University of Surrey
Division of Dance Studies
Postmodern Theory and the Choreography of Michael Clark
October 1992
by Rachel Mathews
A dissertation submitted in part fulfillment of the requirement
for the award of M.A. in Dance Studies
(c) Rachel Mathews 1992 ABSTRACT
This study addresses two interrelated questions: Can postmodern 'theory' illuminate an understanding of Michael Clark's work? and, a sub-question, In which ways, if at all, does Clark's work demonstrate a postmodern sensibility? Chapter one, the introduction to this study, provides a 'portrait' of postmodemism, that is, it addresses the question What is postmodernism? Chapter two is a biography of Michael Clark. The seminal sections to this study, however, are chapters three and four. Here the author blends a discussion of a) subject matter, treatment and meanings in Clark's choreography, b) journalistic criticisms of those features of his work, and c) postmodern theory. The outcome of these chapters is to demonstrate that Clark's works do indeed require re interpretation and re-evaluation, and to illustrate how these factors might be achieved.
i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to express my sincere thanks to all staff members of the Division of Dance Studies and of the National Resource Centre for Dance for their availability and support. In particular I wish to extend my gratitude to Dr Georgiana Gore and Professor Janet Adshead-Lansdale for their irreplaceable advice.
ii Table of
CONTENTS
Abstract i Acknowledgements ii
Contents iii
Chapter One INTRODUCTION . 1
Chapter Two BIOGRAPHY OF MICHAEL CLARK . . 16
Chapter Three SUBJECT MATTER AND MEANING IN MICHAEL CLARK'S
CHOREOGRAPHY • 29
Chapter Four TREATMENT OF SUBJECT MATTER IN MICHAEL CLARK'S CHOREOGRAPHY . 41
4.1 Introduction 41
4.2 Pastiche I Parody 45
4.3 Radical Juxtaposition 53
4.4 "A brutal aesthetic of squalor and shock" (Eagleton cited in Harvey, 1990, p 8) 55
iii (Table qfContents)
4.5 Conclusion . 58
Chapter 5
CONCLUSION . 59
APPENDICES . 63
Appendix 1
Diagrammatic summary of ideas pertaining to interpretation in the
dance analysis model . 63
Appendix2
Choreochronology of Michael Clark's work . 64
Appendix 3
Subject matter, treatment, and meanings in Michael Clark's choreography 81
Appendix4
Choreographic outline of Because We Must (1990) . 91
Appendix 5
Illustrations of the costumes of Because We Must ( 1990) . 109
Appendix 6
Description of the sets of Because We Must (1990) . 132
BIBLIOGRAPHY . 137
iv Chapter One
INTRODUCTION
Many epithets have been attached to British choreographer Michael Oark. In the mid-
1980s Macaulay described him as "an icon of post-punk, gender-bending, radical chic"
(1986b, p 50). He has been termed British
1988, p 49; Jordan, 1988b, p 15; Cruickshank, 1985, p 20; Bowen, 1992, p 16; Clarke,
1984; Clarke, 1985a; Towers, 1986, p 69; Anon, 1991, p 99; Leslie, 1992). The French press once dubbed him le meteore, and the Italian press, the scandalo nel balleto
(Meisner, 1984b, p 31; Bum, 1986, p 73). It is characteristic of critics' responses to
Michael Clark that many of these labels contain both an element of extreme praise and of fault-finding sarcasm. Although the decision to study Clark was initially prompted by a general curiosity, it was this seemingly paradoxical journalistic response which inspired the specific questions that this study investigates.
Reviewing the recent premiere of Michael Clark's Modem Masterpiece, Sophie
Constanti remarks of Clark that "his contribution (so far) to British dance has been ridiculously undervalued and misunderstood" (1992). This study is an attempt to ascertain whether postmodern 'theory'1 is useful in achieving a re-interpretation and re- evaluation of Clark's work. Stated differently, this study, then, addresses the following question: Can postmodern 'theory' illuminate an understanding of Michael Clark's work? This question involves answering a sub-question: In which ways, if at all, does
1The word 'theory' has been placed in quotation marks in the text to acknowledge the fact that postmodern writers explicitly attack any notion that there is a meta-language, meta-theory or meta narrative through which all things can be connected or represented (Harvey, 1990, p 44-45).
