Trio Choreography Lesson 4 (Abigail)

In this weeks choreography lesson we decided to try and get as much of the piece done as possible based on last weeks ideas. Me and Emily helped Caitlin incorporate the balloon into the choreography of her solo. We did this so the audience would understand the meaning behind our dance. As the balloon gets passed up the line and ends up staying with Emily, me and Caitlin dance away to the far corners of the stage whilst Emily places the balloon in the middle of the stage. After she has done this we start to dance around the balloon using different levels and making sure we kept in the circle. We did this to ensure the balloon was the featured aspect of the dance, next week we are planning on completing the solos going around the balloon again to try and distinguish our characters. We decided that Emily will play the oldest age, Caitlin will portray the youngest age and I will portray the middle age. 

Trio Choreography Lesson 4 (Emily)

In our fourth lesson of choreography we decided to help Caitlin make sure her solo included the balloon as much as possible so we can portray our story right from the beginning. We also decided on the characters we will portray in the dance. I will play the oldest age, Caitlin the youngest and Abigail the middle. We done this as it matches the order of the line when passing the balloon down. After Caitlin finishes her solo the balloon gets passed up the line and ends up with me. I then place the balloon in the middle of the stage and we proceed to dance around it. We thought this was a good idea as the balloon is the main point of the dance and having it in the middle portrays that quite well. Both me, Caitlin and Abigail all added our own bits of choreography so the piece was unique and had all different elements to it. After we have all danced at the front of the circle and I end up back in my starting position we are going to do solos to try and tell the story. 

Trio Choreography Lesson 4 (Caitlin)

In our fourth choreography lesson we started by choreographing my solo that we had planned to do in the previous lesson. Abigail and Emily helped me think of ways to incorporate the balloon into the choreography. We needed the balloon to be in a position where we can then pass it up the line so Emily finishes with it. After that we then decided to put the balloon in the middle of the stage and begin to dance around it. We used a combination of: floorwork, jumps and faster choreography to make the piece more interesting and unique. We also decided that each of us will portray a different age in a persons life. I will portray the youngest age, Abigail as the middle age and Emily as the oldest age. This will be the order of the solos and it is the order that the balloon is passed down in the line.

 In our next lesson we are planning on working on the solos in the circle around the balloon starting with Emily. 

Trio Choreography-Lesson 3 (Caitlin)

Today we had another lesson to work on our trios. After trying to choreograph another section to lead on from the choreography we created the previous lesson, we decided we should re-structure our choreography so we can portray our stimulus easier but also to ensure we have more variation in our routine so we can get the highest marks possible. We have decided to move our unison section nearer to the middle/end of our choreography instead of the beginning so we can use more solos and canon at the beginning to show our characters. We found that establishing more than one girl would be difficult so we are now all going to be the same child character however we are all going to be different ages as this is easier to establish. To show that we are all the same character we are all going to wear braids with red ribbons and black dresses.

After deciding characters we counted out, on paper, how many counts of 8 there are in the music before it changes and gets louder. Once we had done this we tried to create sections to structure our choreography but found that our stimulus was difficult to portray therefore we made it simpler. Our stimulus is now about letting go of innocence and childhood, so in our choreography the balloon will represent innocence. As the balloon is the innocence, we will gradually stop dancing with the balloon to show letting go of innocence.After changing our stimulus, we found it easier to create sections to structure our routine and were also able to draw a section to help us visualise and structure better. 

Our choreography will now start with Abigail and Emily already on stage in their places within the diagonal line as I walk past them to get to the balloon in the bottom corner. I will then do a solo with the balloon for 4 counts of 8 before I join the diagonal line. We will then use the choreography we created last week by passing the balloon up the line,however instead of going into a unison section, we will now pass the balloon into the centre of the stage. We will then all circle the balloon with grounded movements before each of us do a solo infront of the balloon. 

Trio Choreography-Lesson 3 (Emily)

Today we had another lesson to continue to choreograph our trios. During our lesson we decided that we should re-structure our trio so that we are able to portray our story clearer but also to make sure that we get the highest marks possible by using more solos and canon instead of unison. We sat down as a group and decided that we shouldn't have any unison until the middle of our choreography as that we are able to establish each of us as a character. So we find it easier to show characters, we decided that we would all be the same girl but different ages within childhood instead of three different girls. Due to us all being the same girl, we decided that we would all wear black dresses,wear a braids and a red ribbon to show that we are all the same girl but also to show that we are a child. 

