The Music Center's Study Guide to the Performing Arts
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DANCEMUSIC TRADITIONAL ARTISTIC PERCEPTION (AP) ® CLASSICAL CREATIVE EXPRESSION (CE) Artsource CONTEMPORARY HISTORICAL & CULTURAL CONTEXT (H/C) The Music Center’s Study Guide to the Performing Arts EXPERIMENTAL AESTHETIC VALUING (AV) MULTI-MEDIA CONNECT, RELATE & APPLY (CRA) ENDURING FREEDOM & THE POWER THE HUMAN TRANSFORMATION VALUES OPPRESSION OF NATURE FAMILY Title of Work: About The Artwork: There is a Time There is a Time, based on a poem from the Old Creators: Testament, has enduring, universal themes describing Company: Limón Dance Company the human experience. The opening line is, “To Choreographer: José Limón (1908-1972) everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose Score: Meditations on Ecclesiastes, by Norman under the sun.” Limón’s interpretation is both Dello Joio, commissioned by the Juilliard choreographically and musically, a theme with varia- Music Foundation’s Festival of Music tions. He uses a large circle as his main theme for the (awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1957) opening of the dance, majestically evoking the Premiered April 20, 1956 at the Juilliard School, N.Y. continuous passage of time. This circle is seen Background Information: repeatedly in many different sections, as well as in the Acclaimed for its dramatic expression and technical rhythm, dramatic shapes and contrasting themes. The mastery, the Limón Dance Company has been in concepts in the poem are based on the idea that there is existence for 60 years, continuing long after the death a purpose to all human experiences, such as a time to be of its founder. José Limón, a powerful dancer and born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck visionary, created many legendary works that have up that which is planted. The opening and these two timeless and universal themes. Founded in 1946 by phrases are among the excerpts featured in the Artsource® Limón and modern dance pioneer Doris Humphrey, video. the company is now led by Carla Maxwell, who Creative Process of the Artist or Culture: worked closely with Limón before becoming Artistic Critic Clive Barnes writes, “the dance motifs are sharply Director in 1978. José Limón electrified the world focused and often brilliantly expressive. Emotionally the with his dynamic masculine dancing and dramatic work shows a constant interplay of choreography. Of Mexican descent, he was born in light and shade, so the fierce intensity of “a time to keep silence”, and “a time Culiacán, Mexico in 1908 and moved to California in to speak,” is soon relieved by the release 1915. He found his life’s purpose after he saw his first of “a time to laugh.” Even though dance program in New York in 1928. He said, “What there are solos and duets, the I saw simply and irrevocably changed my life. I saw the company works as a team dance as a vision of ineffable power. A man could, with Photo: Jack Mitchell throughout the dance. dignity and towering majesty, dance . as Michelangelo’s “I try to compose works New York visions dance and as the music of Bach dances.” that are involved with Considered to be the foremost male dancer of his man’s basic tragedy and the generation and a master choreographer, he created 74 grandeur of his spirit.” works during his career. José Limón Discussion Questions: Sample Experiences: After the video has been viewed: LEVEL I • Why do you think José Limón used a circle • Have students think of other sets of opposites in their motif for the beginning of this dance? What lives, such as sleep/awake; fear/courage; together/alone. ideas or themes might it represent? Select one to draw, write about, discuss or dance. • What impressed you about the part of the * • “Choral Speaking and Soundscapes” - Divide the dance, A time to be born and a time to die? class into two groups. Have them create a Soundscape • What type of movements did the dancers do to using voice, body percussion, blowing, etc. Select one show the ideas, A time to plant and a time to phrase from the poem. One group combines and pluck up that which is planted? layers sounds to express war, the other group expresses • Can you think of other movement choices or peace. Follow with choral speaking of lines. actions you might include in this dance, if you LEVEL II were the choreographer? What would you • Take the above idea of making individual body shapes change? What would you add? Delete? to express concepts. Work in partners to show the • Describe the music. How did the dance and opposite