as pdf

Artsource
The Music Center’s Study Guide
to the Performing Arts
TRANSFORMATION
ENDURING
VALUES
DANCE
MUSIC
®
TRADITIONAL
ARTISTIC PERCEPTION (AP)
CLASSICAL
CREATIVE EXPRESSION (CE)
CONTEMPORARY
HISTORICAL & CULTURAL CONTEXT (H/C)
EXPERIMENTAL
AESTHETIC VALUING (AV)
MULTI-MEDIA
CONNECT, RELATE & APPLY (CRA)
FREEDOM &
OPPRESSION
Title of Work:
The Brass Ring - Choreographed in 2000
Company: Pilobolus Dance Theatre
Choreographed by Michael Tracy in collaboration with Ras
Mikey C, Otis Cook, Mark Fucik, Renee Jaworski, Matt Kent
and Jennifer Macavinta
Background Information:
Pilobolus Dance Theatre, a major American dance
company of international influence, began in a
Dartmouth College undergraduate dance class in 1971.
New to traditional modern dance technique, the original
founders, Jonathan Wolken and Moses Pendleton met in
this class and were later joined by their dance teacher,
Alison Chase, as well as Robert Barnett, Martha Clarke
and Michael Tracy. After much exploration and intense
work they discovered a unique and highly original
choreographic process that relied on collaboration and a
weight-sharing approach to partnering that resulted in
an exciting non-traditional dance vocabulary. Out of this
pioneering and inventive spirit, the Pilobolus Dance
Theatre continues to create new works while keeping alive
a varied repertoire of past works under the leadership of
four artistic directors, all members of the original
company. The name Pilobolus comes from the first dance
they choreographed and refers to a real life phototrophic
(light reactive) fungus found in barnyards and pastures.
This tiny mushroom has a small eye that grows or moves
in response to light, and when it is ready to reproduce
can project its spores nearly eight feet into the air. This
little organism captures the essence of the way the
company works and creates. Based in Washington,
Connecticut, Pilobolus Dance Theatre performs for stage
and television audiences all over the world.
THE HUMAN
FAMILY
THE POWER
OF NATURE
About The Artwork:
The original theme of The Brass Ring was to be the
relationship of art and sport. The dancers and
choreographer, Michael Tracy, investigated the Greek
ideas behind the games of the first Olympics that took
place in 776 B.C. They examined the art and sculpture
that emphasized the human form in action and
studied the geography of the land in Greece. The
exploration deepened to include games, competition
and sportsmanship. Dancers improvised with the
movements found in speed skating, the luge and bowling.
It’s title, The Brass Ring, came out of a moment in
rehearsal when dancer, Matt Kent, encouraged his
fellow dancers to “reach for the brass ring” that carousel
riders attempt to grab as the merry-go-round goes
around. It had its premiere at the 2000 Olympic Games
in Salt Lake City.
Creative Process of the Artist or Culture:
Unlike traditional dance companies, Pilobolus
choreographers do not give “steps” to the dancers to
perform. The physical vocabulary for each of the company’s
works is created by the dancers,
under the guidance of the choreographer(s) and emerges from
intense periods of improvisation
and creative play. (Continued on
Photo: Courtesy of Pilobolus Dance Theatre
“We have no rules.”
Pilobolus Dance Theatre
page 2.)
Connecticut
More About the Creative Process:
The daring lifts, counterbalances, swinging sculptures and
contact improvisational elements emerged out of a deep
commitment to a process of collaborative teamwork and
trust rooted in improvisation and invention. Each new
dance project begins with several days of improvisation as
the director/choreographers help develop and build work
by presenting ideas or themes for the dancers to explore.
They observe the dancers and give them feedback to stimulate
the exploratory process. The dancers are not given directions
on “the how” of doing something. Rather, the information
that they receive helps them build on their discoveries.
Discussion Questions:
After the video has been viewed:
• What impressions did you get from watching The Brass
Ring excerpt?
• How did the dancers relate or respond to one another?
• What evidence of a collaborative process do you see in
the way the dancers move?
• Music was an integral part of The Brass Ring. What
mood did the music suggest in this section? Did the dancing
go with the mood?
Audio-Visual Materials:
• Artsource® video excerpts: The Brass Ring footage courtesy
of Pilobolus Dance Theatre.
• Photos: Courtesy of Pilobolus Dance Theatre.
• Music by Gabriel Fauré, Pavane, Opus 50. Performed by
Earl Raney’s Epic Brass Quintet, arranged by Earl Raney,
© 1984. Available in International Treasures, Ars Nova
Digital, DC#1004, © 1992.
Additional References:
• Website: www.pilobolus.com
• Pilobolus and John Kane. The Human Alphabet.
Roaring Brook Press, New Milford Conn. 2005.
Sample Experiences: (Secondary)
LEVEL I
• Using sports magazines, newspapers or photography
books, select a variety of active body shapes demonstrating
sports. In small groups, create a dance study that
sequences these shapes. In the sequence, include sport
shapes that have a variety of different levels, facings and
relationships. Perform these studies in small groupings
or arrange in tableaux, similar to the idea of figures
placed in ancient wall friezes.
• Use verbs and prepositions as starting points for
movement. Place the words on cards and arrange in
sequence to design a small group dance study.
