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Little Red Rooster (1991), Movement Component Description One (Actions…
Little Red Rooster (1991)
Movement Component Description One
Actions
Three slow walking actions on the spot, torso angled forwards.
Male soloist, low intensity spotlight, downstage right
The music begins, he performs four roster struts echoing 'I am the little red rooster'. With each step he drags his foot on the floor behind him, torso angled forwards. With each step, his head jerks in isolation
His arms are low in front, flexed wrists so hands drop over, like paws or suggesting a 'don't care attitude'. The music later says that this rooster is "too lazy to crow the day"
These movements clearly draw on rooster like behaviour. It is obvious that he is the character referred to in the music.
Dynamic
The sudden and strong dynamic of the head jerks mimic the head-pecking actions of an actual rooster.
Creates a sense of the males dominance and aggression
Relationships/choreographic devices
The rooster struts are a motif which will be developed through repetition
Space
The rooster struts are performed on a medium spatial level
Highly directed focus projected forwards through space
This gives him a sense of confidence, self-importance and arrogance.
Choreographic characteristics
Bruce's use of music visualisation is shown here
For instance, at the beginning, he performs four rooster struts which echo the words of the song "I am the little red rooster".
The roosters arms are low in front of him, with has wrists flexed so that his hands drop over like paws, or suggesting a 'don't care' attitude.
Later in the dance we hear that this rooster is "too lazy to crow the day"
Movement Component Description Two
Actions
The male soloist performs two rooster struts, before performing the pedestrian gesture of adjusting his tie, whilst performing two head jerks forwards and backwards
He then does two rooster struts to the side and one to the back before suddenly turning back to the audience and knocking his knees together with arms bent to the side with relaxed hands
The knee knocking action is representative of Elvis.
Dynamic
The sudden and sharp dynamic of the shifting direction reflects the bird-like qualities.
Relationships/choreographic devices
the rooster struts are developed here through repetition, after first being performed at the beginning of the piece
Space
The straight lines path that rooster takes demonstrates the way a rooster would move around a barnyard
Choreographic Characteristics
The rooster's adjustment of the tie demonstrates Bruce's use of pedestrian actions
The use of the popular dance action knee knocking is representative of actions performed by rock and roll icon Elvis Presley
This links the male soloist to Presley's wild, rebellious and raw sexuality
Movement Component Description Three
Actions
The male soloist performs large and powerful head and torso isolations which directly correlate to the pounding rhythm of the guitar
This reflects the line 'dogs begin a barking'
The male dancer then runs to perform a slide to the floor, lying on his front, before circling his lower left leg, as if it is a dog wagging its tail.
He rolls onto his back, his arms and legs bent, giving him a dog-like quality
Dynamic
He performs the barking actions with a sudden and strong dynamic, which contrasts the smoother dynamic of circling the leg.
This gives the character an unpredictable quality, and therefore potentially an underlying sense of danger
He can switch personalities abruptly
Relationships/ choreographic devices
Space
The male dancers suddenly switches from a medium spatial level to a low spatial level when he performs the slide to the floor
The unexpected and quick shift in spatial levels gives the character a volatile and threatening quality
Choreographic Characteristics
Music visualisation
The powerful head and torso isolations reflect the pounding guitar rhythm which reflects the words 'dogs begin a barking'
Movement Component Description Four