Balletic Representations

[Guest Sassybeaver]

I have a slight problem. I have a choreography class and we have to choreograph a piece. I chose Rachmaninoff's Concerto #2 all three movements. I know they used selections of it in Center Stage and I am staying away form it as much as possible with the story and steps. My question is however in the central adagio. I find myself repeating steps and I like it but I am afraid that it will get too boring to quick and some have said it looks like center stage. What should I do?????

Adrien

[Mel Johnson]

If people are already saying it looks borrowed, you're in trouble. Time for a major rethink. Why Rachmaninoff? It's so swoony, it's difficult to dance to, let alone choreograph!

[Leigh Witchel]

Adrien -

Mel is right that a major re-think may have to be done if you are not feeling good about the work. If you don't want to go absolutely back to the drawing board - try these exercises and see if they help a bit:

Change casting. Are you deploying the corps and soloists in the same way as in Center Stage? For instance, if that was a pas de deux (I haven't seen it) consider making this a female trio. Or a quintet. Or all men. Or what have you - just force yourself to use a different number than would be your "path of least resistance."

Is the choreography getting too "Mickey Mouse" or note-for-step? See what happens if you choreograph to counts in long, but manageable phrases (say 64 counts or such) and then fit those to the music. It may keep you from doing "BIG LIFT ON BIG NOTE!!!" problems. (Although sometimes, the big lift *should* go on the big note. It's like cooking. You learn when to add salt from experience.)

Play with the space. Is everything happening at Center Stage? (apologies for the awful pun.) What would happen if you moved things to the side? To the back? Made the dancers face the other way for sections or turned them 90 degrees?

Try these - there's no harm done if you don't like the results.

Best of luck!

[citibob]

In college, I saw some student choreography to the adagio (long before Center Stage). It really led me to appreciated that music, but I can't say much about what the choreography was like anymore.

[Guest Sassybeaver]

I really appreciate all of your suggestions and ideas. They are really helpful. Since my last post, I have really rethought and rethought my choreography. i found the characters and it has helped me. For example, at the end of the first movement/act, my sorceressof the moon , Arianna, seduces the cavalier back. My first thought was the Black Swan and her 32 fouttes. I liked it and developed it. Instead of continous fouttes, I split it up. it goes: Arabesque attitude90 front sotinu pas de chat prep foutte, foutte, foutte, double foutte, and turn in high attitude and stop and repeat and the final time she holds her leg into a scorpian and turns then stops and goes on pointe. It's really dramatic. I love the music. The story just speaks to me when i hear it. It's sort of like giselle with swan lake and la bayadere with a little nutcracker, the magic part.the music at times is really emotional and tells the story.It all happens at night. The first two minutes is the aftermath of Adianna's and Avenant's death then we flash back to the beginning of the tale. Adianna is a peasent girl and as she is going to a party dances a solo expressing her search for true love. she goes to the party for the engagement of her town's prince(Avenant) and an Arabian princess(Arianna). She gets there and her and Avenant fall in love. Arianna suspects so she tries to bewitch him. it doesn't work and that opens act 2 where Ad and Av proclaim their love Ar sees them and when Ad it gone threatens and tell him that she'll kill them. Act 3 opens with Ar kills Av. AD comes and pleads her case and almost suceeds when Ar kills her. Ar kills herself since she is not loved and failed her goddess. there is a music change and AD and AV are in heaven and they find each other and are joined forever. That's the shortest summm that I could do Thank you for your help

Adrien