Improvise with the elements of dance - time, space
and energy. Practice working in collaboration as a
team to find solutions to the problem.
• Read one of the selected texts in Sample Lesson I
and complete the writing task. Evaluate personal
writing using the rubrics provided.
LEVEL II
* • Survey student understanding of architecture.
Word web their responses. View the Artsource® video
excerpt and observe the architectural elements that
the choreographer and dancers used to create this
piece. Identify specific terms such as arches, columns,
lintels and buttresses and use these concepts in a dance study.
• Architectural creations often receive distinctive
nicknames as a result of their design and construction
(i.e., The “Blue Whale” is the name of the Pacific
Design Center in West Hollywood, California).
Journalists frequently use metaphors to conjure
images in their descriptions of buildings. Visit or
view selected architectural sites in the community.
Discuss and describe these building designs using
metaphors. These metaphors can serve as ideas for
dance studies.
LEVEL III
* • Explore basic physics concepts involving energy,
force, and motion. Create small group dance studies
that demonstrate some of the physics elements
observed in The Brass Ring excerpt.
• Collaboration is a central factor in Pilobolus’
creative work and is also practiced by many groups in
a democratic society. Do a web search to find out how
collaboration is practiced in democratic institutions.
Interview the individuals who are part of the
decision-making processes. Find out how they work
with colleagues, members of the community and legislative members to create and pass new laws.
Research the origins of democracy.
* Indicates sample lesson
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DANCE SCENARIOS
Dance Scenario: The Brass Ring
The excerpt of Pilobolus Dance Theatre’s piece, The Brass Ring, begins in silence, the six dancers arranged in
striking counter-balanced positions, forming an intricate sculpture. Gabriel Faure’s haunting music, Pavane,
fills the air as the concluding segment of the nine section piece begins. The dancers slowly disassemble from
their positions and reform into two trios, each group lifting and suspending a dancer between two supports,
As these trios slowly travel a circular path in the space, they come together, lowering the suspended dancers
onto the backs or “shelves” of two dancers.
The lighting changes. The backdrop appearsto be filled with “stars” in the night sky. The dancers reform into
trios and continue in a cascading progression of suspensions and weight-supported positions, changing their
levels in space and shifting from vertical to horizontal planes. This beautifully executed work continues its fluid
progression of timeless grace. The light fades to black with the dancers still in motion as Faure’s music ends,
like stars dissolving in the night sky.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY OPTION
The premiere performance of The Brass Ring took place at the 2000 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, an
event that brings athletes of the participating countries of the world together to compete in a multiplicity of
athletic events that inspire and celebrate physical power, ability and endurance. The Olympics have also been
an arena for political intrigue and tragedy. Organized as part of a religious festival, the original Olympic
Games were held in Ancient Greece (76 BC) at a place called Olympia. These early “games” took place within a
culture that deeply valued all the arts and from whom we have inherited (among other things) classical
literature, philosophy and our democratic ideals. Our museums are filled with their examples of the beauty
of the human form in repose and action, an early marriage of art and sport.
Discuss, research and write about some of these ideas. Consider the following topics:
• Identify extraordinary physical accomplishments of athletes that move beyond sport into artistic
expression, either in still photographs or performance (e.g., ice skating, track & field, gymnastics).
• Research ancient Greek culture and write about their views on art, beauty and the human form.
• Research the history of the ancient and present day Olympic games. Compare and contrast their
philosophies and practices.
NOTE: The writing tasks included in each level replicate writing tasks featured in the California High
School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) and focus on Dance and Literacy. Experiences in writing about dance are
strongly connected to Dance Content Standards ( #3 - Historical and Cultural Context, #4 - Aesthetic
Valuing, and, #5 - Connections, Applications and Relationships). The rubrics provided for each writing task
are based upon the CAHSEE writing task rubrics.
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DANCE
ACTION RESEARCH
ENDURING VALUES AND TRANSFORMATION
LEVEL I Sample Lesson
INTRODUCTION:
The Brass Ring is a work that explores, in part, the
relationship between dance, games, and athletics.
Performed at the 2000 Olympic Games in Salt Lake
City, Utah, it is a daring mixture of multi-level body
shapes, lifts and balances. This work evolved as a
result of research undertaken by the choreographers
who were looking for connections between art and
sport. Part of that research included an examination
of the ancient Olympics, photos of Greek statues and
present-day Olympic sporting events.
This lesson will focus on creating body shapes and
designs, individually and in partnerships, based on the
methods used by Pilobolus Dance Theatre.
OBJECTIVES: (Student Outcomes)
Students will be able to:
• Find their own center in relationship to gravity.
(Artistic Perception)
Pilobolus in The Brass Ring
Photo: Courtesy of Pilobolus Dance Theatre
• Demonstrate working alone, with a partner and/or small group in collaborative ways that include the
movement concepts of shape (symmetrical and asymmetrical), positive/negative space, levels in space,
facings, traveling in pathways (curved, straight, etc.) (Artistic Perception)
• Cooperatively improvise body designs based upon research, adding and subtracting them in relationship to
a partner or small group. (Creative Expression)
• Create dance work that demonstrates originality, unity, and clarity of intent. (Creative Expression)
• Describe, discuss, analyze and connect information and experiences based on this lesson. Refer to
Assessment at the end of this lesson. (Aesthetic Valuing)
MATERIALS:
• Chart with “Ground Rules for Movement Improvisation.”
