Infra GCSE Resource

CREATIVE EXPLORATION TASKS
76
INFRA SECTION 7 EXPLORATION
Watch the duet danced by Lauren Cuthbertson and Mara Galeazzi
(phrase 3a, 21:32–21:54 on the film) from section 7. This duet communicates
the sharing of grief, the dancers’ movement is fluid and they demonstrate
physical empathy by echoing and complementing/enhancing the other
dancer’s movements, sometimes dancing in unison and sometimes overlapping,
like a conversation. Gradually the distance between them increases and they
go their separate ways.
Work in groups of three. Two people
are the ‘Dancers’ and one person is the
‘Choreographer’. The choreographer will
use the dancers’ ‘physical signature’ solos
from the ‘Section 1 exploration’ tasks to
create a duet between the dancers that
shows empathy 8 in a physical way.
CREATIVE EXPLORATION TASKS: INFRA SECTION 1
TASK 1: CONFIGURING DANCERS
TASK 2: PHYSICAL SIGNATURE SOLO
TASK 3: PERFORMANCE SCALE 1, 2, 3
CREATIVE EXPLORATION TASKS: INFRA SECTION 5
TASK 1: SELECTING VOCABULARY
TASK 2: TOOLS FOR DEVELOPING VOCABULARY
TASK 3: CREATING A PARAGRAPH OF MOVEMENT
CREATIVE EXPLORATION TASKS: INFRA SECTION 7
TASK 1: EMPATHY DUET
TASK 2: PROSAIC PEDESTRIAN SOLO
TASK 3: CREATING A TRIO
VISUAL IMAGERY TASK
POETRY AND MUSIC TASK
30 minutes
2 dancers +
1 choreographer
8. Empathy – The ability to
understand and share the feelings
of another. In Infra, physical
empathy is explored, where one
dancer shares another dancer’s
movement or movement quality.
See Appendix A for full glossary.
a Recap individual ‘physical signature’ solos (or any other individual
solo if students have not completed the Section 1 exploration)
b Dancers perform their solos next to each other in close proximity,
with choreographer watching the performance a minimum of
three times.
c Choreographer observes and makes a note of any moments of
the solos that are highlighted by the others movements. E.g.:
+ + Movements in the same direction
+ + Movements in different directions
+ + Actions that have the same speed or rhythmic quality
+ + Points where each of the dancers’ movements crosses/uses the same
space
+ + Different actions with the same body parts
+ + Opportunities for contact between dancers?
d The choreographer experiments with the dancers’ movement using
the following tools:
+ + Action and reaction – one person moves and the other reacts to their
movement, using their own movement vocabulary.
+ + Repetition and development – one person moves and the other interprets
their movement (Wayne McGregor calls this ‘hijacking movement’)
before developing it further, taking it in turns to develop the other dancer’s
previous movement.
+ + Moments of unison – both dancers perform their solos, overlapping
their movement, and then periodically joining together in unison before
continuing their own dance.
+ + Echoing/complementing movement – one dancer performs their solo
and the other echoes the dynamic quality, rhythm or spatial pattern of
their movement using their own solo movement, using notes from initial
observation.
+ + Adding moments of contact or complete stillness.
e Together the choreographer and dancers create a duet that
demonstrates the idea of a conversation and physical empathy.