into the woods research and review

For this task we were put in two groups and my group had to choreograph a dance for the witch's rap and the bean stalk song. In the end we ended up with a solid two minute dance piece for the rap and a minutes worth for the bean stalk. I think that the performance went well overall because we pulled together as a group. We managed to remember the whole piece when we performed which is a good achievement because rehearsals just before the performance some of the people in the group had their timing wrong and were forgetting some movements. I think this is because there was half term just before the performance week so people started to forget the piece, in the future we would spend some time outside college time to perfect our performance. The video also shows that some of the movements were not sharp or performed like they should have been which is also a result of not spending enough time rehearsing. To improve on this in the future maybe we can sit down as a group and review our performances from the previous rehearsals and set targets to what we want to achieve by the end of that rehearsal. On the other side we managed to come up with three minutes worth of material , process from which we learnt and taught each other street moves and some fun along the way. We managed to choreograph a piece straight from the research we found on the street dancing which is difficult because sometimes you just want to do what you know to make things easier. As a group we also managed to include a lot of choreographic devices and learnt how applying them can help you develop a choreographic piece because at one point we hade seconds worth which turned to minutes after applying the relevant techniques. Below if a link to our performance and below that is the process which got us to the final performance include the research I made.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEqmTSrX4h4



 Watching the videos back I think that the rap had more choreographic devices and a bit more in depth than the bean stalk because we had more time to work on it. Lucky for us my groups majority were interested in street dance which made things easier because we were choreographing for a rap. The interest in street dance from the group allowed us to try out a few street moves that we may have been not able to do if the group did not have interest on the subject. We watched a few YouTube clips of different hip hop performances and tried out a few from which we got some of the actions in our final piece came from. below are the examples we looked at.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azjEnC6W3KM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3y17D_K9Zw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVoNwiFIPRU

I enjoy watching dance performances and street dance competitions. Over the years I have picked up some moves from watching the ones that are top of the game perform , for example I like watching dance tutorials by diversity and the jabberwockies. During rehearsals I taught the group a few moves which included the nae nae and the dougie. These are popular dance moves that went trending in the past few years and they are what people associate street dance with. This is enforced by their traces in performances of a lot of big street dance crews in arenas and competitions. During the process some of the members of the group were struggling with executing the moves so we went on YouTube and found some step by step guides on how to perform some street moves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB6uQ9aZpms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EIl1qh9lqU

We also looked at the basics of street performance to enable us to push our piece to the next level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FriaMvobUi0




After we gathered the research we then put together all the dance moves however the piece was too short because the song went on for three minutes and we only had about 45 seconds worth of solid material. As a group we then started to manipulate what we had and decided to add some choreographic devices to our piece. We listed all the choreographic devices we knew and had used in the previous project of rush. Repetition was the first thing that sprang to mind to me and I suggested that we repeat some of the movements to have a longer piece. Another group member said that we needed to find different ways to link the movements and we added some walking changing directions which lead us to the marching seen in our final performance. Now we had about a minute of material and the piece was starting to come together. Things were going well however performing to the music that we were choreographing for things didn't work out because the music was much slower than we thought therefore we fragmented our piece and played around with speed of movements slowing down some things which added more time to our piece. After playing round with pace we decided to explore levels because we were all doing the same thing at the same time and it just looked like it lacked creativity. Cannon was added to give the piece a better dynamic look which also contributed to more time and a step closer to the three minutes. We went back and tried it to the music and things were much better . The last thing we considered was staging because the use of space has a huge significance to choreography. This lead to us considering the performer of the song because it wasn't going to be a track on the background therefore we had to make sure we adapted our piece to the performer. This pushed us to consider changing the structure of our dance and us changing shapes to allow the performer to have centre stage which we see in the final clip because the dancers form a V shape to accommodate the performer.  Ideas on how to improve the piece were floating all over the place and after considering all the ideas we had two and a half minutes. We decided to use the script to influence the last thirty seconds because the rap included names and descriptions of the message that the character of the witch was trying to portray through the song. Near the end of the rap the script mentions that the witch turns people into 'rocks ,dog or a chair' therefore we decided to make freeze frames of the mentioned things because it contributed well to how we exit in the end. With the freeze frames we finally choreographed material for the whole song.

script writting

Scene 1 

Spotlight stage left on the three boys who are still hangover from the night before. 

