Elements of Performance

A Guide for Performers in Dance, Theatre and Opera

Pauline Koner

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781134348138
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Performing Arts

Elements of Performance is based on Pauline Koner's course of the same name taught at the Juilliard School in New York. It discusses her theories of the primary and secondary elements of the art of performing. The primary elements are Emotion, Motivation, Focus and Dynamics and the secondary are those of the craft: stage props, hand props, cloth of different length and weight, Chinese ribbons, costumes and stage deportment. Pauline Koner is a dancer, choreogrpaher, teacher and writer. she was artist in residence at the North Carolina School of Arts form 1965-1976 and performed at the White House in 1967. Having taught in major dance schools and universities throughout the world, she is currently at the Juilliard School of Dance in New York.

1

PRIMARY ELEMENTS THE ART

PART 1 – FOCUS

Emotion and motivation need little explanation. As living beings we all feel emotion of some sort. Motivation, as well, is an absolute. It exists in everything we do. In performing, just feeling good or pride in the doing can be a motivation. To decide not to want motivation is in itself a motivation. Without a motivation of some sort we would be zombies, unless of course we were motivated to play the role of a zombie.

We do not even realize how often and in how many ways we use the word “focus.” The focus of your eyes – the focus of an idea – the focus of a campaign – the focus of a camera – the focus of a painting – the focus of a choreographic work – the focus of a parade and on and on. Yet in performance if someone says, “They are not focusing properly” it usually means they are not looking where expected. But this is only one aspect of the totality of focus.

Focus is to the mind what gravity is to the body – a basic force. I like to think of it as a many faceted jewel. Each facet is a specific kind of focus. Just as a jewel reflects various colors, so do the various kinds of focus depending on the specific need. The dictionary definition is:

1 - A center of awareness.

2 - A point of concentration.

3 - A concentration of attention.

4 - A center of activity, attraction, or attention.

What are the words that are repeated, that seem important?

Center, which is the core of focus.

Concentration, which is the essence of focus.

I have divided focus into six categories: Inner, Directional, Area, Magnetic, Body, and Dramatic. Although it is important to fragment this jewel by exploring each facet separately, eventually they are all integrated into our thinking and our feeling. At least two of the above are essential at all times, since inner focus is always necessary and any one or more of the others may be required by the motivation. The important thing to remember is that all of the above are basically the one element – FOCUS. Although inner focus is primary, I find it easier for teaching purposes to start with a more obvious facet.

DIRECTIONAL FOCUS

This involves points of attention. It demands a concentration of eyes and mind on a specific still point in a specific direction: forward, back, up, down, sideways – and a moving point in any direction. It also involves varying gradations and combinations of these directions. For instance you can be focusing forward and moving forward with eyes either diagonally down, at eye level, or diagonally up.

Many dancers, when travelling in space, are so involved with their body movement that they do not know why they are going in that direction. The motivation might be design, the meeting of a partner, or a dramatic demand to be at a certain place, whatever it is there is the need to get there. That need must show in the eyes and in the body.

Do not stare but look, not only look but see! The difference in these three words is tremendous. Staring may be an absence of looking and looking is not necessarily seeing. Seeing is looking at a point, object, or person and registering consciously what is seen. The eyes and the mind are totally in harmony. However, staring can be used to express a trance, insanity, being in a vacuum, or so intensely involved with an inner thought that seeing is not desired.

Directional focus is of utmost importance in relation to the use of space. You become aware of the space, rather than just aware of the body.

