The Pre Set. 

I have previously mentioned that I performed in front of my mirror in my room to various music videos and radio stations and I feel this would be a great opening for when the audience are taking their seats.

In the timetabled lessons, I looked at Kate Nash’s Mouthwash.

 Although it was very fitting in reference to my body, I never felt like I connected to the song and it’s not something I would sing to in front of my mirror.

On the other hand, I chose Jessie J’s Who’s Laughing Now.

I have always  been a fan of Jessie J and have even seen her in concert. She is a huge role model for me as this song explains about the struggles Jessie J faced when she was growing up and proving to her bullies that they never stopped her. I can related to her and that is important to me. Although the audience may laugh when they arrive into the studio, but I know that “i’m still rising”. My favourite most relatable  lyrics are:

Mummy they called me names
They wouldn’t let me play
I’d run home, sit and cry almost everyday
“Hey Jessica, you look like an alien
With green skin you don’t fit in this playpen”
Oh they pulled my hair
They took away my chair
I’d keep it in and pretend that I didn’t care
“Hey Jessica, you’re so funny
You’ve got teeth just like Bugs Bunny”

Oh, so you think you know me now
Have you forgotten how
You would make me feel
When you dragged my spirit down?
But thank you for the pain
It made me raise my game
And I’m still rising

References

J, J. (2011). Jessie J- Who’s Laughing Now. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsxSxF3JKeU [Accessed 16 Apr. 2015].

Nash, K. (2010). Kate Nash- Mouthwash. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqAGXtDCXCk [Accessed 6 Mar. 2015].

The Set.

My set ideas have changed quite a bit. One of my first ideas was to perform my show in a dance studio setting. At first, I liked this idea but then as my ideas developed I realised that I was potentially going to create a barrier between myself and the audience because I was in one defined space and they would be the spectator. In addition, I have only ever danced in a dance studio a handful of times.

This then made me think about the times I did want to dance and this always happened in my bedroom. I would always watch music videos or listen to the radio and perform in front of my mirror while miming to the lyrics into a can of hairspray or my hairbrush. It was then that I notice I had to stay true to what actually happened to me and what felt comfortable. If I set it in my bedroom I can break the barriers of the performer spectator relationship and address the fact that they are in my bedroom and the reasons why.

Furthermore, my bedroom was something special to me. When my parents got divorced, I moved to a small two bedroom council house and had to share with my sister. She had her side and I had my side. But even though were shared this bedroom, we had our own little space to escape from every day life.

To make my bedroom feel authentic, I will have a bed centre stage left next to a side table with books and a photo frame. I will have a mirror with my clothes basket full of washing upstage right where I can sing into the mirror. I will also have pots and rubbish laying around my room as at times in very busy times of my life, I forget to take the pots downstairs.

The Opening.

I’ve always had an idea of opening my show with Craig Morrow’s usual voice over of welcoming the audience to the show and informing them to turn of mobile phones. However, I wanted to write my own version of his usual opening. I chose this approach as Dr Morrow is the voice of Lincoln Performing Arts Centre, and as an audience member myself visiting the Lincoln Performing Art Centre, listening to his voice overs makes me listen and engage with the performance. I want to ensure the audience are listening as I am going to be talking directly to them for the next ten minutes and I feel this is the best way for the audience to engage with what is happening on stage.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Lincoln Performing Arts Centre.

Please can I remind you to turn off your mobile phones and that flash photography is not permitted.

The flash is very unflattering. If you do choice to to take a photo and upload it to Instagram, then please use the Valencia filter

WARNING- Do not feed the Fatty. She may bite.

Thank you, and enjoy this evenings performance of The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fatty.

The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fatty

Poster Image

I created this image a while ago when I was developing my title idea. I used a serious photo of a larger lady dancing to convey that my subject choice is serious, but the play on words of the title sells my show as a comedy which is exactly what my intentions are. I then used this image as my poster and advertised my show throughout the Lincoln Performing Arts Centre.

As a further marketing tool, I created a Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dance-of-the-Sugarplum-Fatty/1393803240936125?ref=aymt_homepage_panel (Spencer, 2015). I made this very early in to my process for the purpose of  keeping my followers up to date with my latest rehearsals and script writing, as well as inviting them to an events page. This was very helpful as I could see how many people were interested in my ideas. After such a great response, with over seventy people liking the page, I decided to have a larger audience capacity. I felt that a larger audience was needed for my show so that I can respond to the audience, and get a feel of what joke works where and when; especially if I want to develop my idea further. As a result I have chosen to have a audience capacity of fifty.

References

Spencer, J. (2015). The Dance of the Sugarplum Fatty. [online] Facebook. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dance-of-the-Sugarplum-Fatty/1393803240936125?ref=aymt_homepage_panel [Accessed 14 Mar. 2015].

“If a dancer dances- which is not the same as having theories about dancing or wishing to dance or trying to dance or remembering in his body some else’s dance- but if the dancer dances, everything is there… Our ecstacy in dance comes from the possible gift of freedom, the exhilarating moment that this exposing of the bare energy can give us. What is meant is not license, but freedom… (Mercecunningham.org, 2015)

I asked Emily Nichols, a Dance and Drama student at the University of Lincoln, to teach me a dance and to give me lessons. She decided to teach me one of her Technique class exam pieces which was inspired by Merce Cunningham. Cunningham “was a leader of the American avant-garde throughout his seventy year career and is considered one of the most important choreographers of our time” (Mercecunningham.org, 2015). He was also considered America’s greatest dancer. Emily informed me that Cunningham liked to contrast the idea of straight lines and physique with the curve of the body. I found this quite interesting as I brake the normal criteria of the image of a dancer with my curves. 

pooping position (Spencer, 2015)

We started with Emily teaching me the dance, going very very slowly indeed. I started in first position and did a few points with my feet and I also learnt how to plie, or what I like to call, ‘the pooping position’. Then we introduced my chosen song which is The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Technohouse Remix). (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Electrohouse Remix), 2012). 

Below are a few videos of myself and Emily dancing. Well, me trying to remember what she has taught me. This video shows my first practice and well, lets just say it did not go to plan. However, this conveys how far I will hopefully develop in my final solo performance.

Practicing the turn (Spencer, 2015).

 My first run after being taught everything (Spencer, 2015).

In reference to my previous blog post about Dawn French and her performance in The Mirror Dance, I see a lot of similarities, especially dancing with Emily. She’s the thin, perfectly poised dancer and I try to mirror her. However, like Dawn French I am not intentionally trying to be bad, I am actually trying to learn this dance and I hope to prove to my audience that I can dance.

References

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Electrohouse Remix). (2012). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chOtemRAYNc [Accessed 18 Apr. 2015].

Mercecunningham.org, (2015). Merce Cunningham – Merce Cunningham Trust. [online] Available at: http://www.mercecunningham.org/merce-cunningham/ [Accessed 1 May 2015].

Spencer, J. (2015). Dance Practice. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmhq8ZUs9j4 [Accessed 1 May 2015].

Spencer, J. (2015). Practicing the turn. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmkaSS_YKaw [Accessed 1 May 2015].