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Theme of the Dance
(Ideas, Moods, Emotions)
Choreographic Features
(Elements of Dance,
Choreographic Structures and Devices, Visual/Aural Designs)
Production Technologies
(Lighting, Sound, Costuming,
Set, Props, Makeup, Accompaniment)
Characteristics of the Genre or Style of Dance
Performers
(Age, Gender, Skill, Number)
Performance Context or Setting
(Stage, Outdoors)


‘MAURI’ (title) stands for:
* The life force of the land and the people
* A material symbol of a life principle
* A source of emotions
* Special nature


The whole meaning, purpose or ‘Choreographic
Intention’ behind Mauri was:
1. About life force and energy
– the connection between people and the natural world
- our relationship with spirituality and beliefs
2. creation of life (out of the earth)
- connection to the sky and underwater
- taking on the form of different animals (mother bird with her chicks)


The whole meaning, purpose or
‘Choreographic Intention’ behind Mauri was:
3. telling a story/connection to Maori
- through slow motion Haka moves
- shapes and forms of weaving
(plaits, kete, mats, tukutuku)

Body
Relationships
Energy
Time
Space


Find one specific movement in the dance that uses The Elements to help communicate a theme.

How does it do it? Lets describe it together

CHOREOGRAPHIC DEVICES:
 Augmentation
 Canon
 Embellishment
 Fragmentation
 Insertion
 Instrumentation
 Inversion
 Motif
 Repetition
 Retrograde


Find one specific movement in the dance that uses The Devices to help communicate a theme.

How does it do it? Lets describe it together

CHOREOGRAPHIC STRUCTURES:
 Accumulation
 Binary Structure
 Canon
 Chance
 Narrative
 Rhondo
 Ternary Structure
 Theme and Variation
 Unison


Find one specific movement in the dance that uses The Structures to help communicate a theme.

How does it do it? Lets describe it together

WHAT WHY?


The soundtrack by DLT or Darryl Thompson helped to support the dance in many different ways

A lot of traditional Maori instruments were used to support the intention behind the dance, and to connect to the beliefs of the
Choreographer

Koauau – Maori flute made from either Bone or Wood


The Koauau instrument makes a flute like sound which signifies the sound of a bird calling or signalling.

In times gone by, the tones of the Koauau were used to gain the attention and affections of the opposite sex (females).

It was also an instrument of status. Originally only chiefs and people of power or importance possessed or played this instrument, as the melody gained a level of respect.

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Within the dance, the sound of the Koauau helped to set the theme of a Powhiri.

A Powhiri is a traditional welcoming in Maori tradition.

This links to the dance piece as the birth of life or welcoming people/the spirits into this world. It also relates to the fact that the dancers were trying to ‘find the light’ through their movements, hence a birth of a child or animal…

Tumutumu – Maori percussion instrument made from tapping together Bone and Wood


The Tumutumu was an instrument that was traditionally played in the ‘whare purakau’ or house of learning.

It was originally thought that the regular patterning was used to help keep the pace of oral learning and promoted human thought.


What are the instruments/sounds that have been used in the other parts of the dance?

Slow Motion Haka Section?

Section with Unison?

Underwater section with solo dancing?

Weaving Section?


First we will look at the OPENING SEQUENCE.

Which Lighting functions have been used in this sequence??? HOW?

How has this added interest to the opening?

Why would the Choreographer have chosen to do this?


Think about the movement in Mauri.

Write down 3 key words that stood out from the notes about Contemporary Dance.

How do these words link back to the dance.
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For Example:

“architecture of the body in space” – this to me relates to the use of space by the 3 dancers in the weaving section. They used their bodies to slowly build up the movement whilst making a figure of 8 pattern.


The performers come from:
ATAMIRA DANCE COMPANY

Atamira Dance Company is New Zealand’s leading Maori contemporary dance company and is made up of some of New Zealand’s leading Maori dancers and choreographers.

The company creates professional dance drawing upon Aotearoa’s history, legends, contemporary issues, personal stories and whakapapa.

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Atamira is an Auckland based dance company
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Every member is Maori and has tribal connections right around New Zealand.

This diversity is reflected in the individual strengths each performer brings to the company.

The literal meaning of the word Atamira is "stage“

A deeper meaning behind Atamira relates traditionally to the platform for the dead body, and the process of caring for those who have died.


How do you think this added interest to the dance?