1 Chapter One ([ ntroduction)
Clark's work demonstrate a postmodern sensibility?
Criticism of Clark's performance as a dancer and choreographer has been, to date, almost entirely journalistic, making this, as far as the author is aware, the first academic study of Clark of its scale. Stephanie Jordan, in her recent publication Striding out: aspects of contemporacy and new dance in Britain (1992), makes very brief mention of
Clark as a dancer. A more substantial study of Clark is contained in Lycouris' 1991
M.A. Dance Studies dissertation from the University of Surrey titled Semiotics and postmodern dance. Here an entire chapter is devoted to Clark's 1990 television version of his 1987 stage work Because We Must. An explanation of the extent to which the present study is a development of Lycouris' chapter is contained in the introduction to chapter three. Before similar methodological issues are addressed in this introduction it is firstly crucial to clarify the term 'postmodernism'.
'Postmodernism' is a term at once widely used yet extremely elusive to define
(Featherstone, 1988, p 195). In his 1991 work titled Images of postmodern society: social theozy and contemporacy cinema, Denzin attempts a definition. He writes that the terms postmodern and postmodernism have simultaneously been used to refer to four interrelated phenomena:
(1) a movement called postmodernism in the arts; (2) a new form of theorizing the contemporary historical moment...; (3) historical transformations that have followed World War Two; and (4) social, cultural, and economic life under late capitalism. (Denzin, 1991, p 3)
While aspects of Denzin's list may be questionable, the purpose of its inclusion here is to illustrate that the term has been applied to an extraordinarily broad range of phenomena.
While this in itself makes clarifying the concept a complex task, when reading postmodern theory one is also faced with a vast plurality, often conflictual, of
2 Chapter One (/n(roduction)
postmodern positions (Best and Kellner, 1991, p 2). Harvey in his The condition of postmod.emity (1990) provides a group of the most central questions within the debates surrounding postmodern theory. He asks, does postmodemism represent a radical break with modernism, or is it simply a revolt within modernism against a certain form of 'high modernism'? Is postmodemism a style or a periodizing concept? Does it have a revolutionary potential by virtue of its opposition to all forms of meta-narratives (for example, Marxism, Freudianism, and all forms of Enlightenment reason) and its close attention to 'other worlds' and 'other voices' (for example, women and gays)? Or is it simply the commercialization and domestication of modernism, and a reduction of the latter's aspirations to laissezfaire market eclecticism? Does it, therefore, integrate with or undermine neo-conservative politics? Finally, should one attach its rise to a radical restructuring of capitalism, the emergence of a 'postindustrial' society, view it as the 'art of an inflationary era' or as the 'cultural logic of late capitalism' (as Newman and
Jameson have done)? (Harvey, 1990, p 42). The purpose of this section is not to provide answers to these questions but to elucidate the concept of postmodernism keeping in mind the fact that much theory which adopts, or is identified in, 'postmodern' terms, puts forth viewpoints with respect to these issues (Best and Kellner, 1991, p 2).
A useful place to begin in an attempt to grasp postmodemism and the family of concepts which surround the term, is with a perusal of the table of Schematic differences between modernism and postmodernism created by Hassan (1985, p 123-4) and included in this study under the heading Figure 1(p4). Drawing on fields as diverse as linguistics, anthropology, philosophy, rhetoric, political science, and theology, Hassan has set up a series of stylistic oppositions in order to illustrate the ways in which postmodemism may be portrayed as a reaction to the modem. While, as Hassan notes, it is dangerous to depict complex relations as simple polarizations, there is nevertheless much in this table which captures what the differences might be (Harvey, 1990, p 43-
44 ). In what follows, a number of the more important oppositions are considered in a
3 Chapter One (/ntroduction)
Fi&Ure 1 Schematic differences between modernism and postmodernism.