After deciding on characters, we counted out how many counts of 8 were in the music up until the music starts to change and get louder. We did this so it is easier for us to structure our choreography but when we did this we found our stimulus was difficult to portray so we changed it. Our stimulus now means letting go of childhood and innocence as the balloon represents innocence and as the choreography goes on we dance with the balloon less to show that we are letting go of innocence. After changing the stimulus so it is easier to understand, we managed to create sections to 4 counts of 8 sections to help us structure our choreography. We also drew a picture of one of our sections so it was easier for us to visualise. 

After creating a structure, our choreography starts with me and Abigail already on stage as Caitlin walks past us to get to the balloon in the bottom corner. Caitlin will then dance with the balloon,alone, for 4 counts of 8 before we joins the diagonal line. We will then use our passing of the balloon choreography from our last lesson before passing the balloon back into the middle of the stage. We will then circle the balloon with low movements before each of us doing a solo infront of the balloon. Once we have choreographed this,we will use some unison. 

Trio Choreography- Lesson 3 (Abigail)

Today we had our third choreography lesson and we started to re-structure our choreography as we thought this would benefit us. We started to change the choreography we started the previous lesson to ensure that we used a range of techniques,such as canon,solos and unison, to get us higher marks. We decide to move our unison section,from the previous lesson, to near the middle/end of our choreography instead of near the beginning. We did this so that we could establish our different characters before we started to dance in unison. We then decide that our characters would be the same person but each of us a different age within adolescence to make our story more interesting. However, we decide to keep the passing of the balloon where it was in the music as it is innovative and allows us to dance separately.  

We decided to count how many counts of 8 we could use in each section to allow us to tell our story well. When we did this we decide that our stimulus was too complex so we changed it so it is easier to portray. The balloon in our choreography represents innocence and as the choreography goes on each one of us dance less with the balloon to show growing up. This means that our stimulus would now mean letting go of innocence and childhood. After counting out the 8's and changing our stimulus, we were able to structure the majority of our choreography so that it is more interesting and uses more techniques than before. We also draw a diagram of the middle section of our choreography so it was easier for us to visualise.

Our choreography will now start with me and Emily already on stage as Caitlin walks towards to balloon which is in the front corner on the left side of the stage. Caitlin will then do a solo with the balloon for 4 counts of 8 before travelling to the front of the diagonal line. We will then use our passing of the balloon choreography from the previous lesson and then we will then pass the balloon in the centre. Once the balloon is in the centre,we will all circle the balloon with low,grounded movements before each of us dancing a solo section in front of the balloon. Once we have physically choreographed this,we will continue telling the story. We also discussed costumes during this lesson. We decided we will wear black dresses and red ribbons in our hair with braids to show that we are children. 

Trio Choreography-Lesson 2(Abigail)

On the 4th November we started to choreography our trio. Before we entered the lesson,as a group we had discussed ideas we could use that suited our stimulus. When we started to choreograph, we combined our two favourite ideas together. We decided to combine the passing of a balloon down a line and a unison section. We decided to pass the balloon down a diagonal line so the audience could clearly see each dancer and we also used levels within the diagonal line. When we started to choreographer,we realised the song we have chosen wasn't right so we listened to other songs by Sleeping at Last but also listened to covers of other songs such as 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'. After discussing different songs we chose Turning Pages-Sleeping at Last as we found it easier to choreograph to and we found that the song got louder and happier as it went on which matched out stimulus better. We filmed our choreography and watched it back to see what choreography we liked and what we disliked.

After watching back the video we decided that we didn't like the ending of our unison section as we were all our of time therefore we will not use that in our final choreography.However,we liked the rest of the unison section and will use this piece of choreography. We also liked the passing of the balloon as it is innovative and works well. We also liked how it gave each dancer a solo section before they passed on the balloon so we will use this in our final piece. 

