Space in Dance Theatre

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Space as a Crucial Concept for Dance Theatre
The Connection Between the Performers and the Audience by Means of Space
Experiencing Space in Dance Performances
Constructing an Optimal Theatre Space
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Different kinds of art have their specific characteristics and particular requirements necessary for the adequate delivery of the message. Unlike music, fine art, or literature that can be enjoyed regardless of the environment, dance requires space to be performed to connect a spectator with an artist. Therefore, the question of space as an essential constituent of choreography has been addressed by many theorists (Armstrong and Morgan; Dunning).

Moreover, spatial characteristics of a theater evolve from being a necessity in classical ballet to a far more advanced concept that becomes a part of a performance in modern and postmodern dance. Employing space, a choreographer has an opportunity to establish a connection between the spectators and the performers, thus influencing the perception of the show and emphasizing the core ideas.

Therefore, theatre space reaches beyond the physical characteristics of a stage but becomes a platform for the interaction between dance performance and spectators. Constructing an optimal theatre space contributes to the understanding of the essential elements of modern choreography and allows recognizing the main components in the organization of dance production.

Space as a Crucial Concept for Dance Theatre

A place that a dancer or a group of dancers occupies during a performance plays a significant role in this art sphere. Firstly, it serves as the primary criterion for dance characteristics. It embodies the overall means of message delivery due to the body movements in a space that enables a dance to become alive. As Armstrong and Morgan remarkably noted, “the human body brings space to life, and dance into being” (9).

Therefore, the requirements for the place where a choreographic act is performed acquired common features for all troops. Secondly, space as a combination of a scene and the spectators’ area becomes an additional dimension in a choreographic act. It allows an author to influence the viewer through closeness to dancers or the ability of a choreographer to creatively use the place. This characteristic of space emerged in the era of postmodern dance and contributed to the art experience of a modern viewer.

Regardless of the type of choreography, all dancers need the same essential characteristics for their work. All dancers need a “large, open performance area” to be able to freely move during the act, enter, and leave the stage (Armstrong and Morgan 9).

The floor of the scene also has its requirements as it needs to be multilayered to eliminate the possibility of traumatizing. The space, where a dancer works, has to have an optimal constant temperature and air conditioning. Also, the light and sound of the place where performance is acted need to be sufficient, as well as the technical design of backstage that is crucial for dancers’ work during a performance (Armstrong and Morgan 9). Therefore, the specific physical requirements for space enable dance to become a piece of art that spectators can enjoy.

However, these requirements are not always followed which imposes a lot of challenges for both choreographers and dancers. The contemporary American dance theater seems to face some problems due to the lack of an optimal space for dance. Some of the platforms are too big, and some are too small. New York that accepts many troops, both classic and postmodern, cannot provide a sufficient number of theaters that could meet the requirements of dance performances. As Dunning notes, the issue of space touches on the stage size, as well as the number of seats and the adjustability of stage elements. Indeed, the halls like Joyce Theatre or City Center are not sufficient for all the troops.

Classical ballet might need more space both on the stage and in the audience hall when a chamber group might require a more intimate small place to perform (Dunning). Classic theatrical troops or other artists also use the majority of platforms used for choreographic acts; these spaces are not explicitly created for dancing. Thus, dance art lacks a flexible and adjustable performance space to be able to meet the expectations of the prominent manifestations of the choreography of different types.

The Connection Between the Performers and the Audience by Means of Space

In post-modern dance, the amount of space plays a decisive role and is often used by the authors as a way to influence the audience. When constructing stage decorations and designing the props, as well as creating the movements, a choreographer utilizes the stage according to the idea of the performance. Since dance, as well as any other form of art, can only become alive when it reaches the audience, it is crucial to utilize the space concerning the people watching the performance.

Following the different requirements of spectators’ placement, the theatres are of two main types. They are proscenium and end-stage theatres that are different in their constructions. The proscenium theatre is designed in a way that separates the performers from the viewers, who occupy places “on one side of the raised performing area” (Armstrong and Morgan 9). Therefore, the audience is detached from the dancers psychologically, as well as physically. However, in the end-stage theatre, the audience is not separated from the performers, and there is no barrier between them (Armstrong and Morgan 9-10). Such a design helps to establish a firm connection between the producing and perceiving parties of the act.

For example, the performance of the Cunningham troop in the Walker Art Center did not need to occupy a lot of space. A small stage that was close to the viewers’ eyes created a unique form of connection with the audience that generates new feelings and ideas a dance delivers (Burke).