modernism postmodernism romanticism I symbolism paraphysics I Dadaism form (conjunctive, closed) antiform (disjunctive, open) purpose play design chance hierarchy anarchy mastery I logos exhaustion I silence art object I finished work process I performance I happening distance participation creation I totalization I synthesis decreation I deconstruction I antithesis presence absence centring dispersal genre I boundary text I intertext semantics rhetoric paradigm syntagm hypotaxis parataxis metaphor metonymy selection combination root/ depth rhizome I surface interpretation I reading against interpretation I misreading signified signifier lisible (readerly) scriptible (writerly) narrative I grande histoire anti-narrative I petite histoire master code idiolect symptom desire type mutant genital I phallic polymorphous I androgynous paranoia schizophrenia origin I cause difference-difference I trace God the Father The Holy Ghost metaphysics irony determinacy indeterminacy transcendence immanence
Source: Hassan, I. The culture of postmodernism. Theory. Culture and Society 2, 3, 1985, pp 123-124.
4 Cha,pter One ([ ntroduction)
discursive manner.
Firstly notable of postmodernism is its total acceptance of ephemerality, fragmentation, discontinuity and chaos. Furthermore, postmodernism responds to that fact not by trying to transcend it, counteract it, or even to define the 'eternal and immutable elements' that might lie within it (as modernism does), but by wallowing in the chaotic currents of change (Harvey, 1990, p 44). To the degree that postmodernism does not try to legitimate itself by reference to the past, it resembles that wing of modern thought that emphasizes the chaos of modern life and its intractability before rational thought (Harvey, 1990, p 44).
Embracing fragmentation and ephemerality in a positive fashion implies a host of consequences that bear directly on Hassan's oppositions. Writers such as Foucault and
Lyotard, for example, explicitly attack any notion that there is a meta-language, meta narrative, or meta-theory through which all things can be connected or represented
(Harvey, 1990, p 44-45). These writers condemn meta-narratives as 'totalizing' and insist upon the plurality of 'power-discourse' formations (Foucault), or of 'language games' (Lyotard). In fact Lyotard defines the postmodern simply as 'incredulity towards meta-narratives' (Harvey, 1990, p 45).
In Foucault's work, the relation between power and knowledge is a central theme.
His ideas are unusual in that he advocates an ascending analysis of power, breaking with the concept of power being ultimately located within the state. In scrutinizing the micro politics of power relations in different localities, contexts, and social situations, Foucault concludes that there is an intimate relationship between the systems of knowledge
(discourses) which codify techniques and practices for the exercize of social control, and domination within particular localized contexts. Examples of sites in which piecemeal organization of power is expanded independently of any systematic strategy of class
5 Cha.vter One ([ ntroduction)
domination are the prison, the school and the asylum (Harvey, 1990, p 45). Finally, he advocates that the only way in which the 'facism in our heads' can be eliminated is to intervene in the way knowledge is produced and constituted at the specific sites where a localized power-discourse prevails (Harvey, 1990, p 45-46). As one might expect, then,
Foucault advocates that it is
only through such a multi-faceted and pluralistic attack upon localized practices of repression that any global challenge to capitalism might be mounted without replicating all the multiple repressions of capitalism in anew form. (Harvey, 1990, p 46)
Lyotard puts forward a similar argument to Foucault, however his concern is to take the modernist preoccupation with language and push it to its extremes in terms of dispersal. Lyotard suggests that while the social bond is linguistic it is not made with a single language but by an indeterminate number of 'language games'. Such language games can only give rise to institutions (domains in which what can be said and how it can be said is circumscribed in important ways) in patches. Lyotard, then, is referring to
'local determinism' (Harvey, 1990, p 46-47).
While the theory of Foucault and Lyotard has pointed to multiple sources of oppression in society and identified multiple foci of resistance to domination, this kind of thinking has also been taken up in radical politics. In this domain, postmodernism's concern with 'otherness' is found most appealing (Harvey, 1990, p 47). As Harvey notes,
the idea that all groups have a right to speak for themselves, in their own voice, and have that voice accepted as authentic and legitimate is essential to the pluralistic stance of postmodernism. (1990, p 48)
Harvey explains this concern with 'otherness' using postmcxlern fiction as an example,
6 Chamer One ([ ntroduction)
and identifying Foucault's concept of 'heterotopia' as an appropriate image to capture what this literature attempts to depict (Harvey, 1990, p 48). The concept of heterotopia refers to the co-existence in an impossible space of a large number of possible fragmentary worlds or, in other terms, "incommensurable spaces that are juxtaposed or superimposed upon each other" (Harvey, 1990, p 48). Characters no longer ask how they can unravel a mystery but are forced to ask which world they are in, what is to be done in it, and which of themselves is to do it (Harvey, 1990, p 48).
