
- female lifted away from the floor throughout on mid/high level - showing the support of male dancer
- low level in kneeling showing intimacy in relationship
13
Q
What dynamics are used in Within Her Eyes?
A
- slow, controlled (beginning)
- fluid & flowing
- quicker & more urgent in flow one (forest)
- calm, delicate wrapping in kneeling
- fast, free flowing showing a sense of struggle
- slow, heavy passive female at end - giving up
14
Q
What relationships are used in Within Her Eyes?
A
- contact - throughout to show intertwined nature of characters, female never touches floor, get closer to show developing relationship
- lead & follow - female leads until end struggle, she wraps his arms around her ready to support lifts - contrast to most social dances
- action & reaction - male respond to all of female actions - showing uncertainty in his character
- complementary - shows dancers’ shared feeling of affection e.g. both arching backwards
15
Q
A
16
Q
What aural settings are there in Within Her Eyes?
A
- Pre-recorded fusion of classical & electronic sounds (piano, strings, wind) creates contrast between sections through differences in instrumentation, texture & dynamics.
- Soft, quiet piano notes in The Beginning section suggests the fragility of the relationship.
- Wind Sounds enhance the location of the vast, open landscape, complementing the setting & suggesting they are in a world of their own.
- Denser, more frequent string notes build tension in the forest section which directly correlates with the faster paced choreography.
- The return of the minimalistic piano in Kneeling section creates intimacy- where they look at each other for the first time.
- flow 2 includes dramatic string chords & heavy piano notes over an ominous drone which helps to build the climax in the narrative & the choreography.
- final heavy piano notes heard as she lowers towards the floor give a foreboding & ominous end to the film.
- Electronic, low pitch rumbles at the end of the film create an uncomfortable atmosphere leaving the audience uncertain about what is happening to her.
17
Q
What is the lighting like in Within Her Eyes?
A
- All filmed in natural light with changes in weather helping to create sombre moods
- Natural lighting compliments the natural setting of the film.
- Grey & gloomy light in Prologue adds to the sense of loneliness & isolation compliments the deserted streets.
- Overcast but lighter sty in The Beginning suggests an early time of day & therefore an early stage in their relationship.
- Darker lighting in the forest setting enhances the sense that they are becoming more intimate. & The small shafts of light shining through the dense forest could be interpreted as
glimmers of hope for the female character. - The progression from light to dark throughout the film suggests the passing of time & therefore illustrating that their relationship is developing over a longer period of time.
- In final floor section the lighting is much darker (filmed in the evening) which contrasts to the earlier sections, suggesting night time of the possible end of the relationship. Here the lighting also compliments the male dancer’s dark costume as it seems to make him blend in to the darkness. Her lighter costume can be seen more clearly which emphasises it’s light & fragile texture which reflects her vulnerable character.
- A darker undertone was added in post-production to contribute to the dark mood.
18
Q
What is the relationship to aural setting in Withing Her Eyes?
A
- Direct Correlation - two clear halves reflect the structure of the choreography, narrative & 2 clear climaxes
- Strings & piano are very emotive and compliment the fragile and tentative quality of the choreography.
- Dancers do not count the music but respond to the phrasing & feel of the accompaniment.
- Music Visualisation - pause in music & silence for poignant moment when dancers look at each other for the first time - this adds to the sense of intimacy & makes this moment a clear highlight
19
Q
What are the dynamics in Within Her Eyes?
A
- Slow, controlled (beginning)
- fluid & flowing
- Quicker & more urgent in flow one (forest)
- Calm, delicate wrapping in Kneeling
- fast, free flowing showing a sense of struggle
- Slow, heavy passive female at the end - giving up
20
Q
What is the staging & setting of Within Hey Eyes?
A
- Site sensitive - dance film by Scratch.
- 6 different locations including graveyard, field, cliff top, forest, quarry which suggests passing of time.
- Locations become more enclosed which compliments the dimming of lighting, gradually moving from day-time to night-time.
- female walks through isolated graveyard setting the sombre mood for the piece and showing the narrative that she has lost someone.
- Intimate forest Location suggests the relationship, is becoming stronger as he continues to support her.