Trio Choreography- Lesson 2 (Emily)

We started to choreography our trio on the 4th November. We entered the studio with ideas already prepared to ensure that we were not starting to create choreography with no idea what we really wanted. As we started to choreography, we started to use our main two ideas which were a section of unison in a lyrical style and passing the balloon down a line. When we started to choreograph,we decided that the line should be on a diagonal to be more creative but also because it looked better visually than a straight line down the centre of the stage. However,when we started to choreography we realised the song we decided on wasn't right so we started to pick a different song. We looked at other songs by Sleeping at Last as we thought their songs were the right style and we also listened to covers of other songs such as 'Girls just wanna have fun'. In the end we decided on Turning Pages-Sleeping at Last as the song gradually became louder and more positive towards the end and we found this fitted our story better. This song was also easier for us to choreograph to.

After we filmed our choreography,we watched it back to see if there were any sections we didn't like on film. As a group, we decided that we enjoyed and will us the majority of this section in our final choreography however there are little moves that we will not. We will not use the ending of our unison section as it doesn't link well and was not in time and we also decide that the unison section should have the dancers in a different position instead of a straight line. However, we did like the beginning of our unison section and we will use the passing of the balloon as it was creative and very different to the rest of the choreography we has created.

Trio Choreography- Lesson 2 (Caitlin)

On the 4th November, we started to physically choreograph our trio. Before we went into the lesson, as a group, we had thought of different ideas that could look visually interesting and would be creative. We spent our whole lesson focused on mixing two of our main ideas together; a unison section and passing a balloon along a diagonal line. We mixed these two ideas together to create a section of choreography which allowed us to pass a balloon a line to then link into a unison section. When we started to choreograph we realised the song we chose wasn't write so we searched for a different song. We listened to other songs by Sleeping at Last and also listened to covers of other songs such as 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun', however we chose Turning Pages-Sleeping at Last. We found choreographing to this song was easier but this song also fitted our storyline better.

After filming and watching back our choreography,we decided that we didn't like all of the choreography but also decided on sections in which we were going to keep as we liked how they looked. We decided that we would keep the passing of the balloon as it was very creative and gave each dancer a little solo section before passing on the balloon. We also decided that we liked the beginning section of the unison,however we decided we didn't like end of out unison section. We will not use the ending of the unison section in our final choreography however we will use the rest as we felt it fitted out stimulus well and looked visually pleasing. 

Trio Choreography-Lesson 1 (Emily)

Our first trio choreography lesson was the 3rd November and we were handed our first assignment brief. The assignment brief asked us to create a trio choreography, between 2-3 minutes, based on one of the stimuli given to us. The stimuli we were given were; The character Katniss Everdeen from the novel/film 'The Hunger Games', A piece of art by the artist 'Banksy' or the 'Tale of The Three Brothers' from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Instantly, as a group, we decided to base out choreography on Katniss Everdeen but we soon changed our stimulus as we realised that this stimulus didn't allow us to be extremely creative. We then decided to base our choreography on the Tale of The Three Brothers. We watched a clip of this stimulus and discussed our possible ideas based on the stimulus. After great discussion, we realised that we couldn't think of many ideas based on this stimulus so we decided to research pieces of art by Banksy instead.

We googled pieces of art by Banksy and looked at the possibilities in which we could base our trio choreography on. We looked at pieces of art such as a maid brushing dust under a carpet and the saying 'I Love You' with an egg timer. We liked the idea that Banksy's art was open to interpretation. After looking at more pieces of art, our group were immediately drawn to a piece of art which included a young girl letting go of a red, heart shaped balloon.

 As a group, we decided that we would base our choreography on this image as it didn't have one clear meaning. We liked that we could think of our own meaning. Our first idea of a meaning was that the girl had lost a loved one,however we thought that this idea was too simple so we decided to change our meaning. We then decided that the girl could be stuck in the middle of her mother and father arguing before one of them leaves the family. Eventually we decided that this idea wasn't creative enough. We then decided on another idea. The idea that we agreed on involved 3 girls,all dancing with a red balloon to show that they were living a very childish life. As the choreography progresses, one by one, the girls would realise the truth of reality and stop dancing with the balloon to show that they have moved on from childhood. The last girl would let go of the balloon at the end to replicate the piece of art. We then decided we would dance to Light-Sleeping at Last as we felt we could show our story well through this song. 

