Emancipation of expressionism

• blue boy entertainment

  2013
• emacipation


  liberation

  being set free
• expressionism


  being able to express oneself
• choreographer


  kenrick H20 sandy
• what does kenrick want to do?


  tries to push art form to a level where the audience are impacted and really appreciate the work done under the banner of hip hop, street dance and urban dance

  he is keen to take hip hop beyond the streets to the clubs

  kenrick is at the forefront of the uk movement to present hip hop as an art form in its own right
• Dance styles

  hip hop including..

  krumping

  popping

  locking

  animation

  breaking

  waacking
• Signature motifs


  ninja walk

  ninja static

  ninja glide

  chariots of fire
• choregraphic approach


  the way in which the choreographer creates movement
• choreographic approach

  exploring and abstarcting hip hop movement and 'signature' company movements in a contemporary way

  working closely with the accompianment and paying paticular attention to musicality

  whilst the choreographer and dancers created material for the work, Kenrick very specifically selects certain movement vocabularly and 'signature' motifs, choreographic devices, formations and use of space
• stimulus 


  inspiration for the dance
• stimulus


  the music Til Edna by Olafur Amalds was a starting point for the piece. This final section of work was created prior to earlier sections.

  the idea of emancipating expressionism was another starting point for the work

  the importance of the dancers being free to express themselves both as individuals and through the use of hip hop movement vocabulary are central to Kenricks initial ideas for the work
• choreographic intention


  what the choreographer aims to communicate
• choreographic intent

  kenrick uses hip hop as a tool to create art that affects an audience in a theatrical setting

  he wants the audience to go on an emotional journey through the piece and appreciate hip hop dance as an art form

  the theme of order and chaos highlights the restrictions of an individual style of hip hip dance

  often individual dancers split from the ensemble and at other times the ensemble are all in unison, kenrick uses these contrasts to show different relationships between order and chaos
• structure

  genesis

  growth and struggle

  the connection and flow between people

  empowerment
• genesis


  start of life

  sense of electrical current affecting the dancers

  explores ideas of struggling to be free, finding individual expressionalism, conformity and order
• growth and struggle


  starting with an individual dancer's expression contrasted by others entering from stage right

  what may appear aggressive suggests the struggle for the recognition of individual pattern and expression.

  ends with a rugby scum inspired formation, with an ensemble supporting the individual dancer
• connection and flow between people


  developing from a duet to full ensemble

  aspects of memory, manipulation, flow, merge and play between individuals in a relationship

  an energy flows through the dancers, sometimes conrolled by an individual and sometimes in group unison
• enpowerment 


  energy is captured and released with a new found raw, super human power

  the release of individual energy (now more chaotic) continues to contrast the powerful order of group unison

  within the idea of empowerment, this section also showcases individual skills and expressionism in the core dancers

  the contrasting lyrical qualities and frentic percussive elements of the accompianment are echoed in the contrasting actions and dynamics.

  there is an incessant impowered

  section finishes with the dancers huddled together in unity before a final black out and bow
• aural setting 


  1 + 2original production and arrangement by Mikey J of Blue Boy Entertainement

  3 november composed by Max Richter

  4 Til Enda composed by Olafur Arnalds
• aural setting


  the music shifts from two urban peices utilising powerful drum beats and electronic sounds, to a modern classical compostion (november) to a fusion of music (Til Edna) that incoporates urban percussive elements and classical string instrumentation.

  This development relates to the journey that Kenrick wants the audience to experience. Kenrick writes out the counts and symbols in his notes to ensure that movements complement the paticular instrumentation

  and accents within aural setting.
• lighting


  an important feature is the lighting from above the stage, casting an intense blue colour on the dancers. some are spotlights from above used to highlight individual dancers and groups of dancers, and some create a wash of blue over the stage

  the edges of the stage are not lit creating a very central focusb

  the lighting is designed to create moods and different moments as well as work with both the accompainment and formations. It is also used to highlight paticular transitions.
• lighting


  the pair of white lights from off-stage right feature in the second section and are significant in the focus of the dancers and relationship between the soloist, the group entering the stage space, and the ideas of adversity (difficult times) and confronting the trials and tribulations of life

  sometimes the lighting fades and at other times snaps to black out for dramatic effect, and to create distinction between sections and transitions

  the intensity of the lighting varies considerably in the different sections
• side lights are good as


  they highlight facical expressions as they are normally at face level of the dancers. facial expressions are an expressive skill and therefore key to convey the narraitive and choreographic intent of the dance- to be free and express your individuality in society.
• performance environment 


  proscenium arch stage

  -use of theatrical

  -fog creates texture in the air around and the dancers and enhanced by the lighting

  there is no set-> no distractions and more space for movement
• aural setting


  -helps with narrative

  -links to stimulous

  -links to choreographic intent

  -helps create visualisation

  -helps create mood and atmosphere

  -complements other components and movements

  -enhances structure

  -enhances climax
• electronic and repetititve noises


  mirror a broken record. This parallels to how the people of society are growing to where everything is programmed and their personal identity is being oppressed- they cannot express themselves anymore. Their solos show them cracking and breaking societal norms and the cycle of putting up a facade to fit in.
• different sections in the music 


  used to reflect different stages of life
• 17 dancers


  8 female

  9 male

  kenrick is one of the dancers in the performance
• duration


  11 minutes
• costume


  the costume was designed to represent the company - casual to enhance the shape of the dancers and create a 'clean' look.

  the dancers wear short-sleeved pastel blue t-shirts, blue demin jeans and grey trainers with a white sole.

  Kenrick wanted the dancers hair tied back where necessary to ensure the facial expressions were clearly visible in order to convey the narrative.

  Some dancers wear everyday jewellery to enhance both the individuality and everyday qualities of the peice
• theme of God/ mother figure


  when dancers are on floor at the start of the dance, 1 dancer performs a solo in the middle of them, aggresively pointing and staring at them
• hospital scrubs


  not found indiviuality yet, all just zygotes, conveys that everyone starts equal and the same
• babys begin in the sac


  they then use larger movements to show them being birthed
• What do some dancers wear to express individuality?

  Their own jewellery
• How does the uniform clothing of dancers relate to choreographic intent?

  It shows uniformity and equality, linking to order
• What is the significance of the dancers' clothing being not gender specific?

  Promotes inclusivity and equality
• What does the color blue suggest in the context of the dancers' costumes?

  Calmness and power
• Why is the uniformity of the dancers' costumes considered powerful?


  Because they all look the same
• How do the costumes reflect the era they represent?

  They are casual and modern
• Why are the costumes designed to be relatively tight?

  To enhance the shape of the dancers