Moreover, Cunningham’s technique the troop used was even more impressive due to such closeness. As Burke says, the dancers’ movements are “like a succession of narrow escapes: almost collapsing, almost colliding” that brings alive the technique initiated by the creator, Merce Cunningham. From this point of view, a place enhances the embodiment of an author in the movements of dancers creating a very intimate process (Burke). Space in dance brings life not only to the performances but also to their late creators emphasizing the meaning of art.

Experiencing Space in Dance Performances

When attending a dance performance, a viewer becomes a participant in an artistic event enabling the piece of choreographic art to evolve and resonate with their thoughts and emotions. Experiencing different dance acts allows making some conclusions about the role space plays in dance staging. “Velocity” presented by The New Victory Theatre utilizes the style of tap dance that in its essence needs to occupy a rather large amount of space (“The New Victory Theater Presents VELOCITY”). The energetic power of dance depicting cultural combinations and ethnic uniqueness was delivered not only utilizing choreography but also with the help of spatial characteristics of the stage.

The performances of The Fall for Dance Festival triggered a wide range of emotions related to theatre space. The audience’s closeness to the musicians and the placement of the seats so that a viewer is not distracted by anything else but the stage and the orchestra enhanced the delivery of the messages. The apparent or even demonstrated presence of the musicians in the performance influenced the viewers’ emotional perception of the acts.

Similarly, the style of space managing utilized in the “Falling Out” allowed the choreographers to showcase the diversity of controversial feelings and for the spectators to experience the collision of competing forces. Such an effect was reached not only by dance techniques but also by the way lighting and sound were incorporated in the theatre space. The video-data projector visualized the background bringing the natural forces to life (“Making Falling Out: BAM 2018 Next Wave Festival” 00:00:35-00:00:50). The experiences of different dance performances amplify the understanding of space’s importance in choreographic art.

Constructing an Optimal Theatre Space

Since it is objectively challenging to create a unique dance theatre for every performance, it is vital to generate such a space that could be adjustable to the many diverse requirements of the troops. The uniqueness of a dancing space makes choreography more complicated and challenging, thus introducing new non-traditional examples of American choreography (Armstrong and Morgan 11). Most importantly, with the emergence of a variety of dancing styles and companies, the theatres must not serve as platforms for both dance and non-dance performances.

There should be dance theatres designed and built specifically for choreography. Moreover, they are “no more complicated or expensive to build than other theatres” (Armstrong and Morgan 15). Incorporating engineering, building planning, the design of the interior, and the planning of spectators’ seats, the building team should orient on the requirements of a random viewer.

The seats should be arranged in a way that allows seeing the stage clearly and without any distraction because comfort may contribute to the successful perception of the artistic message. Also, the stage must abide by the basic choreographic requirements, as well as present a variety of change opportunities for the parts of a scene to be adjusted to the needs of a specific art piece. The size of a stage should be adjustable and provide enough room for props, decorations, and visual effects for both, classic and post-modern performances. Such an arrangement could contribute to the comfort of dancers’ work, the confidence of choreographers in the success of their ideas’ delivery, and the enjoyment of art by the viewers.

Conclusion

Concluding the discussion, the space as the concept that brings dance to life is viewed as an essential requirement in choreography and as a means of connection between the dancers and the audience. Therefore, the usage of a place is crucial for dance theatre. The contemporary theatre platforms provide either large theatres designed for different types of performances or small dance houses unable to contain varying numbers of spectators. Therefore, there is an urgent need for specially designed dance theatres that would be able to meet the requirements of different styles of choreography, from classical ballet to extraordinary post-modern acts. Such platforms should be comfortable for the viewers and technically adjustable for performers and staff to bring the art of dance to life in all its beauty and strength.

Works Cited

Armstrong, Leslie, and Roger Morgan. Space for Dance. Edited by Mike Lipske, Center for Cultural Resources, 1984.

Burke, Siobhan. “Staying Alive.” OpenSpace. 2017. Web.

Dunning, Jennifer. “Wanted: A Good Home For a Space-Starved Art.” The New York Times. 2003. Web.

“Making Falling Out: BAM 2018 Next Wave Festival.” YouTube, uploaded by BAMorg. 2018. Web.

“The New Victory Theater Presents VELOCITY.” NewVictory.org. 2018. Web.

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