ARTPOWER!AT UC SAN DIEGO

STUDY GUIDEArtPower! Educator Guide to ARABESQUE Dance Student Matinee

MULTI-ARTS SEASON 2014-2015

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STUDENT MATINEE GUIDEArtPower! Educator Guide for Arabesque

Student Matinee is a publication ofArtPower! at UC San Diego.

Text: Molly Clark; Design: Alejandro Duran,Kelvin Nguyen, Jane Zhao.

ARTPOWER! STAFFJordan Peimer

Executive Director

Rebecca WebbArtPower! Film Curator

Molly ClarkAssociate Director of

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Jon and Bobbie Gilbert

IMAGE COURTESY OF CENTER STAGE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT.Arabesque at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

study guideTABLE OF CONTENTSAbout Arabesque...............................................................3

What You Will Experience at ArtPower!............................5

Get to Know Vietnam........................................................6

People and Culture...........................................................7

What is Contemporary Dance?........................................8

Fundamentals of Dance...................................................9

Contemporary Dance Techniques..................................10

Day in the Life of a Dancer..............................................11

Choreographic Process..................................................12

Activities and Discussion...............................................13

What Do You Think?........................................................15

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ABOUT ARABESQUE

Arabesque was founded in 2008 by choreographer Nguyen Tan Loc as the �rst privateneo-classical and contemporary dance company inHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Its focus is on thetraining and development of professional dancersand the creation of an inspirational environmentfor choreographers to devise original dance worksthat present aspects of Vietnamese culture withintoday’s globally connected world.

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Nguyen Tan Loc was only seven when the war inVietnam ended in 1974. His father had worked forAmerican forces, and his family had to move fromSaigon to the countryside a�er the war. He had little exposure to the arts until he went back to Ho Chi Minh City as a young music student. Trained as an accordionist, Tan Loc became fascinated bydance and movement, creating his own pieceswhile finishing his arts schooling in Vietnam. Like many of his fellow dancers and choreographers in Arabesque, he gained the bulk of his experience in contemporary dance by going abroad and learning with dance companies in Europe or elsewhere in Asia.

Drawing on their international experience, the Arabesque artists are finding new languages and platforms for their ideas, breaking through earlier decades of international isolation, as their homeland opens economically and culturally to the rest of the world. While young Vietnamese artists are looking outward, they remain tied to the wealth of traditions around them, particularly in the realm of dance and movement. Dancers still train in traditional forms, but are using them to their own expressive ends.

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IMAGE COURTESY OF PHUNUONLINE

What you will experience at artpower!

Arabesque’s

The Mist

The Mist is a contemporary dance piece that depicts the simple life and daily chores of Vietnamese farmers, such as working in

contemporary dance movements with the rhythm of Cai luong (Vietnamese folk opera) percussion and zither, the audience gets a unique perspective of the peaceful landscape of the countryside.

The full dance consists of seven scenes, namely “Going to the Field”, “Pagoda’s Fragrance”, “Harvest Time”, “Night”, “Having a Bumper Crop”, “Silk” and “Rice”. Each scene has an impressive story, full of emotion about Vietnamese agrarian life.

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1. Vietnam is the largest exporter of cashews in the world, and the second largest exporter of rice.

2. Instead of bells, traditional gongs are used to call the Vietnamese children to school.

3. Although Vietnam is a developing country, it has a literacy rate of 94%.

4. Among all developing countries, Vietnam has one of the lowest unemployment rates.

5. You can find a B52 American Bomber wreck in Vietnam’s West Lake.

7. Ruou ran (snake wine), a Vietnamese specialty of rice wine with a pickled snake inside, allegedly can cure any sickness.

8. The most common surname in Vietnam is Nguyen.

9. The Vietnamese keep potbelly pigs as pets.

10. The Vietnamese language has six different tones. A change in tone changes the meaning of the word. This makes their language somewhat difficult to learn.

6. An estimated ten million motor bikes travel on the roads of Vietnam every day.

Ten Facts About Vietnam:

Official Name:

Size:

Capital:

Official Language:

Currency:

Climate:

Products:

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

127,881 square miles (331,210 square kilometers) slightly larger than New Mexico

Hanoi

Vietnamese, though English is widely spoken

Dong

Tropical in the south; in the north, a hot rainy season alternates with a warm dry season

Rice, coffee, rubber, tea, pepper, cashews, soybeans,corn, sugarcane, peanuts, sweet potatoes, bananas,poultry, fish, seafood, clothing, shoes

Get to Know Vietnam

IMAGES COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

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Most Vietnamese people live in the countryside, mainly in the river delta regions of the north and south.