concepts of selected pairs - i.e., one partner music work together? If you were to choose shows war; the other shows peace. Switch roles, with different music, what might it be? each partner giving their own shape version for each. Multidisciplinary Options: * • ABA Form (“Portraying Opposites”) - Read parts of The poem from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, on page 3, is the poem to the class and discuss. Then select specific considered to be an “Anchor Work” because of its phrases; have students portray the contrasting ideas poetic artistry, enduring value, and universal themes. in body shapes and movements, showing clear Have students read this poem as individuals or as a intention within the ABA form. Examples include: group. Then, discuss what it means to each of them in born/die/born; plant/reap/plant; weep/laugh/weep. terms of their own experiences and observations of the • Do movement conversations of 4 counts each with a human experience. Divide students into small groups partner, one expressing weeping and one laughing. and give them each one phrase to discuss in greater LEVEL III (All three ideas are included in this lesson) depth. Have them brainstorm a variety of ideas and * • Guide students to individually explore the different responses without judgment. Then, ask each group to phrases within the poem. Form partners, select one think of questions to share. Discuss the questions and phrase they found interesting. Each partner takes one select one or more to explore through discussion, part of the opposite (plant/reap) and expresses it with- research, writing, art, music, song, theatre or dance. in an eight count phrase. One freezes, one moves. Audio-Visual Materials: Have a clear beginning and ending. Repeat three times, • Artsource® video excerpts: There is a Time, featuring the emphasizing the ideas of a cycle of action that includes Limón Dance Company. Music: Meditations on different dynamics. Ecclestiastes, composed by Norman Dello Joio, * • Ask each set of partners to share ideas. One partner by permission of Carl Fischer Music. performs their phrase while the other partner sits and • Photos: Jack Mitchell, Tom Caravaglia, Andre respectfully observes. Switch. Share observations. Beekman and Jack Vartoogian. * • Partners teach their phrase to each other, sequencing Additional References: ideas in the correct order (weep/dance). Perform both • José! Born to Dance: The Story of José Limón. Simon & parts together, designing spatial relationships in a Schuster. Grades 2-4. Simon & Schuster, 2005. variety of ways. Stress a range of dynamics. Create a • “Limón, A Life Beyond Words”- a documentary direct- beginning shape or entrance and an ending shape. ed by Malachi Roth. www.limon.tv 2 • Limón Web Page: http://www.limon.org * Indicates sample lesson THE POEM TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal . a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to lose and a time to seek; a time to rend and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 HISTORICAL NOTE Ecclesiastes means “teacher” and is considered to be the book of wisdom in the Old Testament of the Bible. It is thought that many of these poems were written by King Solomon, perceived to be one of the wisest and most compassionate men of his time. He reigned over Israel’s Golden Age (970-928 BC). REVIEWS “There is a Time has in fact not aged. Emotion surges today (as it must have sprung forth in 1956) from full and ‘felt’ movements which irradiate the underpinning of the dance. The premise itself is of a vivid timeliness. In There is a Time, Limón manifests a profound humanism: the values of peace and justice always end in conquering violence and oppression.” L’Humanité, Lyon, France, September 1986. “It is a fine work. The gist of its intent seems to be a conviction that in spite of killing and healing, mourning and laughing, breaking down and building up, there is a continuity to life that cannot be destroyed. To this end, the choreographer has chosen the oldest of all symbols of eternity, the dance round, taking up just where Doris Humphrey has left off, and he has used it superbly. There is a wealth of beautiful movement, stunning phrases, rich invention. It is handsomely costumed by Pauline Lawrence, incidentally, and admirably danced by this outstanding company.” John Martin, New York Times, May 1956 3 DANCE CHORAL SPEAKING AND SOUNDSCAPES ENDURING VALUES LEVEL I Sample Lesson INTRODUCTION: Sound is powerful! It can be used to express ideas and emo- tions, as well as create an atmosphere that evokes images.