1 – Travelling Forward

I ask for a simple walking base and usually find it a problem. Few dancers know how to walk beautifully – body buoyant, controlled, travelling effortlessly, smoothly through space, sailing through space. Instead one is apt to see slouching, shoulder wagging, arms wiggling, or a walk where the back leg passes through while the weight remains on the standing leg. Try running to catch a bus with the latter movement and see what happens. With the foot leading the body, forget catching that bus. Walking is one of the most difficult movements because it is so simple, so open, so revealing. Let us try what we normally do in life. We need to get somewhere. What do we do? We lead with the upper part of the body, not the feet. Our weight is shifted to the foot stepping forward leaving the other foot behind. The body leads – you, the person, want to get there. However it is most important to stylize this walk, for as a dancer the entire body must be under control: no slouching, no shoulder wagging, arms hanging but holding the air – we must use the balls of the feet, articulate the instep, glide, travel lightly, take over the space: I call this a functional walk.

There are two kinds of walk: the Functional Walk and the Ceremonial Walk. Most dancers are accustomed to the second and when asked to travel in space on a walking base will most likely respond with the latter. The dancer steps forward and pulls the back foot forward with a very pointed toe and bent knee so that the foot leads the body. There is no urgency or need to get somewhere. The body is placed from spot to spot and cannot travel quickly. This is excellent when used for ceremony, but it is vital for the dancer to learn the functional walk for use in Directional Focus so that they can move at any speed.

A second problem I encounter is that of keeping an exact beat no matter how simple the rhythm. Very often dancers tend to rush the double beat (1&). They are so accustomed to complicated movement that a simple walk seems too easy, therefore there is an inclination to rush. Furthermore it is necessary to remember the importance of concentrating on a specific point without wavering or shifting.

Method

Rhythm 1 2 3& 4

Pick a point and travel toward that point with the above rhythm or any other rhythm you wish. Mean to go there! Establish the sense of need to get to that point.

Step R 1, L 2, R L 3&, R 4.

Continue across floor – alternating feet at 1 of each new phrase.

Shifting direction forward

Rhythm: 1 2 3 4& 5& 6 – 1 (2) 3 4 5 6

Pattern moves from stage L to stage R on walking base

R 1 – L 2 – R 3

step front L 4 – together R &,

back L 5 – together R & – front L 6

(front together back together front – 4& 5& 6)

step upstage R 1 – hold 2 – step L 3, one half turn right

walk down stage R 4 – L 5 – R 6.

Continue walking forward facing stage right

starting with L 1 – R 2 – L 3

step front R 4 – together L & —

back R 5 – together L & – front R

(front together, back together, front −4& 5& 6)

face down stage L 1 – hold 2 – step R 3, one half turn left

walk upstage L 4 – R 5 – L 6

Repeat pattern toward stage left.

Counts for the three parallel arrows:_4&_5&_6

Variation forward

Rhythm: 1 2& 3 4&

Zig-zag pattern direction forward from upstage left to stage right Start with the R foot travel downstage diagonal right.

R 1 – L R 2& – L 3 – R 4&

turn head sharply left on & beat of 4. Start with L foot repeat pattern downstage diagonal left.

The head must always turn sharply to the new direction. Keep repeating the phrase.

This exercise can be done solo or in twos. Stagger entrance every two bars and then every bar. I often ask those waiting to shout or make some kind of sound on the count of 4. This motivates the change of head and new direction on the & beat.

2 – Travelling Forward Focusing Back

Rhythm: legato 1 2 3 4 5

Step on L foot and raise R leg attitude back, as head turns back. With eyes focusing back, raise both arms extended as though lifting a veil in front of the face 12 3 4

Step forward on R foot while lowering arms and head and turning body forward 5

Keep repeating travelling stage R

Stagger in two bars.

Repeat on the opposite leg travelling from stage R to stage L. This movement takes on an archaic look and with rhythmic variations becomes an interesting dance phrase.

Comment:

Travelling forward and focusing forward implies going toward. Travelling forward and focusing back implies going from. Travelling back and focusing back implies going toward.

Travelling back and focusing forward implies going from.

The use of directional focus alone can introduce a dr...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Choreography and Dance Studies
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Introduction to the Series
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• WHAT IS PERFORMANCE?
• I - PRIMARY ELEMENTS: THE ART
• II - SECONDARY ELEMENTS: THE CRAFT
• Conclusion
• Index