Tam: Boys boys boys

Mike: Aright son

Tam: Ye man, last night was cray cray

Mike: We were fucked, still can’t believe you got kicked out of the club bro

Tam:  Ahaha leave it out man

Jacob: Fucken knob, I had to take care of you all night

Tam: Ey?      That’s what bros are for boy!! , Next time I will be taking care of you ‘get me’

Jacob: ye ye ye of course you will

Hold on my name is Tam well my actual name is Thamsanqha but no one can get their tongue round that so they just call me Tam.  Somehow I have ended up a thousand miles from home but I guess this is my home now. Let me go back in time so you can understand more about me.

It’s my first day at school in England, boy had I longed to be in this place. I got more and more nervous as my eyes observed the new environment. The building was quite just like it was back in Zimbabwe just before school started.  It was only a matter of minutes before the students started to crowd the place. I sat in the reception having lots of people pass by and look at me as if I was from another planet. This of course was not a new experience because I had been in this situation were I had to change environment. This was a rather taunting experience because there were so many white people, not that I was not used to white people because back home I had a few white friends in my school. Finally I see another black students who walks past me and goes ‘wagwan’  a word that I had no fucken idea what it meant. It was ten minutes before the first lesson and the reception was now packed full of students. I felt like I was getting smaller by the minute as students crowded the reception. A woman who worked at the reception walked up to me and asked if I was new to the school of which I replied ‘ yes madam’ which made her smile as she pointed out that I was polite. I followed her to her desk from which she checked on a computer and then printed me out my timetable and map of the school. She then shouted ‘Carlton’  from which boy with a hideous looking pony tale came to the desk. She asked him to be my ‘buddy’ for the day and he was the one to take me round school the whole day.

Carl: Alright mate, come with me

Tam: sh –sure

Carl :I’m Carl, what’s your name?

Tam: My name is Thamsanqha

Carl: What?

Tam: Thamsanqha

Carl: T-a-m-e-s-a-n-y-a

Tam: no Tha-m-sa-nqha

Carl: you should teach me how to click , it sounds well cool

Tam: you can call me Tam

Carl: you are in the same English lesson as me, which we will have after tutor

Tam: oh

Carl: come this way bro

SCENE 2

We arrived at room 108, this was my tutor room. I walked into the class and the whole class stopped what they were doing and glared their eyes at the new kid. Carl told the teacher that I was the new student. Mr Mans seemed very happy to have a new student in the class and for him his only black student in the class. Mr Mans asked for my name and I had to go through the same process of explaining my name like I did with Carlton. He then told the class to be nice to me as I was new to the environment. I sat next to Carl and a girl named Lily who seemed to be obsessed with my hair, and it was only a matter of minutes till all the girls wanted to have a feel of my hair. It was strange but I guess I didn’t mind the attention. Half an hour later tutor was over and I had to go to my first lesson. My new friend and I took a lift to the floor above which was something new because in my old school only the teachers could use the lift. We arrived in English and Carl once again introduced me to the teacher who then asked me my name and introduced me to the class. At this point I was starting to feel like a burden to Carl because he seemed a bit fed up of walking with me even though the fucker was getting an awful lot of attention from walking with me.  Strangely everyone in the English lesson had laptop to themselves and we were given the option to either use a laptop or write by hand. I was amazed of how nice the teacher was to the class and I hadn’t heard him raise his voice to the class till Carl was on his phone playing games. 

Mr Westbrook: Excuse me can you put your phone away

Carl: Fuck off
Mr west brook: Get out of my class      NOW!

Carl: (while sitting down he replies) Ok I’m leaving, I don’t give a shit about your shitty English class anyway, I can speak READ and write it so….

Mr West brook: (interrupts Carl before he finishes his sentence) That’s enough, come with me now!

With the use of split staging we see carl and the teacher talking outside the classroom

Westbrook: This is your warning Carl if you go on your phone again I will have you on an amber then if it continues it will be a red card for you then isolation and your parents will be informed.  Now go back inside and behave yourself.

Carl: ok

They return back to the class and the teacher continues to mark the homework from the previous lesson then the bell shortly rings for the next lesson.

Break time it was ,as we walked to the playground that they called a ‘MUGA’ because you could play different sports in it

Tam: Did it hurt?

Carl: Nah mate it doesn’t hurt probably hurt her though cause I went hard

Tam: what? I mean did sir Westbrook hit you?

Carl: what?

Tam: Did the teacher smack you for going on your phone?

Carl: Ahaha are you nuts? , if he did I would bash his head with my Xbox controller anyway teachers cant hit you because they would get done and spend some time behind bars

Tam: Really?

Carl: ye man  

Tam: Wow in my old school we got whipped by nearly all the teachers and not to mention the ultimate pain if you ever ended up on the wrong side of the principal

Carl: No shit?

