Dance History Lecture: Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp & Pilobolus

1. Dance lecture 3 Dance history + Vocab.

2. Intro. Vocab: • En l’air – in the air • Extension – the ability of a dancer to raise and hold an extended leg en l’air • Fondu – to melt • Frappe – to strike • Glissade – to glide • Grande - big • Grande battment – big beating • Grande jete – big throw • Jete – to throw • Pas – step

3. Inter. Vocab: • Brise – broken • Cabriole – caper, leap • Chaines – chains; chain line • Chasse – to chase • Choreography – steps, patterns, designs of movement for a ballet or dance composition • Ciseaux – scissors • Coda – last section of a grand pas de deux • Corps de ballet – a body of dancers who dance in groups forming the “chorus” of the ballet • Cou-de-pied – neck of the foot • Coupe – to cut

4. Adv. vocab: • Chaines - chains • Changment – to change • Chasse – to chase • Choreography – steps, patterns, designs of movement for a ballet or dance composition • Ciseaux – scissors • Coda – last section of a grand pas de deux • Corps de ballet – a body of dancers who dance in groups forming the “chorus” of a ballet • Cou-de-pied – neck of the foot • Coupe – to cut • Croise – in the shape of a cross

5. Alvin Ailey • Born 1931-1989 • Trained with Horton Dance Company; moved to NY; performed on B’way • Formed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958 • Blended ballet, modern, jazz and African dance styles • Signature work entitled, “Revelations” (1960) based on religious heritage of his youth; most seen modern dance • Style grounded in Lester Horton technique; combined elements of ballet (strength, technique) along with qualities of modern and jazz (style, expression) • Lead dancer/star of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre was Judith Jamison; also later appointed Artistic Director Emeritus; Robert Battle appointed in 2011 • “Cry” was dedicated to “all black women everywhere—especially our mothers”; 16 minute solo performed by Judith Jamison; Ailey choreographed for his mother on her birthday

6. Revelations: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZuBFz6WYfs&index=20&list=UUg9o2fgvhIPlow5gi0sc-1w • Cry: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fz8UhA3v30&list=UUg9o2fgvhIPlow5gi0sc-1w&index=31

7. Twyla Tharp • Born 1931-present • Studied with Martha Graham • Joined Paul Taylor Dance Company in NY • Formed Twyla Tharp Dance in 1966 • Mixed elements of ballet and modern dance; used pop, classical and jazz music • Began collaboration with major ballet companies, therefore bringing contemporary ballet to the rise • Choreographed “Deuce Coupe” for Joffrey Ballet; merged with American Ballet Theatre; produced 16 major works with ABT • Worked with NYC Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Royal Ballet, Boston Ballet, and many more • ATLANTA BALLET: February 2012, “The Princess and the Goblin” • “Push Comes to Shove” was Tharp’s most famous work; created as a vehicle for Mikhail Baryshnikov • Choreography for film, television, Broadway; won several awards for performance and choreography

8. Push Comes to Shove: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_aEbEqpLdc • The Princess and the Goblin: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zuh1n4hbKc From “Upper Room” 2010

9. Pilobolus • 1971, named after a fungus • Based in Washington Depot, Connecticut, with offices in NYC and Belgium • Started as a dance class for males at Dartmouth College • Founded by 7 members; 6 remained and since its conception, this has remained the basic formation of the company • Uses group collaboration and improvisation to create new choreography • Known for it’s strong element of physical interaction between bodies of the performers, often times forming distorted or contorted shapes and objects • “Bizarre imagery” • “Shadowland” performed at 79th Academy Awards; went on to create full-length version; whole story is told behind a screen with light projected so as to reveal shadows to the audience • Matt Kent, Associate Artistic Director • Beth Lewis, dancer

10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95cJMc0DpP8 • 79th Academy Awards • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgCDd1oFyF4