Anna 

·      They are standing in a circle. Beat drops and I expect something to happen, but they only move back and forth, face down, eyes closed
·      Moving closer without looking at each other. Building up anticipation, but nothing new seems to happen
·      One of them looks like she’s smiling, the others don’t change face expression
·      Looks like they are repeating the same again but change formation to a bigger circle
·      Just when you think its repetitive; slight change in formation every time they move in and out. Makes me very perceptive; have to pay attention to small details
·      Looks like they are all doing the same but they have different variation in opening of chest and arm and hip swinging
·      Keep going even when music changes (looks unaffected by change)
·      Everyone knows where they are moving (they were an organism communicating)
·      Seems like audience is invisible to them (does not necessarily face the front)
·      Start picking up the pace, a few of them faster. I am also becoming very transfixed by the constant but delicate changes
·      Just as it seems like there is a leader to the different formations that are happening, they split off .. Easier to follow one person around the stage rather than observe the group as a whole
·      Looks random but at the same time coordinated – or just flows organically – Somehow their movements go well together, like they are communicating with each other despite mostly having eyes closed
·      At least one of them always have face facing the front while others are facing the back. But their position does not seem to matter (they are all in “their own world – mostly have their eyes closed)
·      They still don’t look at each other even though they are moving in between each other
·      Moves back and forth to the rhythm of the music which enhances the flow feeling. But just as you get carried away with it, the song and beat changes, but again the dancers unaffected  continue the same movements
·      Looks like they are part of a cohesive unit until one dancer splits off and they gradually all go – Alternate between form and nonform
·      They are moving in similar ways but have different stepts and hand movements – improvisation like
·      At times looks disorganized across the stage but always return to a cohesive circle again
·      Rthyhm picks up rapidly and so does their movements but quickly return to slow again. Effective: Feels like my pulse quickly rises and then slows again.
·      Even though they all have their eyes closed you can feel how they are feeling the rhythm of the music (express themselves not just through body but also face)
·      15min felt very short 

Auguste

Ophelia

First study, not necessarily in piece, theoretical ideas are in it

First song

Coming closer
Connection through rhythm created through stepping
Also ominous looking down into center of circle
Looks very ritualistic
Layo going out of circle has added significance because relationship of bodies to each other has been established through repetitive motion
Layo breaks this through her exiting the circle

Second song

Complete change of form
Different group configurations = coming back is like remembering
Side step is not only movement vocabulary for dancers but is an established memory for the audience
This step is the foundation but also a familiar piece in the dance for the audience to always go back to if needed
Third song

Hands = complete change of meaning
Connection through hands when two people move hands in the same way at the same time
Music manifests in dancers very differently
Some dancers are more stiff, others seem to feel the music
Side step looks different in every dancer, although the formula is the same
Final song

Elements from prior songs (sections) are built upon
All dancers are doing different things with hands but feet keep them connected as group throughout
Even if everything does not work out, there has to be a complete change that can also create a result

Sharon 

O’Medea viewing notes

Najla

-This study for the piece

-Study does not necessarily be used in the piece

-Theoretical ideas?

-Ok! when will they perform? did they start?

-Performers are standing in a circle and this circle gets smaller and larger. The transition from smaller to larger circle, in a repetitive way, helped the dancers to move in an unrecognizable way. Basically, the repetition helped in changing the positions of dancers on stage. I started to view small details and changes.

-Dancers perform similar movements or same exact movements but each dancer reflect different effects on me”Audience”. Effects include feelings, emotions, connection, and etc.

-Movements look the same but each dancer perform the movement by adding their own style to it. I can see that the same movement has different variation.

-Music changed but still same movement is performed. Movements are independent of music.

-Performers have “neutral face”. There are expressions reflected on their face

-I feel that the performers are slightly gazing at each other.

-Performers were either closing their eyes or looking the floor/ ceiling; no eye contact with the audience

-Still, performers are performing the same movement but they gradually moving from their space.

-The dancers’ hand movement are moving up, as if they are worshipping.

-Music changed and the dancers are performing movements at a higher tempo. Then, they gradually return to their smooth movements

-The group formation and movements are a bit distracting because it is confusing my thinking and coordination.Based on what I observed, they keep shifting from a circle formation to a random/disorganized formation and then back, to a circle formation.

-As I am observing, I started to realize there is some pattern in the group formation. It is unclear but I am slightly recognizing it. The dancers are moving in groups , then in pairs, then in solo. There is some communication between dancers despite the fact that there is no or less eye contact between each other.