1. Maintain personal space and respect the space of others.
2. Follow directions and perform with focus and full body involvement.
3. Work collaboratively and cooperatively when in groups.
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• Sports sections in newspapers, Sports Illustrated or books that feature photographs or artwork of athletes.
PROGRESSION:
• View the Artsource® video of The Brass Ring excerpt. After viewing, briefly discuss the body designs.
Management Tip: Review “Ground Rules for Movement Improvisation.” Improvisation is a skill that
can be intimidating for students who are new to the experience. Encourage students to limit their talking.
They will find this a challenge, but with practice they will be able to focus on the movement experience.
To warm up and prepare for movement improvisation, have students find a space in which to work
independently and move without touching. Use a drum or other instrument to focus the students and
give them signals when to move and freeze.
• Tell students that they will independently translate visuals into body designs that will later be shared
with small groups.
• Warm-up: direct students to respond with their bodies to the following words: wide, tall, round, tilted,
curved, bent, twisted, stretched, balanced. Encourage students to use all of their body parts.
Repeat the words with these variations:
• change your facing each time you make a shape
• change your level (high in space, mid-level, low to the floor)
• change the speed (slow, fast, medium tempo)
• Introduce the following sequence of tasks and criteria to students.
Task #1
Each person selects one photo to recreate into a body design. Use the following criteria:
Criteria
• photo must demonstrate full body action and can be physically duplicated
• modify the sports design to hold in “active stillness”
Task #2
• Divide into groups of four, five or six. All photo selections and body shapes are shared with the group
• Each student will teach the shape collected from the photo research. Group members learn all the shapes
and arrange them into an interesting sequence. After learning the basic body designs, apply the
following criteria:
Criteria:
• the study must include all shapes found in the research
• alter it by changing the facing, size, level and relationship to other group members
• arrange the shapes in a group relationship
• have moments of stillness in the study to highlight the shapes
• add traveling movements to connect the designs
• create smooth transitions
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• work with the artistic principles of unity, contrast and composition
• When the students have completed a “first draft of their task,” have them perform the work for peers.
Use some of the questions under “Assessment” to engage them in discussion.
EXTENSIONS:
• When students show facility with the above experience, introduce the concepts of positive and negative
space and add that element to the improvisation. Add the challenge of performing in silence using the
breath as a rhythmic guide.
VOCABULARY: collaboration, creative process, improvisation, levels in space, shape, symmetry, asymmetry,
choreography, positive/negative space, transitions, facing, pathway
ASSESSMENT: (Aesthetic Valuing)
DESCRIBE: Ask students to reflect on their experience. Record in their journals or on the Learning Log
(pg. 7).
DISCUSS: Discuss the experience. How it felt, what they discovered? What worked, what didn’t work,
what they learned?
ANALYZE: Discuss the differences between each group’s interpretation of the task.
CONNECT: Make a connection between the process used by Pilobolus Dance Theatre and the process
they experienced in this lesson.
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ASSESSMENT STRATEGY # 1 (Artistic Perception and Creative Expression)
Students record responses on Learning Log form. Share with peers or include in Dance Journal entries or
other portfolio collection devices employed in class.
LEARNING LOG
Date
What I did
How I worked and learned
What I learned
ASSESSMENT STRATEGY #2 (Connections, Applications, Relationships)
Group Project Reflection
After the completion of the project, group members will meet together to discuss and record the answers
to the following reflection questions:
1. How well did your group collaborate to complete this project?
2. What were your successes?
3. What were your challenges?
4. How did you solve problems that arose in the creation of your work?
5. If you were to begin this assignment again, how would you work differently?
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Book Resources:
• Greenfield, Lois. Airborne. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1998.
• Greenfield, Lois. Breaking Bounds. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1992.
• Pilobolus. Twisted Yoga. New York: Sea Star Books, 2002.
• Film - Olympia - The Festival of the People - Part 1 - Janus films
This controversial, 1936-1938 documentary done by Leni Reifenstal, has an extraordinary opening
sequence that takes the viewer back to ancient Greece and the first Olympics. The camera slowly travels
among the ruins, stones, buildings and statues of Greece in a mesmerizing stream of images that set the
tone for the Olympic games. From the motionless, stone statues of faces and then bodies, there is a subtle
change as the these statues come to life and athletes in Greek costume perform ever-challenging athletic
feats.
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EXTENSIONS: Dance and Literacy Writing Task
As you read the text on “The Creative Process of Pilobolus Dance Theatre,” circle or underline the
keywords that describe the style and intent of the artwork used to create. After reading the text, choose
five to eight key words and list them below.
KEY WORDS
Put the text away and write a summary paragraph in your own words using the list of key words. Use all
of your chosen words in the paragraph. Be sure to include a topic sentence as well as several details
supporting the main idea. Write only information from the text, leaving out your personal opinion.
When you have finished, turn the paper over and evaluate your writing using the provided rubric,
“Summary Writing Self-Assessment.”
THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATRE
Part of the reason for Pilobolus’ great success in the dance world is their unique approach to movement
invention that stems from their unconventional motto - “there are no rules.” The male members of the
founding company were not trained in traditional dance technique but found that they were able to use
their athletic experience in a collaborative way. This involved the physics of using one another’s weight to
perform lifts, counterbalances and swinging sculptures. A deep commitment to a process of collaborative
teamwork and trust evolved from this original group.
Unlike traditional dance companies, Pilobolus choreographers do not give “steps” to the dancers to
perform. The movement vocabulary is created by the dancers under the guidance of the choreographer(s)
and emerges from intense periods of improvisation. One might even think of their rehearsal studio as an
“artistic laboratory.” Pilobolus dancers use their life experience to feed the creative process so important
to the company philosophy.
The dancers are not given directions on “the how” of doing something, the information that they receive
is merely a tool to use in the creative process, and it is in that process where the discoveries are made about
the individuals and the movement material of the piece.
One of the founders, Moses Pendleton, offered this insight into the working process: “When we first
begin a piece, we might have a vague idea of what we want to do. We may spend a couple of weeks on
what we call gathering material. . . We go into a studio and just work and play on various moves.
Eventually one move may link to another or you may find a particular image that will allow you to start
thinking in terms of where a piece may go. . . Eventually we begin to focus in on one particular idea from
the movement, from the images that emerge from the movement. Then the piece begins to develop.”
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SUMMARY WRITING SELF-ASSESSMENT
(put a check under the answer)
Yes
Could be Better
Not Really
Did I use all of the key words I chose from the reading?
Did I have a clear topic sentence that introduces my
summary and sums up the main idea of what I read?
Do I have several details that support my topic sentence?
Have I written all of my sentences in my own words without
copying the text?
Did I leave out my own personal opinion about the text I
read?
Did I use only information from the text, leaving out extra
thoughts or ideas from other sources?
Are my sentences complete?
Did I use appropriate spelling, punctuation and grammar?
Is my summary short and to the point?
9
DANCE
BUILDING WITH BODIES
TRANSFORMATION
LEVEL II Sample Lesson
INTRODUCTION:
Modern Dance legend Martha Graham, considered
dance and architecture to be the primary art forms.
Kurt W. Forster, writes that “Pieces and parts of architecture
have been compared to the human body and its limbs, at
least since classical antiquity.” Examples of the relationship
between dance and architecture are evident in the work
of Pilobolus Dance Theatre and their dance, The
Brass Ring.
In this lesson, students will be exposed to basic concepts
and vocabulary related to architecture. They will
work in collaboration to create a dance study that
demonstrates their understanding of the Dance/
Architecture relationship.
OBJECTIVES: (Student Outcomes)
Pilobolus in The Brass Ring
Photo: Courtesy of Pilobolus Dance Theatre
Students will be able to:
• Use basic concepts and vocabulary related to architecture in the creation of a dance study. (Artistic
Perception and Connections, Relationships and Applications)
• Demonstrate the following partner and group skills: weight sharing and support, counterbalance, lifts
(Artistic Perception)
• Describe, discuss, analyze and connect information and experiences based on this lesson. Refer to
Assessment at the end of this lesson. (Aesthetic Valuing)
MATERIALS:
• Chart with this statement: “Dance and Architecture were the first arts.” Martha Graham
• Architecture Vocabulary handout on page 17
• Checklist for Dance Study on page 13
10
PROGRESSION:
• Introduce the theme of architecture and dance. Assess students’ architectural knowledge by inviting
them to reflect upon Martha Graham’s quote. Discuss and word web their responses.
• View the Artsource® video showing The Brass Ring excerpt. Direct students to observe possible
connections between architectural elements used in The Brass Ring (e.g., arches, columns, beams, cantilevers
and domes). Record their responses on the Architecture chart.
• Pass out a vocabulary sheet that gives a basic architectural vocabulary for students to read and understand. Encourage them to assume the shapes of these words, either with their hands, body parts or full
body shapes.
• Explain to students that they are going to create a movement study that incorporates elements of architecture.
Management Tip: The exploration of the following activities should be done over a series of lessons.
Starred (*) experiences are more appropriate for experienced students and should be done under the
supervision of a dance movement professional. To prepare for the experience of sharing weight and
establishing trust between students, begin simply and incrementally.
The following is a suggested progression for approaching weight support work with beginning level students.
EXPERIENCES FOR BEGINNERS:
1. See-Saws - Sit back to back with a partner. Lean against each other’s back, and feel the
support of the partner’s weight. Perform slow “see-saws,” forward/back and side/side,
while maintaining contact.
2. Molding Clay - One partner is the sculptor, one partner the clay. Sculptor partner
manipulates the clay partner. Switch roles and then discuss the experience.
3. Trust Walk - Be the eyes for your partner as you guide them through space. Change
directions and levels. Guide partner to explore surfaces and textures with their hands.
4. Fall and Catch - Standing with a partner, one person in front of the other, one person
falls and the other partner catches and supports the weight of that person as they lean
backwards, forwards, side to side. Change roles. Tip: “catcher” keeps hands on the body
of “faller” throughout the experience to provide contact and maintain confidence.
Task #1
Give students practice in forming and shaping their material. Create short sequences of counterbalanced
positions. Combine 3 different examples.
