GCSE DANCE FACT SHEET
Based on
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SWANSONG
Name of Choreographer = Christopher Bruce
Year of first Performance = November 1987
Dance Style
Choreographic Style
Contemporary, with physical contact and Episodic – The story unfolds a section at a
some balletic movements. Includes
time
references to social and physical theatre. Dramatic – It contains elements of drama
Thematic – It has a theme
Stimulus / Starting point – What the dance is about?
The work of Amnesty International; saying goodbye (to a career as a dancer); the experiences of
Chilean Poet Victor Jara and the novel, A Man by Oriana Fallaci.
The dance is about a prison who is being interrogated by two prison guards. The guards bully him,
mock him and at times the try and be friendly to him. Eventually the prisoner gives up and dies.
Structure
The dance has an introduction followed by 7 sections. The victim/prisoner remains on stage
throughout and performs a solo in section 3 which has motifs/movements that are repeated and/or
developed in sections 5 and 7.
Dancers or Characters - How many, male or female, important characters, dance companies
etc.
The Rambert Dance Company perform this version
1 prisoner and 2 guards. (The guards always enter & exit stage right which suggests a door.)
Name of Musical composer = Philip Chambon
Accompaniment - Use of music, certain instruments, sounds, voice, characteristics/style of
music etc.
Staging = Proscenium – The stage is at one end and the audience all face the stage,
There are usually wings on either side that the dancers use for entrances & exits.
Setting / Set design or location - Describe as much detail as possible size, shape, colour
etc.
Set Designer – Christopher Bruce
Costumes - Describe as much detail as possible type of garment, colour, fabric etc.
Name of Costume designer – Christopher Bruce
Props - Description of props and how they were used
Lighting - Description of lighting and how it was used
Lighting designer – David Mohr
Dance Actions/Motifs - WHAT actions they used
Dynamics of the dance - HOW they performed their actions
Spatial use & Relationships in the dance - WHERE they performed their actions and the RELATIONSHIPS
they used for example as a solo, duet, trio or large group formation.