-As the dancer are separated from the group, they tend to show more emotions and more free movements.
The movements are similar to the eight shape movement we perform in the movement class.

-Movements are simple and minimalist.

-We are done, OH! time passed very quickly!

-It felt that this study is less than 15 minutes

-Real performance did not start till the third song. WOW ! surprising, I did not recognize that. Movements in the first two songs were just a warmup

-Pop music used to make Medea’s character relatable to the current generation or nowadays’ people.

Bunny

Music choice??

2 different socks – simplicity.

Non identical movements – different bodies doing different things when moving in a similar pattern – circles vs groups vs individual.

Moving in and out of phase with each other – some timed steps but seems actively different.

Medium energy, but high momentum. – Unplanned seeming, in the moment. – grouping, ungrouping.

RITUALISTIC – acceleration, celebration, reptetition. celebration invitation comfort.

Power of gaze!

confrontation and focus – looking up being different than down.

Breaking out of the group highlighting both the existence of the group and the individual.

W/Trajal:

A shared vocabulary – practise and exploring questions.

Form vs formlessness, how to break down form? When does dance become communal.

TRANSFORMATION

group establishing a static form vs not – how do we embody a specific group?

PERFORMATIVITY.

Eliza

Tori

Study → theoretical ideas to establish group practice.

Give the group an “object” to work with.

Start of performance—

Sidestepping in a circle, moving closer together and further apart

Music has lyrics–different genres, pop

How do they measure going in or out? Steps? Measures? Music cues?

Group is slowly moving clockwise in the circle

New Song—

They adapted well to the different beat, keep the old beat until the new one is established and then slowly move to the new beat.

Note how the attitude changes with the song.

No circle anymore! Are they going into a line? No, just spread out.

Interacting with each other. Some would come together as a little group, move together for a few measures, and then break up again. Usually groups of 2-3 people. Sometimes, just one person is isolated. Was this planned?

Posture – some people are leaning forward, some leaning back. Others are completely straight. Is there significance in that?

This reminds me of the flocking exercise with changing leadership.

Arms!

Third song—

More energy as the tempo increased. The arms are more engaged in the piece: lifting up.

Gaze – some are looking down, some blank gaze, some eyes closed.

Talk back —

Tempo, undulation, rhythm create a language between the group and add to relationships

Modern dance → artistic dance “Dance before dance”

It is a study not a performance

Form + Formlessness – when does it breakdown?

First 2 songs are like a warmup- how does the group develop an ecstatic/communal form?

It’s important just to dance together

Pop music → audience relation, grabs them and brings Medea into pop

Movement – personal + impersonal

Trajal is ashamed of studies? But they “went somewhere” so it’s good. Like reading his diary.

Ondrej steps in Trajel’s place but he doesn’t think much about it.

Today vs. Thursday → how a study informs the work.

Here and Now!

Yuki

How Movements Make Meaning — 1st O’Medea Rehearsal 

–   Standing in a circle formation, eyes are closed

–   Wiggling around and slowly gathering together and slowly spearing out, repeating the cycle again a few times without looking at each other

–   Start shifting the direction in clockwise (left to right)

–   The tempo and the body beat is always remaining the same rhythm

–   While lifting up their leg, their feet needs to touch to the other ankle…?

–   Some facial expression is made by a person; the others stay in neutral facial expression

–   There is a moment that seems not harmony (when transit to the 2nd song)

–   leader/follower (hurdle) practice seemed presented, even one person can be his/her own leader

–   3rd song begins, hand started having some movement

    •    Raising them up in front of the body

    •    Single hand and both hands both presented

–   The song beating has gone stronger and faster. The dancers also match thier body to the tempo and seemed to be more emotional and expressive. (however, only a short while)

–   After 4 th song is cover, the dancer’s movement seemed to be more free

–   Does not really put attention on the audience. They move in a direction with their own will and seem not to be affected by the stage arrangement.

–   “Dance before dances”

–   Transformation        

–   Costume haven’t shown up        

–   Performativity —> focus              

Daniel

That there was individuality among shared language was strong. Initially, all dancers engaged in a circle, occasionally turning and making small arm gestures that embodied their own style. For example, Layo had a strong personal color, not moving her head and making large arm and shoulder gestures while Frances swung her head sideways and fixed her shoulders and arms to a single posture. However, the basic premise that they would do the simple sideway steps, stay within the circle, and move as a single organism did not change. This was reflected with the third music where the arm movements intensified, yet the concept was not far too different. The small differences that humanized individual dancers that combined to create a single movement were interesting to watch.

