Final Exam Review Outline
The final exam is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 11 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Bring extra paper and pencils.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Identification (multiple choice)
A. Important figures
B. Vocabulary/dance concepts
Tue/False (early ballet – Judson Dance Theatre)
Essay
A. Identification of signature works (style or choreographer, and why) – 4 total
B. Discussion Questions – 1 total
C. “See and Think” analysis – 1 total
TOTAL POINTS = 75
Important Figures:
Isadora Duncan – rejected ballet traditions, believed movement is motivated
by emotions, believed movement should be expressed though your whole body, rejected
pointed shoes and tutu’s, wore sheer clothing, never formally trained, dancing was more
about feeling than form, inspired be nature and ancient Greek history, considered a
rebel and free spirit which shocked people
Charles Weidman – left Denishawn and formed the Humphrey – Weidman
Dance Company, developed ideas based on balance, fall, recovery, and suspension, each
developed their own work based on their own choreographic interests, created works that
were more comic in nature but also serious works, Flickers (1941) & Lynch Town (1963)
Katherine Dunham – had formal dance training as a teen, traveled to West
Indies (Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba, Haiti, West Martinique) to do field research in dance
and anthropology, her studies formed the core of her technique, technique: fused modern
dance with afro-Caribbean styles of movement, dance company consisted of black artists
dedicated to presenting aspects of African American and African Caribbean dance
Marius Petipa – what period in ballet history and what did he
choreograph? – classical ballet, most important foreign-born choreographer of
classical ballet, replaced softness with sharpness and precision, extended works over 3-4
acts, classic tutu with minimal accessory to indicate character, grand pas de deux:
entrance, adagio, solos, coda), The Sleeping Beauty (most famous work), divertissements
Catherine de Medici – why is she significant in ballet history? -
Louis XIV – what is he known for and why is he important in
ballet history? – preformed several times a week as a child, “The Sun King” Ballet de
la Nuit, positioned himself as the center of the universe for common people & nobility,
Versailles: courtiers danced in the presence of the king, lavish scenery and costumes,
Palace of Versailles: constructed outside of Paris and created to house people of the
courts, to be invited to a ball in the kings presence was a honor, to be evicted was a
disgrace
Marie Salle – what century is she from and what is she known
for? Camargo – what is she known for?
Marie Taglioni – what period in ballet history and what is she
most known for?
Fanny Elssler – what is she known for?
Serge Diaghilev – what period in ballet history and why was he
important? – made classical ballet a modern art, was not a dancer, choreographer, or
composer, directed Ballet Russes, shrewd showman and producer
Vaslav Nijinsky – known for choreographing what ballets? – a
performer and choreographer, brilliant performer, could play any role, could also amaze
audiences with his seeming ability to fly in his leaps, had controversial works: Afternoon
of a Faune (1912) The Rite of Spring (1913)
Denishawn School – who studied there? – Doris Humphrey, Charles
Weidman, Martha Graham
The New Dance Group school – why was it unique? – members:
Charles Weidman Eve Gentry Pearl Primus, 2 rules: (1) make & perform dances about a
subject with personal meaning (2) craft dances to be clearly understood by the masses
Doris Humphrey – left Denishawn, created more group dances, The Shakers
(1931) With My Red Fires (1936)
Martha Graham – left Denishawn before Humphrey and Weidman, works
often featured a female heroine embroiled in inner turmoil, Steps in the Street
Lamentation Cave of the Heart
Paul Taylor – choreographic chameleon, very musical dances, incorporates
since of humor and wit, made dances with no narrative, calls his works scribbles of what
people do, Rite of Spring and Last Look (1985)
Trisha Brown – Judson Dance Theatre founding member, created works using
repetition and ACCUMULATION, simple movement patterns developed in multiple
ways (changing directions, levels, or timing of movements), Man Walking Down Side of
Building
Merce Cunningham – important aspects: chance procedure space was an
open field idea that components of a dance production (music, set, choreography) exist
as independent entities, not focused on center stage performance
Twyla Tharp – studied with Cunningham and Taylor, created a movement
style that blended ballet post-modern jazz and tap, Push Comes to Shove
Alvin Ailey – studies with Graham Humphrey and Weidman, began his own
company in 1958, dedicated to African American themes, a ‘Fusion’ choreographer,
combined Jazz Ballet Modern and early 20th century social dancing, signature:
Revelations
Bill T. Jones – influenced by Graham and Ailey, controversial for
incorporating nudity and for commenting on homosexual lifestyles racism and terminal
illness, D-Man in the Water
Vocabulary/Dance concepts:
ABA
Pedestrian Movement
Chance Procedure
Canon – like the wave
Improvisation
Ballet d’Action
Accumulation – 1; 1 2; 1 2 3;1 2 3 4
True/False Questions: review defining characteristics or historical points of early ballets,
Romantic ballets, Classical ballets, Ballet Russes, early Modern dances, early African
American choreographers, and post-modern dances.
Essay Questions:
Review main points and defining characteristics of different styles discussed: Romantic
ballets, Classical ballets, Traditional (early) Modern dances, Post-modern dances.
Review the e-reserve reading on the Choreographer
Know some choreographic elements to speak about in your video questions.
Possible Identification questions:
*4 of the following 6 works will be on the exam.
1)
Giselle; Romantic Ballet; Discuss characteristics of Romantic Ballets that apply to
this work.
2)
Swan Lake; Classical Ballet; Discuss characteristics of Classical Ballets that
apply to this work.
3)
Lamentation/Martha Graham; Traditional Modern Dance; discuss characteristics
of early Modern dances that apply to this work as well as characteristics of Martha
Graham’s works that apply to this particular dance.
4)
Accumulation/Trisha Brown; 2nd generation Post-modern dance; discuss
characteristics of post-modern dance that apply to this work and characteristics of the
Judson Dance group that apply to this work.
5)
Revelations/Alvin Ailey; Traditional Modern dance; discuss characteristics of
Ailey’s dances that apply to this work.
6)
Esplanade/Paul Taylor; Early Post-Modern Dance; discuss characteristics of Postmodern dance that apply to this work as well as some characteristics of Paul Taylor’s
dances that apply to this work.
Discussion Questions- there will be 2; you will choose one to answer in complete
sentences, in paragraph form with examples to support your answer.