Recently though, people have begun to move to the main cities of Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon) and

Hanoi. The most popular sports in Vietnam include soccer, table tennis, volleyball, and martial arts.

Vietnamese food is a blend of Chinese and Thai styles and features seafood and homegrown fruits and

vegetables. As a communist country, Vietnam has no official religion. But people are free to worship if

they want to, and many follow what's called the "Three Teachings" of Confucianism, Taoism, and

Buddhism.

PEOPLE & CULTURE

What is Contemporary Dance?

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WHAT IS CONTEMPORARY DANCE?Contemporary dance is a style of expressive dance that combines elements of several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical andclassical ballet. Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and body through fluid dance movements.

Contemporary dance stresses versatility and improvisation, unlike the strict, structured structure of ballet. Contemporary dancers often focus on floor work, using gravity to pull them down. This dance genre is often performed in bare feet. Contemporary dance can beperformed to many different styles of music.

CONTEMPORARY DANCE ARTISTSContemporary dance artists come from a range of backgrounds. They may train inclassical dance forms, they may have other physical backgrounds, such as martial arts or physical theatre, or they may come from other

fields entirely. As in classical ballet, some contemporary dance artists begin their dance training at a very young age, but some come to dance as adults. In addition to dance training, contemporary dancers often use conditioning techniques- such as yoga and pilates- to help develop and maintain strenght, alignment and body awareness, and may also learn other techniques -like voice work, or clowning- to add to their artistic toolbox.

Whereas historically there has been a clear distinction between the job of choreographer and dancer, some contemporary dance artists workh in both roles, at times even dancing in their own choreography. To develop themselves as creators, contemporary dance artists may also study choreography and dance-making.

Fundamentals of DanceCENTERING is fundamental to a dancer’s

ability to perfrom well. “Centering means to maintain

a sense of the body’s center of

gravity that holds a dancer together as he/she moves.

It allows a dancer to move

gracefully and freely. The natural base is

approximately just below the navel. Learning to move

from the center makes movements easier to control.

GRAVITY is the force that holds a person to

the earth. It is a force a dancer must master

because it constantly inhibits movement.

Dancers must be aware of the gravitational

pulls in their own body. They must learn which points

of the body feel the most weight.

BALANCE is concerned with more than, for

example, balancing on one leg A dancer’s goal is to

achieve and constantly maintain an inner balance of

the whole body. It is the tension of mutual support

among all parts of the body that brings the whole

body together in a new way. It is not something that

is achieved once in awhile; it is constant. A sense of

balance is necessary whether a dancer is moving or

standing

GESTURE is how the dancer uses his or her body as

an expressive instrument to communicate

feelings and ideas in patterns of movement. With

subtle gestures and postural attitudes, a dancer can

show cooperation, express confidence, or display

aggression, joy, or sorrow.

RHYTHM is something everybody possesses, though

some people are more aware of it and/or sensitive

to it. Discovering rhythm is largely a matter of paying

attention to themusic of the body as well as to any

musical accompaniment.

Everyone’s heart beats to a rhythm; one’s lungs

breathe to another. Rhythm is essential for

a dancer. A dancer has to anticipate musical

beats. They must feel as if they are making the

beat with their body, as well as hearing it. It

is the rhythm and the beat of the dance that

forms the “threads” of the dance. These threads

allow dancers to memorize the structure of the

dance

MOVING in SPACE requires a dancer to be

aware of more than just his or her own body and

movement. Dancers have to move with care and

awareness, gauging the space that surrounds

them. Space is not just empty air but a tangible

element that dancers move through. Advanced

dancers consciously go through space.

POSTURE is achieved when dancers change

their perception of the body. There is often a

wide discrepancy between what feels right and

what looks right. It is important for everyone

to learn how to stand properly. Dancers work

all their lives to develop their posture, also

called alignment. It is the key to balance and

movement. Posture reveals feelings. Good

posture actually makes a person feel more

aware.

BREATHING is crucial to dance. Not only does

it bring oxygen to the body but it also creates

movement that is fluid and harmonious. It is an

expressive tool. Calm, slow breathing suggests a

certain degree of self-control. A movement

with breath has a controlled extension of time

and a clear beginning and end, no matter how

fast or slow the phrase. A phrase without breath

looks stiff and mechanical. A dance phrase with

breath creates a more emotional, organic look.