Tam: I remember Mr Themba we used to call him the terminator, he had no mercy towards students because he believed he was there to better their future and anyone who messed around in his lessons would feel the wrath of God. Once he set us homework of three math past papers for us to complete the next day because we had an exam four weeks later. Only two people in the whole class managed to complete the homework and the rest managed to do two papers and some completed only one. Minutes before class everyone was down trying to finish the homework and in walked the terminator.

Terminator: well well well , what have we here ?

We all dropped our pens and no one said a word. My knees started shaking and gradually so did the rest of my body because I knew shit was about to get real.

Terminator: Everyone who hasn’t done the homework line up here in a straight line.

The majority of the class of course hadn’t finished the work and we queued up to get smacked in the face as the terminator asked for one side of the cheek then the other. He then demanded those who had received their beating to join the back of the line for round two. Round two was when the wooden stick surrounded by a thick rubber from a hosepipe came into action, everyone had to bend over and receive two shots of this lovely medication. It was always funny when we received beatings as a class because while crying you got to laugh at others that were receiving the stick.

Carl: Fuck man that sounds mental, I wouldn’t take that shit .

I think I would just not go to school because its shite anyway … come on let’s go we are going to be late.

The bell rings for the start of the second period to start

scene change

Mike : Lads I need to go for a cigeratte , you two wanna come with ?

Jacob: Nahh im never gonna smoke as iv said in the past

Mike: Allow you lil girl , Tam fam you coming with?

Tam: Nahh bruh your alright

Mike: ohhh Jacob don't smoke so im not going to smoke, ohhhhh Jacob ,ohh Jacob , (impersonating

Jacob ) 'if you don't smoke I will give you some water my young African pet'

Tam: Really bro ?

Jacob: Just piss off and go slowly kill yourself, will you.

Mike: Couldn't give a shite, we all gonna die anyway.

Tam: His such prick that kid man

Jacob : I know lad

Tam: Still love the twat , You know just like Jesus he still loves those who turn against him no matter what ..get me ?

Jacob : Cant believe your a Christian bro, how can you believe a man in the sky created the universe

Tam: Think about , scientists and all them atheist fuckers believe that an explosion started everything and till this day it is still going on making universes and planets. The bible describes God as omnipotent and if is he was to say let there be light the big bang is the sort of thing you would expect to happen. You cant tell me that the light appeared from nothing lol.

Jacob : Guess that does make sense in some way but still don't understand why if he is all loving and knowing yet people are suffering in most parts of the world

Mike: Alright you two tits ,what you talking about ?

Tam: Religion

Mike: FFS really ?, the way I look at it you are born you live and you die.

Jacob: Ye Ye whatevaaaaa micky, Do need a lift or your gonna go back with Tam?

Mike: I will go back with Tam man

Tam: Micky was the softest kid I knew, all that swearing and trying to play the alpha male role was not really him. Micky and I had a similar dream to go to dance school and make a living doing what we love but life doesn't always pan out that way. I at home did not have supportive parents to my dancing but micky on the other hand had all the support but no funding to help him get to where he wanted to be. That's kind of the way life works , your always missing something ........

scene change

Jacob : Afternoon dad

Chris: Hello my son ,how was your day at school

Jacob: Very good sir thank you, how about yours ?

Chris: Very much pleasant just a bit tired from work, but a man has got to do what he has to do to keep the family running. One day your gonna have to take over these big boots on that have been passed down the family over the last 55 years.

Jacob: But Dad I don't wanna be a....

Chris: Son listen , this oil company has served our family name for centuries and we have to keep it going and pass it down to the next generation. Do you ever imagine what life would be like if we had no money -- you would not be able to eat what you like, wear what you like, attend holidays and events at your liking, son even your friends would be different.

Tam : See Chris wanted to be a musician unfortunately his father never heard him play and his lack of support pushed Chris to keeping his talent to himself ......on the other end of the scale we have Micky, working class family working to survive.

Marry: Mickeyyyyyyyyyy

Mike: Yes mum

Marry: Come on open the door ..... you need to eat something , you have been in your room dancing for hours

Mike: Fine im coming

Marry: The food is on the table .....hows your day been hun

Mike :  .....Fine , yours?

Marry: Ye its been alright , your father is going to be home soon

Mike: His not my father........ mum why cant I go to dance school , why cant I have decent clothes , why cant I drive , why can't we eat out , why this why that SWEAR this is all there is to this home. just questions and no answers.

Marry: Mikel you know I try to give you what I can , its not easy for me to make money from advertising a weight loss company. Son you know I have been there for you in all your performances. I have borrowed money to enter you in competitions cause I believe in you. We will get the money for you to go to dance school just not now , but I promise you will...

