2. MUSICAL THEATRE COMPONENTS
• Contains a prelude and encore
• Follows conventional/traditional approach
• Includes motifs and motif development
• Live orchestra
• Sound effects
• The audience is spoon fed
• Includes diegetic and non diegetic sounds
• Underscores the action
3. CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPONENTS
• Contains original scores
• New commissioned works
• Can work in direct correlation or be completely disassociated
• Can provide form and structural devices i.e. climax, time frame using
rhythm and repetition
• Can suggest place, mood, time
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• 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
• 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.
Notas do Editor
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 – 0:44
The 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.