Contemporary Dance Techniques

CUNNINGHAM Named after teacher and choreographer Merce Cunningham, focuses on the architecture of the body in space, rhythm, and articulation. Cunningham uses the idea of the body’s own “line of energy” to promote easy, natural movement. The technique incorporates using chance to create and enhance the choreography.

GRAHAMNamed after dancer and choreographer Martha Graham focuses on the use of contraction, release, fall, and recovery. Graham technique is characterized by floor work and the use of abdominal and pelvic contractions. The Graham contraction carries with it a myriad of emotional expressions, from a sob of pain to a gasp of joy. The style is very grounded and is visibly dif-ferent from the light, airborne ideals of ballet.

LIMON Named after Jose Limon, explores the use of energy in relation to gravity and woring with weight in terms of fall, rebound, recovery, and suspension. Limon technique uses the feeling of weight and “heavy energy” in the body, and movement is instigated using breath to lift, and swings through the body to create and halt move-ment.

RELEASE Places emphasis on minimizing tension to have more fluidity and efficient use of energy and breath. In Release technique, there is very little tension in the joints and muscles to create ease of movement, releasing the breath to aid the relax-ation of the body.

Although there are many forms of contemporary dance, the four main techniques used are:

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The life of a professional dancer requires hard work, self-discipline, and determination to achieve perfection of technique. A typical dancer’s day includes a series of intensive classes, rehearsals, and performances. Professional dancers can spend anywhere from 5-10 hours in classes and rehearsals each day. Aching bodies and joints are a daily part of life, as dancers are constantly pushing themselves to their physical limits. To become a professional dancer generally takes 8-10 years of training, with many starting around the age of 7.

Classes are the basis of a dancers existence, and must be performed each working day without fail. The body has to be finely tuned in order to be able to perform movements in demanding choreography. Each and every muscle in the body must be constantly strengthened and stretched to prevent injury. Dance classes help to perfect technique and improve a dancer’s balance.

Most days after classes, dancers have rehearsals for the various shows that they are involved in. As dancers and choreographers are generally perfectionists, this may take many hours of practice and preparation.

Although on stage, dancers often make their movements appear simple to execute, there is a huge amount of preparation that goes into creating this illusion. Being a professional dancer is by no means an easy career and often dancers retire in their early 30’s because of the demands on their bodies. Those who seek out the career of a professional dancer must have tremendous passion for it because of the time commitment required, as well as the risks you take with your body.

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DANCER

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Choreography is the art of arranging dances or ballets through a series of steps or movements. Choreographic inspiration comes from an infinite number of sources. The desire to communicate through motion (the physical and kinetic potential of the human body) may inspire one choreographer, while the desire to explore emotional expression through dance may be what motivates another to create. Some choreographers are also driven to use dance as a way to speak about social or political issues.

Before choreographers work with dancers in a studio, they generally spend a period of time researching and developing their ideas. They may travel, studying architecture, landscapes or dance forms new to them. They may read, listen to music

or look at paintings, absorbing information from other artists or art forms.

dancers themselves. Some may improvise dance movements alone in a studio to determine the choreography of an entire piece. However, it is fairly common for contemporary choreographers to compose the dance while improvising the moves on dancers who will actually perform the piece. Because each dancer expresses themselves in di�erent ways, this could a�ect the choreographer’s movement decisions.

CHOREOGRAPHIC PROCESS

CHOREOGRAPHER VU NGOC KHAI. © TDT-EVENT.COM

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ACTIVITIES & DISCUSSION1.PRE-PERFORMANCE DISCUSSIONExperiencing Dance CriticallyPrepare your students to actively experience the performance by:

OBSERVING how the dancers express emotions and ideas through their movements.

LISTENING to how the music and lyrics add to the meaning and emotional quality of the dance.

THINKING about how music, costumes, and lighting contribute to the overall e�ect of the performance. MARVELING at the physical and mental discipline of the dancers.

REFLECTING on the sounds, sights, and performance skills you experience at the theater.

2. PRE-PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIESLearning the Language of Dance

Lesson Overview:These are a series of activities for finding language

to describe elements of dance, and exploring the elements of dance using the body.

Introduction:Discuss what is a painting made out of? (eg. canvas, frame, paint) What is a book made of? (eg. paper, words, ideas) What is a dance made of? (eg. People/bodies, music, props, lights, stories).