The single language established while they were in circle distracting the audience from deciphering different groupings was interesting to observe as well. The swaying movement sideways was an agreed language that the five dancers established through the first song. When the second song started, the dancers were allowed more freedom and could utilize space, individually, or in group. Yet, because the dancers moved around the stage swinging, their separation from, as well as a formation of a group was hard to observe. For example, when Layo started to move away from the group, I simply thought her deviation as a slight mistake. I realized that she had formed her own group when she changed direction and started progressing away from the majority. At the same time, whenever two dancers came close, it always felt as if they would intersect and pass each other, while, actually, they combine within the next couple of steps. Although it seemed obvious that a common language would foster communal movement, observing it obscuring individuality was interesting.

The parallel structure of the study was also intriguing. The movement during the first two songs and the last two songs were clearly different. During the first two songs, hand movements were restricted, forcing the audience to focus on the location and the travel of each dancer. Despite being able to see individual style through hand gesture, it was also easy to observe that each dancer was forming a certain, common movement through their hands. Rather, we could focus on the bigger picture of how the five dancers looked as a whole. On the other hand, during the last two songs, hand movements intensified to become almost religious – closed eyes and raised hands resembled praying in very Southern country music. At the same time, as discussed in the first paragraph, each dancer had a distinct style guiding the audience to focus on each dancer, rather than the whole. The parallel exists between the first, third songs and the second, fourth songs as well. During the odd numbered songs, the dancers refrained from moving out of the traditional circle formation and limited their movements from rotating around the circle, expanding, and contracting. In contrast, during the even-numbered songs, all dancers were allowed freedom of exploring the stage and grouping. This intersecting parallel structure amazed me at the very end.

Katrin

O! Medea Production: 15/1/19 Tuesday

·         The dancers are in a circle moving to the music

·         First song- Trouble by Fink

·         They get closer towards the center of the circle than go in the opposite direction- outwards

·         They are with their eyes closed

·         The dancers are moving with the same foot and hand

·         All of them end up with in a small circle

·         Starts another song

·         Continue moving but in a different formation

·         Moving around the space

·         Eye contact is present between the dancers

·         They move to the rhythm of the music

·         One of the dancers puts their right hand up in the air

·         They are facing each other now

·         Dancing next to each other

·         Their moves are synchronized with one another

·         The dancers pay attention to each other in terms of dance rhythm and direction they are moving towards with each movement whether in group of two or on their own

·         The dancers move their hands slowly and put them in the air as if trying to ‘feel’ or ‘touch’ the music that is being played (3rd song)

·         Each dancer has their own sense of ‘feeling’ the music, in other words – the specific movement of their hands, their facial expressions and body movements in the space

·         The movements intensify as the does the music

·         The dancers slow down their tempo of dancing with their eyes closed

·         4th songs starts

·         Hands moving as everyone pleases still with their eyes closed

·         Dancers dancing in their own way enjoying themselves & the music as well

·         Each of them is expressive through their body and face

·         Pop music as a mean to communicate and deliver message to the audience

·         Usage of songs that hold the narrative of Medea’s emotional states

·         Trajal’s way to deal with the shame his experiences of his studies

·         Unconsciously starting something as a dance piece he initially feels ashamed of as a way to overcome the shame of sharing his dearest secrets implemented in his dance pieces

Stalina

The small circle of five interesting people. They are different by height, weight, gender, race and age. The song starts, it is slow and relaxed. Artists start to swing from one side to another, constantly setting one foot to another and then back aside. The circle gets wider for a couple of seconds and then smaller again. All the time they keep going and I can observe the specificity of the movements of each of the dancers, although they are doing the common choreography. They start changing positions. Music changes, now it is more energetic. They slightly separate from each other and create sort of groups, very similar to the task we practice in the Ondrej’s class. For a moment, when the most of the artists turn front it reminds me of an old Hollywood musical. I am surprised that the legs movements are still unaltered. The song changes again, now I feel like it has a cowboy motive. I notice small hands wiggles adding, moving from one side to another, which do look similar when I watch the whole group together. However, they significantly differ when I observe each individual separately. The melody speeds up, and so the group, adding rhythm and speeding up their trim waggles. They move actively until the music slows down and the performers find their way to stop. 

Laura