Week 1
Compositional structure is how you build a phrase. Choreographic devices are how you embellish choreography within the structure. Form is the process of developing a structure and material. In class we worked on a rondo phrase. Rondo is a recurring theme to which the composition returns, interspersed with contracting themes, all building to a conclusion. During class, we learned a mother phrase and applied all what we learned about ABA. Examples of compositional structures are with AB, ABA, narrative, and broken form. When we discussed examples of compositional structures, I was already aware of some of these structures like broken form and narrative structure. It was just a matter of giving these ideas a proper name.
We had to choreograph a rondo phrase. As I was creating it, I had a very academic, analytical approach to it because it was something new to me. When I'm choreographing I tend to struggle with the continuity of the phrase because I'm interested in a lot of things. I almost changed my theme. When I was creating I liked to listen to R&B music because it helps me be vulnerable. So, we had to make a structure on the spot in class and I tried really hard to stick with it as I was creating but transitions were difficult.
16 ways to manipulate a motif:
Repetition
Retrograde
Inversion
Size
Tempo
Rhythm
Quality
Instrumentation
Force
Background
Staging
Embellishment
Change of planes/levels
Additive/Incorporative
Fragmentation
Combination
Out of these motifs my favorite is fragmentation. I like to dismantle something and piece it together. I also teach my hip hop classes in this manner because sometimes the steps can look complex but when you break it down it is clearer. When I am in a West African class, I have to break everything down to the feet, arms, head, torso, rhythm, etc before I can put everything together again.
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