2. MUSICAL THEATRE COMPONENTS
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Contains a prelude and encore
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Follows conventional/traditional approach
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Includes motifs and motif development
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Live orchestra
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Sound effects
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The audience is spoon fed
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Includes diegetic and non diegetic sounds
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Underscores the action
3. CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPONENTS
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Contains original scores
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New commissioned works
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Can work in direct correlation or be completely disassociated
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Can provide form and structural devices i.e. climax, time frame using rhythm and
repetition
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Can suggest place, mood, time
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Contemporary is a more experimental approach, there are no rules, whereas ballet is a
more traditional, conventional approach
4. •
Love Never Dies is a musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is the sequel to The
Phantom of the Opera, and is set in 1907 in Coney Island, New York. It’s music is played
by a live orchestra.
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The musical is set in a freak show, “Phantasma” on Coney Island, where the Phantom
lures Christine. Strange events and blackmail lead up to Christine singing once more for
the Phantom, and she returns to the Phantom for good.
6. •
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a musical which premiered in 1973 and was
written by Richard O’Brien.
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The show centres around a newly engaged couple who happen upon a mansion in
the woods. As they enter the mansion the find out that all is not as it seems, and a
Frankenstein type creation, Rocky, is being born within its very walls.
8. •
Revelations is the signature choreographic work of Alvin Ailey American Dance
Theatre.
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Revelations tells the story of African-American faith, from slavery to freedom through
dance, which is set to spiritual and blues music.
10. •
Swan Song was first performed in 1987, and was choreographed by Christopher
Bruce.
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It tells a story of a victim or criminal being interrogated by two officers. The dance
contains only 3 dancers, and can be performed with an all female or all male cast, or
mixed, although the victim must never be the single sex.
12. COMPARE AND CONTRAST
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Whilst musical theatre pieces spoon feed the audience with motifs, and underscore the
action, contemporary dance can juxtapose the action and is open to audience
interpretation. There are also sound effects in musical theatre and the music works in
direct correlation with the action, whereas although contemporary dance can do this, it
can also be completely disassociated. We see evidence of this through comparing Love
Never Dies and Revelations. Love Never Dies contains minor chords combined with a
vibrato which spoon feeds the audience, informing them they are supposed to feel
tension, shock and fear. The layering of the sound in the beginning of the clip builds
tension in the scene, as it combined the musical box which is childlike and innocent with a
darker sounding violin. Revelations leaves the audience to interpret what they are seeing,
and to question whether the music is in direct correlation – are the man and woman in
love? Or is it disassociated – is the man controlling the woman and is she trying to get
away?
13. COMPARE AND CONTRAST
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Whilst musicals spoon feed the audience, it is also encouraging an audience to suspend
their disbelief and be captivated by hyper-reality. This is shown by using sound effects.
Contemporary dance often uses microphones near the stage to capture found sounds, so
the audience doesn’t have to suspend their disbelief, because the sounds are actually
happening. We see evidence of this in The Time Warp and Swansong. In The Time Warp,
Columbia’s steps when she is tap dancing are pre-recorded and are the main sound in
that section of the song, which draws attention to the sound effect and what the audience
is supposed to be hearing in that situation. However in Swansong, sounds of the guard’s
feet are found sounds, picked up by the ambient mics placed on the stage. This is to
make the sounds realistic and obvious. The taps are also a low frequency which could be
to show the guard’s power against the victim, which is just one interpretation of this
contemporary dance.
Editor's Notes
0:0 – 0:50The piece begins with a music box, which plays notes with a short attack, sustain and decay. This creates an innocent and childlike sound, which fits with the confusion on the actors face. The music box’s notes are of quite a high frequency, which makes us feel as though we are close to the origin, as Christine is close to the music box.Brass and violins join this sound which has a deep dark tone. The violin is also playing a vibrato, and these components help to underscore the action which is spoon feeding the audience. The following music is played by the brass section, and consists of notes with a quick attack, long sustain and a long decay. This is used to create a romantic yet tense atmosphere which is backed up by Christine fainting and the Phantom rushing to pick her up. These notes played by the brass section range from low to midrange frequencies to make the piece seem powerful, which is combined with a dramatic rise of dynamics and change to minor chords.
0:0 – 0:22 and 2:28 – 2:34The piece begins with notes with a short attack, sustain and decay. The rhythm is fast which causes tension which fits with the expression on Brad and Janet’s faces. However, the notes are major which fits with the other actors expressions and actions. The notes are of a low frequency which makes each note seems powerful and significant.Pre-recorded sound is used when Columbia tap dances. This is used to pull focus to her dancing and make it seem realistic and diegetic.
0:47 – 1:05The piece begins with music of a slow rhythm and a pitch ranging from low to midrange to high frequencies. There are sudden bursts in dynamics when there is a juxtaposition of levels on stage. The music is major but the dancer’s faces are expressionless, and occasionally sad, which shows that the dance is open to interpretation as the music is being juxtaposed.
0:22 – 0:44The music’s rhythm is fast paced and the notes are distorted, which adds to the mood of the piece. Another set of notes begin to play over the original notes, and their rhythms are different, which adds to the tension. The first rhythm dies out and the second rhythm’s texture gets thicker and the dynamics grow. The two officers begin dancing and the found sounds are picked up by the ambient mics that are placed on the stage. This adds another rhythm which also adds to the tension. However, the tension that is suggested by the music can be interpreted in many different ways, which backs up the fact that contemporary dance is open to interpretation.