Dan: Marry!!

Marry: Your father is here now , finish your food and we will talk about this some other time.

Scene change

Tam : Dan was a nasty step father , he didn't love micky like his own son. His drinking problems certainly did not help the situation. My encounter with Devil Dan was not the most pleasant , well .. me and micky went round his to play Xbox after college, all was well for a few hours THEN in walked micky's step dad and all of a sudden the atmosphere in the room changed almost as if the fucken terminator had walked in. Mike's body language changed and he curled up to a little ball as Dan called him to the other room. All I had was a loud clapping sound ,then Micky slowly walked back into the room and talked me I had to go home. On the way out micky for the first time opened up his heart and talked me all about Dan. Which built up a lot of respect for the lad because fuck knows how I would have reacted.

Mike: Cuz don't you wanna stay behind and rehearse instead of going home now?

Tam: im with that , the auditions are in 5 months time so we need to keep rehearsing to have a better chance of getting in

Mike : ye I have been working a tonne of hours to try build the money up but its not going very well for me as I have to give my mum the money for bills and food in the house. Its difficult for her, after that cunt Dan left she has to do it all in the house therefore I need to help her out. Its my fault she is in this situation anyway.

Tam : Come on man , don't be hard on yourself Dan was a prick ...he didn't treat you right and he deserves to be serving time behind bars.

Mike : But look where calling child line has got me , I could have been taken away from my mum at this point if they found out we were struggling. Dance schools is my dream but I don't know ..like I don't know if I should actually go because that would my mum on her on receiving next to nothing from weight watchers.

Tam: Bro its tough but we cant put all these months of practice to nothing , and your mum would be happy if you make something of yourself and not just work in Mcdonalds for minimum wage

Mike: Its fucked up working there but it pays, and currently pays enough for me and my mum to survive when added with whatever she can put together.

Tam: Ey don't worry man , things can only get better.

scene change

Tam: Mama I have decided to go to dance school next year

Crystal: What ?

Tam: I want to be a performer

Crystal: Tamu , what kind of life will your family be having with a career like that? ..you need to take everything into consideration not just how it will affect you but how it will affect the ones around you and yourself. Dance is a great hobby to do alongside your architect or engineering and doctor job. What would happen to you if you brake you leg , your life would be a misery because you will have no income.

Crystal seen miming on the background as Tam begins his monologue, the light dims on her as Tam continues to talk.

scene change

Tam: 12 years without my parent for this? Does she not think how it was for not to know what its like to have a mother as you grow up. Someone to cover the wounds after you fall off. someone to drive me to and from school. someone to tell me its going to be fine when I have bad dreams. Someone to make me breakfast, open things for me, take me shopping or help me find my lost sock. No I had to do all that by myself but you don't fucken hear going on about it every now and then.




 

In 1920, the 18th Amendment was passed making the manufacture and sale of alcohol illegal. But many people in this time of prohibition continued to drink and gangsters made enormous amounts of money from supplying illegal liquor. The prohibition was meant to help reduce crimes because many religious movements believed that alcohol made the American country worse that it was. in the play we the theme of gangsters run throughout in the battle of fat Sam with his rival gang. During this era people wore fashion as shown below which is something that my designs should be close to.




below are some images of what I think the characters would look like in modern context.





The images above are the ideas I have for fat Sam because the top dogs don't just dress anyhow they dress smart to reflect that they run things instead of doing the dirty work that gangsters are associated with. I think that the character of fat Sam should wear a suit because that is how it was originally done plus after research I found out that both modern gangsters and prohibition era gangsters wear suits. His suit should contain very few pockets as shown in the diagram below because lots of pockets means there is extra weight on the costume which would not help maximise the character's movement.





Tallulah is the second character I chose for this project because after reading through the script she was one of those characters that sprang out of the page through the way they are described and what they say.  The script shows that the character is different from the others through the way she dresses therefore this needs to be reflected by a unique costume design for the character. She is also very dominant which is enforced by what she says which is something that I think should be included in the design because I think she thinks she is better than the rest of the characters. below are some images and diagrams of what I picture this character wearing including some modern pictures of what she would look like if this was set with a modern context.








The last character I chose was the gang. they would all wear the same because they are just as important to fat Sam as each other. I think that they should have an opposite colour to their leader to reflect their positions in the gang. My initial idea was to have them in black and fat Sam in a white suit because there is a huge contrast in the two colours and they compliment each other at the same time. this would reflect the difference between fat Sam and his gang and also how important the gang is to fat Sam because they are the ones that make him look good plus without them fat Sam has next to no power. Below are some images of what I picture them to wear including some stretches of my design ideas.