Along with accepting the fragmentation, pluralism, and authenticity of other voices and other worlds, most postmodernist thinkers approach communication and the means of exercizing power through command thereof, with a fascination for the new possibilities for information and knowledge production, analysis, and transfer (Harvey,
1990, p 49). In relation to this, postmodernists tend also to accept an unusual theory as to what language and communication are about. Whereas modernists assume a tight and identifiable relationship between the signifier and the signified, the poststructuralist sees these as continually separating and re-combining. Here 'deconstructionism' is important as a powerful stimulus to postmodernist ways of thought (Harvey, 1990, p 49).
Deconstructionism is an aspect of communication theory initiated by Derrida's reading of Martin Heidegger in the late 1960s. As a way of thinking about and 'reading' texts, this theory asserts that
writers who create texts or use words do so on the basis of all the other texts and words they have encountered, while readers deal with them in the same way. (Harvey, 1990, p 49)
Cultural life, then, is viewed as a series of texts intersecting with other texts, thus producing more texts. Furthermore, this intertextual weaving has an existence of its own
- whatever is written conveys meanings unintended. While, then, the deconstructionist
7 Chapter One ([ ntroduction) impulse is to look inside one text for another, the primary form of postmodern discourse, according to Derrida, is collage/montage (Harvey, 1990, p 51).
In minimizing the authority of the cultural producer, postmodern texts create the opportunity for popular participation and democratic determinations of cultural values, but at the price of a certain incoherence or vulnerability to mass-market manipulation.
Whatever the case may be, the cultural producer merely creates raw materials, leaving it to the consumers to recombine those elements in any way they wish. The result is to deconstruct the power of the author to impose meanings or present a continuous narrative. Continuity, Derrida says, is provided only in the trace of the fragment as it moves from production to consumption (Harvey, 1990, p 51). As Harvey notes,"the effect is to call into question all the illusions of fixed systems of representation"
(1990, p 51). In a postmodern world in which coherent representation and action are either repressive or illusionary, pragmatism becomes the only possible philosophy of action. Action, then, can be conceived of and decided only within the confines of some local determinism, and its intended meanings and effects are bound to break down when taken out of these isolated domains (Harvey, 1990, p 52).
So far, this discursive portrait of postmodernism has been concerned with a particular way of experiencing, interpreting, and being in the world. This brings the discussion to that facet of postmodernism which concerns its psychological presuppositions with respect to personality, motivation, and behaviour. Preoccupation with the instability and fragmentation of language and discourses is directly related to, for example, a certain conception of personality. This conception focusses on schizophrenia (not in the narrow clinical sense), rather than on alienation and paranoia (see Figure 1, p 4). Jameson, in
Postmo he uses Lacan's description of schizophrenia as a lingusitic disorder, as a breakdown in the signifying 8 Chapter One ([ ntroduction) chain of meaning that creates a simple sentence. (1990, p 53) This fits, of course, with postmodemism's preoccupation with the signifier rather than the signified, with participation, happening, and performance rather than with an authoritative and finished art object, with surface appearances rather than roots (see Figure 1, p 4). Such a breakdown in the signifying chain results in the reduction of experience to a 'series of pure and unrelated presents in time' (Harvey, 1990, p 53). There are a number of consequences which follow from the domination of the schizoid motif in postmodern thought. For one, the experience of the present becomes "powerfully, overwhelmingly vivid and material" (Harvey, 1990, p 54). The immediacy of the events and the sensationalism of the spectacle become the stuff of which consciousness is forged (Harvey, 1990, p 54). That the schizoid condition involves a breakdown of the temporal order of things also gives rise to the eschewing of the idea of progress. Postmodemism simultaneously abandons all sense of historical continuity and memory while plundering history and absorbing whatever it finds there as some aspect of the present (Harvey, 1990, p 54). Postmodern painting, for example, is characterized by, among other features, frank confiscation, excerption, quotation, accumulation and repetition of already existing images (Harvey, 1990, p 55). "The modernist 'aura' of the artist as producer is dispensed with" (Harvey, 1990, p 55). This kind of shift carries over into all other fields with significant implications. Rorty (1979), for example, suggests that philosophy can never hope to define some permanent epistemological framework for enquiry, and that in the midst of a multitude of cross- cutting conversations that comprise a culture, the role of the philosopher is to "decry the notion of having a view while avoiding having a view about having views" (Rorty cited in Harvey, 1990, p 56). As this suggests, there is, in postmodemism, little overt attempt to sustain continuity of values, beliefs, or disbeliefs (Harvey, 1990, p 56). 