“SKOK V BAROK“ / sessions of baroque dance
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The work in the following 3 sessions will evolve around “Gigue a deux“ (1709) and “Sarabande de Tancrede“ (1704).
Together with all additional levels of the process, such as analyzing of the music structures, use of arm gestures and training in basic body placement.
Useful links:
Gigue a deux: https://earlydance.org/content/6401-la-gigue-deux
Sarabande a deux: https://earlydance.org/content/6381-sarabande-deux
“SKOK V BAROK“ (“JUMP INTO BAROCK”) is a series of sessions where we explore in depth the world of baroque dance. Starting with body placement and technique class, continued by the work on 18. century dance repertoire, learning the Feuillet dance notation, listening and studying the conection between dance and music and exploring the use of gestures and voice.
The general idea of this program is to study “La Belle Danse“- as it was originally named, to learn about its origins, connections with other art forms and the many contexts in which it was used. Most of the sessions will be lead by myself, but occasionally there will be a guest teacher or lecturer introducing us to the subjects that relate tightly to this delicate and beautiful dance form.
We warmly welcome dancers, actors, singers, musicians and anyone who is intrigued by the complex world of Baroque art and wants to explore the possible ways of placing it into the context today.
WHY BAROQUE DANCE TODAY?
-close relation to the music
-search for expression within the limitation
-getting to know the history of dance
-search for articulation precision in the movement of the whole body and separate parts of the body
-the use of movement ornament: question of style?
-getting acquainted with a specific aesthetics
-questioning and comparing of the concepts of “beauty and grace“ in the dancing body today and 300 years ago.
When a dancer approaches a new creation, there is always a question of choice. The choice of movement, the connection to the sound, space and other people being the dance partners, musicians and the audience.
Baroque dance was in practise in 17th and 18th century, was later replaced by classical ballet and until recently, completely forgotten. Its roots come from the court of the king of France Louis XIV, who himself was an excellent dancer. This movement vocabulary was used both in social dance at court and on stage in various kinds of productions that involved movement (operas, ballet).
This was also the time, when the first form of sign based dance notation was invented, therefore today we have good sources enabling us to reconstruct into detail this highly codified movement vocabulary.
When I became passionate about the various forms of historical dance, I was constantly asking myself what can be the use of this knowledge today, when the main issue in contemporary dance is breaking the fixed codes in search for freedom and individual dance expression.
It is the question I am still asking myself today. One and the most obvious is the reconstruction and presentation of this historical performing practise in research and didactic purpose, but the path is now taking me much further.
The use of specific and precise style sets the frame of reference through which we create the structure and tensions within. We set the rules in order to break them. We explore the limits we have in understanding of the functioning of our body, phrasing and musicality and the use of space.
So, my answer to this question is:
Baroque dance is intellectually and physically challenging, educational, elegant and most of all great fun and this is why it deserves to live on and meet with new forms of dance today.
The following dates are:
Sunday, 18.4.2015 from 10.00h - 16.00h
Sunday, 24.5.2015 from 10.00h - 16.00h
Sunday, 14.6.2015 from 10.00h - 16.00h
Španski borci-culture centre, Zaloška 61, Ljubljana.
Please contact me directly for any additional information.