Download lamentation_-_martha_graham

LAMENTATION
WCED GRADE 12 REVISION 2012
CHOREOGRAPHED BY
MARTHA GRAHAM
FIRST PERFORMED
IN 1930
NEARLY
82 YEARS AGO
INTENTION - REASON FOR CREATING THIS WORK
• Lamentation is an abstract
solo piece originally performed
by Martha Graham
• Graham was concerned with
the sufferings of the human mind
• Her reason for creating this
piece was to explore emotion
through movement
• To show that a person should
not be ashamed to grieve
In her own words:
• “Lamentation, my dance of 1930, is a
solo piece in which I wear a long tube of
material to indicate the tragedy that
obsesses the body, the ability to stretch
inside your own skin, to witness and test
the perimeters and boundaries of grief,
which is honorable and universal.”
(Martha Graham, Blood Memory)
SYNOPSIS/ intent
‘LAMENT’ means to grieve
The theme is grief and how grief can
affect one’s mind, body and soul
We all experience grief
a deep feeling of loss
at some point of our life
The dance is divided into
the three stages of grief
1. A period of disbelief
cannot believe it has happened – denial
2. A period of reality
emotions of anger and sadness –
this has really happened – acceptance
3. A period of consolation
turning to others for help – realising that one
must endure grief on your own and work
through it - make meaning of it
PRODUTION
ELEMENTS USED
AND THEIR
SYMBOLIC
MEANINGS
Note the bench,
the lighting and
the empty stage
COSTUME
The dancer is
costumed in
a tube of
purple
stretch fabric
symbolic
of her own
body
trapped
within her grief
Only her face,
hands and
feet are visible
This symbolises
how we express
ourselves mostly
in every day
movements
and gestures
Every sharp angular movement that the dancer makes
Is symbolic of the terrible war being fought within her Of her fight to come to terms with reality –
That this has really happened
Rocking stiffly from side to side
she tugs, pulls and pushes at the confining fabric with
her hands, elbows, knees and shoulders
to express her emotions
Symbolic of the despair
she feels inside of her
emotions
SET DESIGN / PROPS
• The only prop is a wooden bench
• This is central to the whole dance as the
dancer does not leave the bench once
• This symbolises her grief, how she cannot
put it behind her – she is tied to it
• The stage is empty
• This symbolises how one must ultimately
deal with grief and its emotions alone
LIGHTING
• The stage is dark except for a single white
spot-light above the dancer
• Symbolic of how the grieving woman is
alone and suffering
• The white light creates a feeling of reality
as it is harsh and unforgiving
MUSIC
Composer - Zoltan Kodaly
•
This is a classical
solo piano piece
•
The music plays an
important role in setting
the atmosphere
for this dance work
It follows the three stages of
grief performed by the
dancer
1. As the dancer begins the chords are gentle
– symbolic of disbelief
2. They become more dissonant (harsh) as the
dancer fights against reality
It builds up to the climax in which the dancer
has to face reality
3. The music eventually subsides (becomes
softer) as she realises she has to deal with
her grief on her own
MOVEMENT VOCABULARY
• Graham was experimenting
with a new dance vocabulary
• The dancer would reflect
her inner thoughts through
movements of the body
• The movements were harsh and angular showing grief
and despair - which are never pretty
• The three stages of grief are portrayed
through movement
• Her use of contraction and release are
evident throughout the work
• Graham used angular, explosive and
stylised gestures
• She took risks in breaking with tradition
and gave contemporary dance a new
and different direction
Her dance language was intended to express
shared human emotions and experiences