- Vast open landscapes enhance a sense of Loneliness and the harsh quarry reflects tension in the relationship and perhaps even danger.
21
Q
How is choreographic intent realised in Within Her Eyes?
A
- Abstract love story - non traditional with female leading movement (unlike social dances) & an unhappy. ending open for interpretation. Clear Loving relationship between the two characters communicated by:
-female never touching the floor - shows care & support
from the male character.
-opening & closing movements - show affection & intimacy
towards male character & pulling towards late Lover. - High emotional intensity & physicality shown throughout daring choreography & emotive characters which provoke a response from the audience
22
Q
What is the costume like in Within Her Eyes?
A
- Short skirt ensures legs are not restricted in high leg extensions &
lifts. - Light beige coloured blouse & skirt contrasts with the male costume & links her to her late lover. Dark coloured male costume, together with thicker knitted textures communicates control, stability & links him to the earth. This also compliments the setting as the colours are reflected on the cliff top & skies behind the dancers.
- Beige knitted cardigan in prologue shows the climate as cold enhances the feeling of loneliness & isolation.
- Delicate blouse with long sleeves and top done up in Beginning section shows her fragile but conservative character. The button becomes undone as the dance progresses showing her distress and increased emotional struggles, together with her hair becoming more untidy.
- Tight fitting jumper and trousers of male costume enhances the lines of the body and is non-restricting allowing movement to flow.
23
Q
What choreographic devices are there in Within Her Eyes?
A
- REPETITION- Slowly walking suggesting a long period of time. Reaching gestures suggest her grief & Longing. Opening & Losing - inner turmoil.
- HIGHLIGHTS - sudden falling & catching addo to the suspense - will he catch her? What happens if he doesn’t? Looking at each other - change in relationship.
- CONTRAST - flowing movements change to urgent, quicker movements - adds interest & shows change in the relationship- female becoming more distressed.
- CLIMAX (x2)-quick spirals around & urgent dynamics build the tension
24
Q
What motif development is there in Within Her Eyes?
A
- Reaching away through instrumentation - reaching away with one leg, arm gestures, top of head.
- Wrapping in various directions & around different places on the male body.
- Lifting - legs open in 2nd position, instead of pike, opening slowly. Lifted backwards so that chest faces the sky & back in arched. Also performed with male on low level.
25
What is the CI of Within Her Eyes?
- High emotional intensity
- Abstract Love story.
- female leads all of the movement
- Total contact throughout - female never touches the floor.
- Narrative of Late lover & trying to allow herself to move on with a man who cares so much for her (opening & closing movement).
26
What actions are there in Within Her Eyes?
- simple pedestrian - hair behind ear, wrapping around body
- female reaching away
- opening & closing actions
- poignant use of eye contact
- contact - lifts, counterbalances circling around male
- female leading until final section where male leads
27
What space is used in Within Her Eyes?
- close proximity throughout showing intimate & complicated relationship
- females direction towards sky & away from male shows her grieving & longing for past lover
- female lifted away from the floor throughout on mid/high level - shows support of male dancer
- low level in kneeling shows intimacy in relationship
28
What relationships are used in Within Her Eyes?
- contact - used throughout to show intertwined nature of the characters, female never touches floor, get closer to show developing relationship
- lead & follow - female leads until the end struggle, she wraps his arms around her ready to support lifts - contrast to most social dances
- action & reaction - male respond to all of female actions - shows uncertainty in character
- complementary - shows dancer's shared feeling & affection e.g. both arching backwards
29
What motifs are used in Within Her Eyes?
- reaching away - balancing on male, female extends right leg in front away from male
- wrapping - female leads movement by using her hand to wrap male dancer's arm around her to support her into a lift
- lifting - male lifts female at hip joints high above, female's hand on shoulders creating a 90° angle at hip - legs in a downward pike position
30
What motif & development is used in Within Her Eyes?
- reaching away through instrumentation - reaching away with 1 leg, arm gestures, top of head
- wrapping - female leads movement by using her hand to wrap male dancer's arm around her to support into a lift
- lifting - legs open in 2nd, instead of pike, opening slowly, lifted back so chest faces sky & back in arched, also performed with male on low level
