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Investigations into
communication and repetition of gesture lead to the work of
several choreographers. The most notable, German
choreographer Pina Bausch, who uses repetition as a device
to communicate aggression and frustration. Bausch collages
fragments of dance, speech and gesture with recorded music
to create highly visual, post-modern performances. Pina
Bausch and Tanztheater Wuppertal presented Kontakthof at the
Barbican, London on 30 November 2002.
Observing this work and
its structure provided an excellent starting point.
Similarly, the drawings
of Evelyn Williams provided an excellent point of reference.
Her drawings depicting prisoners of war display aggression
and hostility. The emotion and visual rhythm of the repeated
forms reflected the emotive characteristics of the chanting
crowds observed on the terraces.
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However, the most
valuable research was making personal observations
at a number of games. It was imperative that the
choreographers attended games to help them with
their creative process. Experiencing the game first
hand was a fundamental part of the research
programme.
Sound recordings
were made at the games so that a bank of material
could be accessed as a resource at any point in
time. The recordings included chanting clapping and
kicking sounds as well as terrace banter. The crowds
were animated and captivating as they moved on mass
shouted and chanted in unison and created the most
exhilarating environment. |
See also
research methodology for
further detail. |