Criteria:
• hold counterbalanced positions in “Active Stillness”
• create smooth transitions between positions
• work cooperatively and collaboratively with partner or small groups
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EXPERIENCES FOR INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS
5. Circle of Trust - Quintet - one person in the center will fall against the outstretched
hands of the people composing the circle. The center person’s responsibility is to be strong
and taut, by keeping his/her abdominal muscles pulled up and in.
6. Counterbalance - Partners begin by facing each other. Holding each other’s wrists,
they bend their knees and lean away from each other as if sitting in a chair. Find a place
of balanced counter-tension with that person. Explore changing levels, using only one
hand (both right or both left).
7. Counter-pulls - Experience maintaining a strong and grounded personal center of
gravity. One partner assumes a wide Second Position to form a stable base. The other
partner explores counter-pull and counter-push positions, alternately pulling away from
or falling against the stationary partner.
Task #2
In small groups, explore the previous concepts and select from the following architectural vocabulary:
arches, buttresses, cantilevers, columns, corbels or domes. Create a dance study using the Building With
Bodies Group Project checklist on page 13.
EXPERIENCES FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS
9. Scaffolds - Work with the concept of a scaffold or partner support that uses the natural
shelves of the body for lifts. Examples of natural shelves are the top of the thigh when the
knees are bent and planted in a wide based position or the lower back across the sacrum.
Remind all participants that they need to maintain strong abdominal muscles as they practice
these lifts. Examples of this concept can be seen in the video excerpt of The Brass Ring.
Task #3
After exploring these concepts, create a dance study using the Building With Bodies Group Project
Checklist on page 13.
Management Tips: The things they have learned in this lesson are tools for creating. The checklist is only
a guide for creating. Take time to experiment, explore, improvise, collaborate and play with the ideas in
the checklist. Have fun, support each other, and work together. Give the students adequate time to work
on their projects. Assign a due date for the “Rough Draft.” Students will perform rough drafts in front
of classmates for peer and teacher feedback. Use this time as a Pre-Assessment experience to practice
Aesthetic Valuing Skills and learn how to give critical feedback to peers.
EXTENSION:
• Contact the Pilobolus Dance Theatre through their website, www.pilobolus.com. Introduce yourself
and ask questions about their company, their performances, their training as performers.
• Respond to a Literary/Expository Text. Read the selected text, “Pilobolus Dance Theatre - An
Historical/Cultural Perspective” on page 15 that focuses on Dance and Literacy. In this essay about the
origins of Post-Modern Dance, the author provides a context for the arrival of a non-traditional dance company.
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VOCABULARY: collaboration, creative process, center of gravity, improvisation, choreography, transitions,
architecture, vertical, scaffold, suspension, cantilever, column, frieze, architrave, beam, corbel,
arch, dome, buttress, counterbalance, weight support
ASSESSMENT: (Aesthetic Valuing)
DISCUSS: What made your experience successful? What challenges did you encounter? How did you
meet the challenges and fulfill the criteria for the dance study?
ANALYZE: How did this lesson relate to the movement material seen in Artsource® The Brass Ring excerpt?
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BUILDING WITH BODIES GROUP PROJECT CHECKLIST
This project is an opportunity for you to collaborate on a dance study that demonstrates your understanding of Weight Support Work and key forms used in architecture (as seen in the video excerpt, The
Brass Ring, performed by Pilobolus Dance Theatre). Take time to improvise with the elements that are
listed on the checklist and work together.
Your group will:
1. Create a rough draft
2. Perform for peers
3. Revise and/or edit the rough draft
4. Perform the final product.
Due Date_______________
Group size - 4 - 6 people
Time requirement - 1 - 2 minutes
Music is optional and if used should be chosen AFTER the study is completed.
Your group must include examples of the following:
Weight support -corbels, buttresses, beams, arches, domes
Balances
Leans and supports connecting different body parts (not just the arms or upper body) and different
levels.
Traveling in the space
Moments of stillness
Use of positive and negative space in shape relationships
Changes in facing
Symmetrical and asymmetrical shapes
All levels in space
Contrasts in time
Contrasts in energy
Movements must be connected with interesting transitions to connect the elements.
All work must be performed with focus and concentration. Rehearse so that all the performers know the
material and are confident in their performance.
ASSESSMENT:
Your group will be assessed in the following areas:
All checklist criteria are included in the study
Originality of ideas presented in study
Performance focus
NOTE: The above checklist is a sample. Teachers can create their own form based upon their lesson structure or
student handout outline. A sample group project assessment rubric follows the Assignment Checklist.
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GROUP PROJECT ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
Advanced:
• For every requirement shown on the group project checklist, the group
demonstrates inventive choice making, full use of body parts, and maximum
effort to complete the work
• Worked together with maximum cooperation and communal effort
• All group members know performance material and showed strong focus,
energy and commitment in the class performances
• Meets and/or exceeds the time limit for the assignment
• Great effort was shown in class rehearsals. All group members offered
solutions to the problem and helped create the choreography
• Strong evidence of creativity in problem-solving
Proficient:
• Shows all the required elements given on the group project checklist with
satisfactory idea exploration.