The primary tool in dance is the body. Dancing bodies move in space and time, with all di�erent kinds of energy.

Exploring Space: Like a sculptor sculpts clay, dancers use body parts to sculpt the space around them. In the dance you’ve watched together, discuss with the students how do the dancers use:

• Shape? (Do they make lines, circles, spirals? What body parts do they use? Are the shapes big or small? Are they vertical, horizontal, diagonal?)

• Level? (Do they jump in the air? On the ground? Do they roll on the ground? Through the air?)

• Relationship? (How many dancers are there? Where are they in relation to each other? Are they doing the same thing, or di�erent things? Do they dance at the same time? Do they make the space feel full or empty? Do they dance near the audience, or far away?)

Exploring Energy: Energy is like an adverb—it describes how movements or movement phrases are performed, and it a�ects the mood that is created.

In the dance you’ve watched together, discuss how are the movements performed? Brainstorm a list of words to describe them (eg. Light, heavy, poky,

How does this a�ect the mood of the piece? Is there a story implied by the movements? How would the mood or story change if the same movements were performed with a di�erent energy?

Discuss what kinds of things the students think inspired the choreographer to make the dance.

Game for exploring energy: Action Words

1. As a group, make 2 lists: one of verbs (action words), and one of adverbs (how-you-do-the- action words). Put the verbs in one hat, and the adverbs in another.

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2. Have a leader pull out 1 action word and 1 adverb for dancers to try. Dancers can take turns calling out a pair of words for the group to try.

3. Discuss what dancers noticed about the pairings. What expectations did they have about how to do certain actions? What were the surprises?

To build on this activity:Divide into small groups. Each group selects 5 verbs and 5 adverbs from the hat. Using the words to create movements, the group creates a short dance (or movement phrase) by putting the movements together in an order of their choice. Each group performs their movement phrase, and the audience tries to guess the verbs and adverbs the dance came from.

Exploring Time: Dance plays with time, timing and rhythm. Discuss: In the dance you’ve watched, how do the dancers you are watching use:

• Speed? (Do they move fast, slow, or medium? Do they speed up and slow down? Do they suspend the movements?)

• Rhythm? (Is there a rhythm? Is it regular or irregular? How does it change? Is there music? Do they move with the rhythm of the music, or against it?)

Game for exploring time: Freeze

1. Using a variety of fast and slow music, dancers move when you turn the music on, and freeze when you turn it o�.

2. Discuss what kinds of movements come naturally with each speed? Are dancers moving with or against the music?

3. Repeat the game, but instruct dancers to move slowly to slow music, and fast to fast music. Then, instruct dancers to move fast to slow music, and slow to fast music.

To build on this activity:Repeat in groups. Have them describe the di�erent e�ects of moving with or against the music.

3. POST-PERFORMANCE DISCUSSION

What do you think the dance is about? How did movement, costume, music and lighting convey the meaning of the dance?

Dance is the language of the body. Discuss this. Would you consider dance a universal language?

Can you give examples of how you understand other people’s intentions through movement? How can you tell if someone is really nervous, happy or angry? Have you seen anyone who seems frightening just from their body language? What kinds of movements are welcoming?

ARTPOWER! STUDENT MATINEESThe power of the arts and the power of higher education join together as part of ArtPower!’s K–12 Student Matinee program in film and performance.

specifically designed for students to explore a diversity of arts disciplines and interact with professional artists and filmmakers from around the world. Study guides for teachers and students enrich the experience of attending a performance or film screening. These guides encourage participation, observation, reflection, and learning in the arts and are provided free of charge to all classrooms registered for the Student Matinee programs. For participation info, please visit: artpower.ucsd.edu/engagement.

UP NEXT!AurelioGlobal Music from the Honduras Wednesday, December 3, 2014 / 11amPrice Center East Ballroom, UCSD

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WHAT DO YOU THINK?ArtPower! wants to hear from you! Please e-mail your comments on this Educator Guide to moclark@ucsd.edu.

ArtPower! wants to read about your story! Submit student reflections and class projects inspired by the Arabesque matinee to the address below.

Molly ClarkArtPower! at UC San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive #0077 La Jolla, CA 92093-0077

email: moclark@ucsd.eduphone: 858.534.0499

ARTPOWERwebsite: artpower.ucsd.eduticket: 858.534.TIXS (8497)email: artpower@ucsd.edu