9 Chapter One ([ ntroduction) Related to the loss of temporality and the search for instantaneous impact is a parallel loss of depth. Jameson (1991), in particular, has noted the fixation in much of contemporary cultural production with appearances, surfaces, and instant impacts that have no sustaining power over time. Harvey finds that it is hard not to give credence to this sensibility as~ overwhelming motif in postmodernism (Harvey, 1990, p 58). The collapse of temporality and the preoccupation with instantaneity have in part arisen through the contemporary emphasis in cultural production on happenings, spectacles, and media images. Cultural producers have learned to explore and use new technologies, the media, and ultimately multi-media possibilities (Harvey, 1990, p 59). One significant result has been to permit a reproachment between popular culture and 'high' culture. While in movements such as Dada such a reproachment has been sought before, cultural production in the contemporary period lacks any avant-gardist or revolutionary impulse. This has led many to accuse postmodernism of a direct surrender to commercialization, commodification, and the market (Harvey, 1990, p 59). This raises the most difficult issue of all with regard to the postmodern condition, that is, the relationship with, and integration to, the culture of daily life (Harvey, 1990, p 59). Many writers would agree with Iain Chambers (1986; 1987) for whom postmodernism has been fundamentally anticipated in the metropolitan cultures of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s among the electronic signifiers of, for example, the television (Harvey, 1990, p 60-61 ). The shaping role of television in postmodern culture may be understood if one notes that it is the first cultural medium in the whole of history to present the artistic achievements of the past as a stitched together collage of equi-important and simultaneously existing phenomena, largely divorced from geography and material history and transported to the living rooms and studios of the West in a more or less uninterrupted flow. (Taylor cited in Harvey, 1990, p 61) 10 ChaDter One ([ntroduction) In order not to fall into a simple-minded technological determinism of the television causes-postmodernism type, it is important to understand television itself as a product of late capitalism's promotion of a culture of consumerism. The seminal thesis with respect to this facet of postmodernism is that of Jameson for whom postmodernism is 'the cultural logic oflate capitalism' (Harvey, 1990, p 61and63). Jameson argues that we have moved into a new era since the early 1960s in which the production of culture ... has become integrated into commodity production generally: the frantic urgency of producing fresh waves of ever more novel seeming goods ... , at ever greater rates of turnover, now assigns an increasingly essential structural function to aesthetic innovation and experimentation. (Harvey, 1990, p 63) Some theorists have argued that the counter-cultural movements of the 1960s created an environment of unfulfilled needs and repressed desires which postmodern popular cultural production has merely set out to satisfy as best it can in commodity form. Others have suggested that capitalism, in attempting to sustain its markets, has been forced to produce desire and so titillate individual sensibilities as to create a new aesthetic over and against traditional forms of high culture. In either case, what seems important to understand, as a final feature of postmodernism to be discussed here, is that this cultural evolution which has taken place since the early 1960s, and which asserted itself as hegemonic in the early 1970s, has not occurred in a social, economic, or political vacuum (Harvey, 1990, p 63). "Its rootedness in daily life is one of its most patently transparent features" (Harvey, 1990, p 63). While the above section provides a portrait of postmodernism in a fragmentary and ephemeral manner (a rather postmodern manner) it is not the intention of the author that any other section of this study should be written in this way. This brings this introduction to a discussion of methodology. The first aspect of methodology to be considered pertains to the topic of this study. In order to refresh the reader's memory, a 11 ChaDter One ([ ntroduction) brief re-statement of the topic is required. The purpose of this paper, then, is to answer two questions, a main