• Shows evidence of satisfactory group collaboration. Most group members
offered solutions to the problem and helped with choreography
• Group members know the dance but perform without dynamic range
• Meets the required time limit
• Group members rehearsed material in class as assigned
• Some evidence of creativity in problem-solving
Approaching Proficient:
• Shows some of the required elements on group project checklist but with
limited exploration of ideas
• Group members lacked cooperation within their group. Leadership
assumed by one or two members
• Group members have not rehearsed and do not know material of the dance
or perform with confidence.
• Does not meet the time requirement
• Group members did not use rehearsal time given in class efficiently
• Minimal evidence of creativity in problem-solving
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RESPONSE TO A LITERARY/EXPOSITORY TEXT
Task: Read the selected text, “Pilobolus Dance Theatre - An Historical/Cultural Perspective.” In this
essay, the author provides a context for the arrival of a non-traditional dance company, such as Pilobolus
Dance Theatre. Based on your understanding of modern dance history, write an essay that supports
whether or not you feel that the founders of Pilobolus Dance Theatre held beliefs similar to those of
Modern Dance founder, Isadora Duncan. What details could you give to support your opinion?
Criteria: Evaluate your writing using the “Criteria Checklist” below.
PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATRE - AN HISTORICAL/CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
The 1960’s was a time of great change. Upheaval occurred in much of the world as reactions to war, the
civil rights movement, cultural beliefs and political views were challenged. Modern Dance was not
immune to these turbulent times. Begun in the early part of the Twentieth Century as a rebellion against
the prescribed vocabulary and storylines of Classical Ballet, Modern Dance had reached a point where it
also became “codified.” Relying on the formalized dance techniques and inventions of it’s founders, the
state of Modern Dance would probably have saddened its original rebel, dancer/choreographer/artist,
Isadora Duncan. Her work was grounded in the belief that natural movement should be the guiding
artistic principle of dance.
However, a movement began within the Modern Dance community that saw a radical shift away from
prescribed technique and formal stage productions. Avant-garde dance choreographer, Merce
Cunningham, pushed the boundaries of choreography beyond their focus on story and emotion. Dance
artists spent more time engaging in improvisation and discovering personal creativity as well as bringing
dance out into the community by performing in non-traditional spaces (e.g., gymnasiums, outdoor
spaces, art museums). Dividing lines were blurred between ballet and modern dance as ballet companies
began to employ modern dance artists to choreograph works for their companies. These pioneering dance
artists, called the “Post-Modernists,” moved away from traditional “dance technique” and relied instead
on such pedestrian movements such as walking or everyday gesture.
While the post-modernist’s outward appearance differed from the dance of Isadora, the spirit of the new
movement, in its rejection of all dance that was not natural, was truly in keeping with hers. It was in this
climate that Pilobolus Dance Theatre was born.
CRITERIA CHECKLIST FOR YOUR WRITING
As many dances have a beginning, development of a theme, climax and ending, your writing should
reflect the criteria outlined in the checklist.
• Read the selection and description of the task carefully.
• Use specific details and examples to fully support the ideas expressed in the composition.
• Organize the writing with a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Choose specific words that are appropriate for the audience and purpose.
• Vary the sentences to make the writing interesting to read.
• Check for proper grammar, correct spelling and punctuation and clear sentence
structure.
16
ARCHITECTURAL ART - A BASIC GLOSSARY
Arch - rounded forms seen on buildings.
Beam - a horizontal form that spans across two or more columns. It can also be seen in diagonal placement
on ceilings that come together in a triangular formation.
Buttress - a portion of an arch that forms a support for a building.
Cantilever - a structural member which projects beyond the line of support capital - the uppermost part
of a column.
Column - a freestanding vertical pillar
Corbel - a form that is found at the edge of a roof or wall that carries only a slight bit of the weight on
its upper surface. They help to carry the load much like upside down steps down a building’s wall.
Cupola - a small domed roof
Diminution - the act or process of being made smaller
Dome - a half circle composed by connected arches.
Facade - the front of a building
Frieze - that part of an entablature between the architrave and cornice, or an similar decorative band.
Grid - a frame of evenly spaced parallel horizontal and vertical lines
Motif - a design theme visually repeated on a building surface or facade
Organic Form - refers to the shapes and designs that are observed in nature and used in architectural plan
and structure.
Pitch - the degree of slant of a roof
Radiation - to radiate is to emit from a central source in a spoke-like pattern
Spire - a tall, tapering structure in the form of an elongated pyramid or cone erected on the top of a tower or roof.
Sources:
• The American Craft Museum, Education Department, New York
• Wilson, Forrest. What It Feels Like To Be A Building. Washington, D.C.: Preservation Press, 1988.
17
DANCE
PHYSICS - A MOVING EXPERIENCE
TRANSFORMATION
LEVEL III Sample Lesson
INTRODUCTION:
“Physics* is the scientific study of the properties and
interaction of matter and energy.” It underlies our
existence on this planet. Every time we move we use
energy. Gravity is a force that acts upon the mass and
weight of our bodies. The dancers in Pilobolus work
with the principles of physics when creating and
performing their dances.
After a review of basic concepts in partner weightsharing and scaffold building, students in small
collaborative groups, will learn basic physics concepts
and vocabulary.
* The Oxford Dictionary
OBJECTIVES: (Student Outcomes)
Students will be able to:
Pilobolus in The Brass Ring
Photo: Courtesy of
Pilobolus Dance Theatre
• Find one’s own center in relationship to gravity, individually and in partnership with other movers.
