Study Journal
"DANCE & MUSIC"
ROLES & VARIATIONS OF MUSIC
1)
Sometimes music can create mood, expressing the emotion of the dance along with the body movements, like we can see the emotion (dance) and we can hear the emotion (music), so eventually we can feel. What do you feel: depressed/ frustrated/ heart-broken/ confused/ angry/ disappointed/ confused/ excited/ hopeful/ thrilled?
2)
Sometimes music can be subtext, that the music originally carries some meanings which can be literal. Usually familiar music pieces are used and they are used in the dance with purpose, it may be able to explain the dance and give audience more clear ideas and concepts about the dance because they know what the music is about. For example, using Beethoven’s symphony No.5 “Fate” to describe the dark side of people to be their shadow side, elaborating “hell”.
3)
Sometimes music can take the role as the inspiration, which may not be used in the dance performance eventually. It can be the basic concept of the dance.
Beethoven's Symphone No.5 is used in the dance which talks about the dark side as the shadow side of human-beings.
Generally I consider music as the background of a dance, it accompanies the dance, creating the atmosphere and enriching the whole performance with different variations of roles. There are many possibilities of music in dance, here are what I gather:
4)
Sometimes music is used to pair and match with the actual atmosphere of the dance, for instance, the theme of the venue, the decorations, the customs and perhaps the colours. For example, blue calms you down; red gives you intense emotion; green associates you with the nature; purple gives you romance etc.
5)
Sometimes sounds take the roles to accompany body movements/ dance instead of music like pure music, vocal music or instrumental music pieces. Sounds can be made by some materials, like paper, iron, plastic , even any parts of their own bodies, in addition to some body movements, like crapping, hitting, rubbing. These motions can create rhythm for the dance.
Make use of materials involved in dish-washing, creating rhythm, sound, visual effects, pauses, phrases of their performance.
Clapping
Make use of materials involved in house cleaning and toilet cleaning, creating rhythm, sounds, visual effects, pauses and phrases of their performance.
