what is the intent
tells the story of the construction and collapse of the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, 1970. The performance also expresses the ripple effect this had on the community.
who is the performance by
Lucy Guerin Dance Company
when was it first performed
2006
what is the structure
Binary
part A- building/collapse
part B- dancing/families grieving
what design concepts were used to convey this
- LED screen/structure
- See Saw
- wives
how did the LED screen/structure convey the intent from design concepts
- blue fluorescent projections on screen in angular pieces then flips to a structure
- shows current state then goal - lighting behind is on structure rather then workers
- highlights how finishing structure is valued over the safety of the workers - music/sound is industrial and ominous
- foreshadowing + builds suspense
how did the see saw phrase convey the intent from design concepts
- dancers move on see saw in a canon making the structure rock
- testing gravity, foreshadowing, builds suspense, symbolic of the bridge - levels, 4 dancers are standing while one sits/climbs over the edge of the see saw
- foreshadowing as he is symbolic of a corpse and eventually falls off the see saw - leads to the collapse of the structure when the see saw hits the ground too fast
- domino effect, emphasises importance of ensuring stability of structure and the imbalance of gravity leading to the collapse of the structure
how did the wives convey the intent from design concepts
- costuming= black long dresses
- symbolic of grief and death, black dresses= funeral attire - lighting= very dark
- grief as lost loved ones, their absence impacts more than just the deceased men - plank of wood with men folding themselves around it
- symbolises corpse/deceased husbands
what choreographic devices are used to convey the intent
- repetition (duos using their bodies to ‘construct’ something)
- canon (on see saw)
- motif (corpse)
- unison (widows experiencing grief)
how does repetition convey the intent
duos work together and use their bodies
- rely on each other to build structure
- angular repetitive movements= building a structure is a repetitive process
how do canons convey the intent
on see saw, one person would move after another and the weight movement would rock the see saw.
domino effect effecting gravity pulling down structure
how do motifs convey the intent
workers in corpse-like positions
foreshadowing before the structure collapses
- reminds audience of those who passed away
how does unison convey the intent
widows move in angular/sharp movements at the same time which shows the audience the ripple effect of pain/grief from incidents like this
how does body convey the intent
- body shapes are curved and angular
- straight= structure/strength
- curved= weakness/collapse - activity/movement types are random and irregular
- unbalanced leading to collapse
how does space convey the intent
- the structure occupies most of the stage
- structure is seen as more important compared to workers
how does dynamics convey the intent
- sharp, explosive movements in close proximity to the structure
- wreak-less/unstable - sustained/suspended movements that collapse
- fall/collapse of structure
how does time convey the intent
tempo/accent changes match the mood of the piece helping to convey the construction and collapse
how are duos used to convey the intent
- 3 sets of duos in part B that shows deceased husbands manipulating wives showing how grief controls you
how are trios used to convey the intent
(after men stop manipulating them) the 3 widows begin dancing slow/heavy, touching chest/cradling air and avoid eye contact
- weight of sorrow, yearn for husbands, symbolise isolation during mourning
how are ensembles used to convey the intent
the workers
- strength/repetition of labour: mimic repetition of tasks of construction
-teamwork: collaboration required for large projects
- fragile structure: performance progresses movements go from angular to collapsing
-trauma/aftermath: movements become slow/lifeless, helpless and weighted
- costumes: individual work attire becomes creased, etc.