(Artistic Perception)
• Engage in small group collaboration to explore the physics principles: energy, weight, friction, levers,
fulcrums, force, center of gravity, pressure and balance. (Artistic Perception)
• Invent multiple possibilities to solve a given movement problem. (Creative Expression)
• Apply concepts from physics to the study and practice of movement techniques and dance composition.
(Connections, Applications and Relationships)
• Describe, discuss, analyze and connect information and experiences based on this lesson. Refer to
Assessment at the end of this lesson. (Aesthetic Valuing)
MATERIALS:
• Blank chart paper or blackboard, markers or chalk
• Chart listing physics principles
• Student Handouts - Checklist for “Creative Dance Study” on page 22
18
PROGRESSION:
Management Tip: This lesson contains material for several lessons and should not be done as a
one-lesson experience. To fully prepare students for Sample Lesson III, follow the progression outlined in
Sample Lesson II, steps 1 - 8. Sample Lesson III is appropriate for Intermediate and Advanced students.
Beginning students can participate if they focus on fewer concepts. Remind students of the Ground Rules
of Movement Improvisation on page 5.
• To introduce this lesson, give the following definition of physics: “the scientific study of the properties
and interaction of matter and energy.” Explain that physics is the study of the forces, motion, energy and
work that takes place in the natural world. Word web their understanding of principles and concepts
related to physics.
• Refer to the posted Physics - A Moving Experience Chart on page 22. Select a physics principle from the
chart and introduce the concept to the students. Give the students time to kinesthetically explore the
physics concept individually and with a partner in a guided movement improvisation.
Sample - Guided Movement Improvisation
Concept: Center of Gravity
Directions to students:
• Stand in a vertical position with your feet apart. Holding your body in one piece, practice tilting from
the ankles forward, sideways and back. Notice that there is a moment when you go beyond the point
where you can maintain balance and must fall or catch yourself as in a lunge. Explore moving on and off
your center point of controlled balance of weight.
• When students have had time to familiarize themselves with basic concepts, review the Artsource® video
segment of The Brass Ring and allow them to identify the physics principles they observe.
• Put members of the class into groups of two. As a class, choose one physics concept from the list and
find three ways to demonstrate it.
Task: Create a dance study using one or two physics concepts from the chart.
Criteria: Refer to the Physics - A Moving Experience Project Checklist on page 22.
EXTENSIONS:
• Do a “Response to a Prompt” writing task on page 25
VOCABULARY: physics, momentum, center of gravity, mass, counterbalance, friction, force, weight,
centripetal force, suspension, transitions, scaffold, energy, weight, work, lever, fulcrum, pressure, balance,
kinetic energy, equilibrium
ASSESSMENT: (Aesthetic Valuing)
DISCUSS: Discuss the experience. Ask the students what made their experience successful and what
challenges they encountered. How did they meet the challenges and also fulfill the criteria for the dance
study? How did this lesson relate to the movements seen in The Brass Ring?
ANALYZE: In what ways did you, as a dance student, use the same methods as Pilobolus to create your own
dance piece?
19
Physics - A Moving Experience
Center of Gravity - The point in an object where all its weight seems to be concentrated. In a person, it
is usually located below the navel. Partnerships are balanced when the center of gravity is balanced
between the partners.
Centrifugal Force - Centrifugal force acts in direct/equal opposition to a body spinning around a central point.
Energy - Energy can make things move. Every time you move, your body uses energy. There are two
basic kinds of energy: Potential or stored energy and Kinetic or moving energy. Energy can change
forms. For example: kinetic energy can change into potential energy. A moving dancer has kinetic energy.
Energy can never be lost.
Force - A force is a push or a pull. Whenever we try to move something, the force of friction pushes
against us.
Friction - Friction is a force that acts when one surface moves over another surface. The movement of
one surface over another causes friction. Friction acts against motion.
Gravity - Why do things fall? Things fall because the force of gravity pulls them down. The earth’s gravity
pulls things down.
Inertia - Inertia is the tendency of an object to continue in its original motion in the absence of a force.
Law of Conservation of Energy
1. There are two basic kinds of energy.
2. Energy can be changed from one form to another but it can never be lost.
3. Gravitational Potential Energy: things that are raised off the ground have potential energy.
When they fall, the energy is released. The earth’s gravity pulls down on objects (and our bodies)
and makes them fall. When objects fall, they lose potential energy and gain kinetic energy.
4. When moving objects are stopped, their kinetic energy is changed. When a dancer runs
toward a second dancer, and then lifts him/her, the kinetic energy of the running dancer is
changed into potential energy. The faster a dancer moves, the more kinetic energy he/she has.
Also, the greater the mass of the dancer, the more kinetic energy he/she has.
Law of Conservation of Momentum - The law of conservation of momentum is that the total momemtum
of the system before collision is equal to the total momentum of the system after collision.
Linear Momentum - The linear momentum of an object is the product of the mass and the velocity.
Mass - Mass is a measure of the resistance of an object to changes in its motion due to a force. The greater
the mass of a body, the less it accelerates under the action of an applied force.
Torque - Torque refers to the measured quantity of a force to rotate an object about an axis.
Weight - The weight of an object is the pull of gravity upon it.
