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Rambert - Death and the Maiden - Coggle Diagram
Rambert - Death and the Maiden
Motif examples
Graham - 4 female dancers, travelling towards SR, whisk both arms around their heads whilst turning in the same direction and then suddenly falling to the floor. They then roll either forwards or backwards, remaining laid down, onto their backs and arching their back as they bring their arms out in front of them as if to fight off death. Finally they roll to face US and curve their spines, contracting their torsos and placing their hands in front of their faces like a shield.
Folk - the male dancers all step onto their right heel whilst dropping their heads, then they step backwards onto their left foot before replacing their weight back onto their right foot as they twist the lower half of their body. They keep their arms out to second position and repeat this 8 times. Gradually, one by one the female dancers begin to pick themselves up off the floor and join in accumulation until everyone is performing the pivot step movement in unison.
Architecture - The male dancers all step onto their right heel whilst dropping their heads, then they step backwards onto their left foot before replacing their weight back onto their right foot as they twist the lower half of their body. They keep their arms out to second position and repeat this 8 times. Gradually, one by one the female dancers begin to pick themselves up off the floor and join in accumulation until everyone is doing the movement in unison.
Key themes - During Death and The Maiden’s duet on stage, Death is stood behind the Maiden, both of them facing DSL. Death very gradually clasps his hands into a fist and draws them up to the right side of his head before harshly slicing them into the Maiden’s back. She reacts by lifting up onto releve and arching her back before stepping forwards smoothly and contracting over, head dropped, crouched on the floor.
Personal experiences - at one point in the second section (Conversations), Death and The Maiden are CS. Death takes the Maiden’s arm and pulls her slowly off the floor to standing before wrapping his arm around her back as she leans gracefully and gradually onto his back, arching her spine and dropping her head back. Meanwhile the other dancers are stood around the pair in a semi-circle and they rapidly turn out of the circle before contracting over and throwing their arms out in front of them aggressively. They repeat this in and out of the formation as the slow motion continues.
Context
Originally danced by LCDT in 1980
Intricate footwork/structure of dance with various entrances and exits - links to architecture background
Music - Death and the Maiden by Schubert in D minor (sombre mood)
Death and the girl poem - two sections of the dance. Premonitions - prediction and unexpected nature of death. Conversations - centred around Death and the Maiden.
In the section Conversations, there is a moment where time stands still ensemble dancers frantically circle death and the maiden - whilst they are in the centre dancing in slow motion - this was influenced by North’s experience of his car crash
Bow at the start - respect
Narrative North
Maiden goes through stages of grief - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance (Death rocking the maiden to sleep)
Impact
Developed dramatic quality - Graham technique, taking away senses, dramatic falls, jutting actions
Developed musicality - folk elements within the score within the work Death and the Maiden is reflected in the folk movements in the choreography. Contributes to the drama - dramatic, orchestral. Violins, piano - shows her reflecting her feelings
Classical score similar to that of composers such as ‘stravinsky’
Accessible and relatable and reflective
Classic Rambert piece blending ballet and graham reflecting Period 1 of Rambert