Trio Choreography-Lesson 1 (Caitlin)

Our first trio choreography lesson was the 3rd November and we were handed our first assignment brief. The assignment brief asked us to create a trio choreography, between 2-3 minutes, based on one of the stimuli given to us. The stimuli we were given were; The character Katniss Everdeen from the novel/film 'The Hunger Games', A piece of art by the artist 'Banksy' or the 'Tale of The Three Brothers' from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. When first handed the assignment brief we thought about basing our choreography on Katniss Everdeen,however after discussing the stimulus we decided that this stimulus wouldn't allow us to be creative as we wanted to be so we decided to change our stimulus. We then decided on the Harry Potter stimulus and watched a clip from the film to remind ourselves of the story. In the end, we decided this wasn't the correct stimulus for our group so we decided to choose a piece of art by Banksy as we believed it would allow us to think more creatively.

After deciding on our stimulus, we decided to research pieces of art by Banksy. As we scrolled through the many pieces of art, as a group, we were immediately drawn to one specific piece of art. The artwork we chose is a little girl letting do of a red,heart shaped balloon. We decided we would base our choreography on this piece of art as it didn't have one instant meaning. The piece of art allowed us to think of several meanings so that we could choose the best meaning to base our choreography on.

 First of all we decided of a story line of a little girl losing a loved one as the balloon would represent letting go of a loved one, however we decided that this stimulus was very simple and we knew we needed to think creatively. We then decided of a girl who was caught in the middle of her mother and father arguing before her father walks away from their family,however we didn't think this storyline would allow us to think of creative motifs. In the end we decided on the storyline of 3 girls dancing with a balloon to represent that they are living in their own world. As the dance progressed, one by one, the children would realise the difficulty of reality and stop dancing with the balloon until the last girl realises reality and lets go of the balloon.We then thought about music. We decided that a song with different tempos and a range of speeds would be appropriate. After searching, we decided on the song Light-Sleeping at Last, as it included everything we wanted it too.

Trio Choreography-Lesson 1 (Abigail)

In our first choreography lesson we were handed our assignment briefs within our groups. Here we found out the 3 possible stimuli in which we could choose to base our group choreography on. Our 3 possible stimuli in which we could choose from were; The character Katniss Everdeen from the novel/film 'The Hunger Games', The 'Tale of The Three Brothers' from the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows or a piece of art by the artist 'Banksy'. Upon the first look at our options, we decided on the stimulus of the 'Tale of The Three Brothers'. We then watched a clip from the film to ensure that all members of the group where aware of the tale. After watching the clip, we decided that we couldn't think of many creative and innovative ideas for our choreography therefore we decided to choose a different stimulus. 

After contemplating different ideas,as a group,we decided on the Stimulus of creating a choreography based on a piece of art from the artist 'Banksy'. After we decided on this stimulus we used the search engine Google to search for a piece of art to base our choreography on. Instantly,one piece of art stood out to our group and immediately filled us within several innovative ideas in which we could use for our choreography. We chose the piece of art which is based around a young girl letting go of a red,heart shaped balloon. This piece of art stood out to us as the piece of art didn't have one evident meaning which allowed us to think of several different responses to the artwork.

One of our ideas based on this artwork would be that the little girl would be in the middle of her mother and father fighting and in the end would have to say goodbye to her father when he decides to leave her mother. Eventually we decided that this idea didn't fill us with much inspiration so we decided to think of something else. We then decided on the idea of the little girl letting go of a family loss however we didn't feel like our choreography would be as innovative as it could be if we chose this idea. After many more ideas, we thought of an idea which is very innovative. After researching this piece of art, we learnt that the art is based on hope. After finding out the real concept we decided on an idea of 3 little girls dancing with a balloon and the balloon would represent an imaginary world in which they wish to live in. As the dance progresses, one by one, the girls would realise that this isn't reality and would stop dancing with the balloon to represent that they are stepping into real life. The dance will end with the final girl letting go of the balloon demonstrating the piece of art. We decided to dance to the song Light by Sleeping at Last as it has a range of speeds within it and demonstrates our stimulus very well.