Work - When a force moves an object, work is done. Energy fuels the ability to do work. Anything that
can make something else move has energy.
20
PHYSICS - A MOVING EXPERIENCE GROUP PROJECT CHECKLIST
This project is an opportunity for you to collaborate on a dance study that demonstrates your understanding of key physics concepts and principles. Take time to improvise with the elements that are listed
on the checklist and work together cooperatively.
Your group will:
1. Create a rough draft
2. Perform for peers
3. Revise and/or edit the rough draft
4. Perform the final product
Due Date________________
Group size - 4 to 6 people
Time requirement - 1 to 2 minutes
Music is optional and if used should be chosen AFTER the study is completed.
Required elements in Physics - A Moving Experience. Your group must include examples of the following:
Weight support
Center of gravity performed in different levels
Balances
Traveling in the stage space
Moments of stillness
Use of positive and negative space in shape relationships
Changes in body facing
Contrasts in energy
Symmetrical and symmetrical shapes
All levels in space
Contrasts in Time
Examples of at least three physics principles or concepts from the charts.
Movements must be connected with interesting transitions.
All work must be performed with focus and concentration. Rehearse so all students know the material
and are confident in their performance.
ASSESSMENT:
Your group will be assessed in the following areas:
All checklist criteria is included in the study.
Originality of ideas presented in study.
Performance focus
NOTE: The above checklist is a sample. Teachers can create their own form based upon their lesson
structure or student handout outline. A sample group project assessment rubric follows the Assignment
Checklist.
21
GROUP PROJECT ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
Advanced:
• For every requirement shown on the group project checklist, the group demonstrates inventive choice
making, full use of body parts, and maximum effort to complete the work
• Worked together with maximum cooperation and communal effort
• All group members know performance material and showed strong focus, energy and commitment in
the class performances
• Meets and/or exceeds the time limit for the assignment
• Great effort was shown in class rehearsals. All group members offered solutions to the problem and
helped create the choreography
• Strong evidence of creativity in problem-solving
Proficient:
• Shows all the required elements given on the group project checklist with satisfactory idea exploration.
• Shows evidence of satisfactory group collaboration. Most group members offered solutions to the problem
and helped with choreography
• Group members know the dance but perform without dynamic range
• Meets the required time limit
• Group members rehearsed material in class as assigned
• Some evidence of creativity in problem-solving
Approaching Proficient:
• Shows some of the required elements on group project checklist but with limited exploration of ideas
• Group members lacked cooperation within their group. Leadership assumed by one or two members
• Group members have not rehearsed and do not know material of the dance or perform with confidence.
• Does not meet the time requirement
• Group members did not use rehearsal time given in class efficiently
• Minimal evidence of creativity in problem-solving
22
LITERACY TASK
Response to a Prompt
“We have no rules.”
Pilobolus Dance Theatre
Writing Task: Respond in writing to the above quote. Write a composition in which you discuss how
Pilobolus demonstrates this essential creative principle. Discuss your own understanding of this quote
and how you could apply it to your own process for learning and creating. Be sure to support your opinion with details from research, dance history and personal experience.
CHECKLIST FOR YOUR WRITING
As most dances have a beginning, development of theme, climax and ending, your writing should reflect
the criteria outlined in the following checklist.
Read the selection and description of the task carefully.
Use specific details and examples to fully support the ideas expressed in the composition.
Organize the writing with a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.
Choose specific words that are appropriate for the audience and purpose.
Vary the sentences to make the writing interesting to read.
Check grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure.
23
rtsource
A
The Music Center’s Study Guide
to the Performing Arts
A Project of the
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Introduction
A RTSOURCE ®: T HE M USIC C ENTER’ S S TUDY G UIDE
TO THE
P ERFORMING A RTS
Artsource® highlights works of art and artists of stature from diverse cultures.
It represents early to contemporary art forms in the disciplines of
dance, music and theatre
and complements the programs and performances
of the Music Center’s resident companies and artist roster.
The arts are ancient, enduring and universal forms of communication.
Artists present their perceptions, reflections, and points of view which
influence, and are influenced by, the culture and period of time in which they exist.
Artsource Contributors
®
Project Director
Melinda Williams
Project Coordinator
Susan Cambigue-Tracey
Writers:
Dance
Susan Cambigue-Tracey
Diana Cummins, Carole Valleskey, Madeleine Dahm, Deborah Greenfield,
Barbara Leonard, Melinda Williams
Music
Rosemarie Cook-Glover
Ed Barguiarena, Susan Cambigue-Tracey, Barbara Leonard,
Connie Hood, Annette Simons, Marilyn Wulliger,
Diana Zaslove, John Zeretzke
Theatre
Barbara Leonard
Kathryn Johnson
Technical Production donated by
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sponsored by the Los Angeles Advertising Women (LAAW)
Additional Artwork & Artsource® Logo Graphic
H. P. Law & Partners
The Music Center of Los Angeles County wishes to thank
the artists featured in this publication for their outstanding artistry and
their generosity in allowing us to share their creative spirit
in the classroom.
Sincere appreciation is also extended to the members of the Center’s
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these resource materials,
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Artsource® units; the professionals who provided field review;
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Mark Slavkin
Vice President for Education
Melinda Williams
Director of Education