question and a sub-question: Can postmodern 'theory' illuminate an understanding of Michael Clark's work? and In which ways, if at all, does Michael Clark's work demonstrate a postmodern sensibility? Underlying the logic behind the methodology employed in writing this disseration is the author's intention not to become fully immersed in postmodern theory, but, rather, to maintain a critical distance. This is achieved, most importantly, in two ways. Firstly, as suggested in the last paragraph, this paper is written in a modem rather than a postmodern fashion. Secondly, rather than attempting to create a postmodern method of dance analysis the author adds to the (modern) Dance Analysis model (see Adshead, 1988) as informed by the deconstructivist approach of Jackson in her 1990 article Deconstructing In an effort to answer the two questions which are central to this dissertation (stated above), chapters three and four are structured around a number of 'clusters of ideas' which are discussed in tum, one in chapter three and three in chapter four. Each of these clusters is made up of a description of some characteristics of Clark's work plus negative journalistic criticisms which have been directed at these particular characteristics. The aim is, within the discussion for each cluster, to determine whether an aspect of postmodern theory may be employed to affect a re-interpretation and re-evalutaion of the characteristic in question. In order for this system of analysis to work effectively, that is, in order for the critics' negative criticisms to be challenged, it is essential that the~ of characteristics of 12 Cha,pter One (/nrroduction) Clark's work to which the critics refer are the same as those to which the author of this study refers. An example may help to clarify this point. If a critic decries Clark's work for the type of subject matter employed, in order for the author to provide an alternative understanding of that subject matter (informed by postmodern theory) she must first understand what that subject matter is. As Clark's critics approach his work using modern tools of analysis, looking, for example, for a linear progression in the body of his works, the author of this study must also work with these tools. The difference between the approach of (most of) the dance critics and that of the author of this study, then, is that the latter brings to Clark's work an additional perspective, that of postmodern theory. With the concept of 'critical distance' clarified, it is useful at this point to explain more specifically those 'tools' this study employs, that is, deconstructivist methods and the Adshead Dance Analysis model. In the introduction to her article Deconstructing Edouard Lock's postmodern steps (1990), Jackson notes that the deconstructivist approach to dance analysis, an approach related to post-structuralist theory and criticism, is most valuable for dance scholarship when married with more traditional approaches (p 273). Deconstruction, she continues, may be understood as a growth out of, and reaction to, structuralism, and for that reason should be defined as an exploration of the ways in which dance works foreground, parody and violate the conventions on which they rely. (Jackson, 1990, p 273) Jackson finds that any analysis which entails the use of deconstructive principles therefore consists of two general approaches (1990, p 273). The first of these approaches involves a detailed description of the conventions governing the use of signs in a piece of choreography. Such an analysis, which is 13 Cha,pter One (Introduction) largely based on a structuralist approach to movement, involves describing various complexes of movement, sound and decor and the patterns which they create when seen in relation to each other. This analysis helps place various elements of the work within an historical framework and clarifies the traditions on which it is drawing to create its meaning. (Jackson, 1?90, p 273) The framework of analysis used for this study is that which is the subject of the 1988 publication Dance analysis: theory and practice (see Adshead, 1988, or, for a diagrammatic summary of some of the ideas, Appendix One, p 63 ). The second approach involves examining the ways in which a dance, through various devices, "apparently outplays the very codes on which it relies" (Jackson, 1990, p 273). Within this approach, the earlier structuralist analysis becomes the foundation from which a reversal can occur (Jackson, 1990, p 273-274). Jackson writes: Since deconstruction emphasizes that discourse, meaning and reading are historically based- are continuously reproduced within new contexts, the revealed choreographic complexes are perceived within a new atmosphere of ambiguity as provided by their unique situation within each choreographer's work. The critic's task becomes a matter of revealing where various strands of tradition have been spliced together to illuminate the perverse, aporetical moments of the text. (Jackson, 1990, p 274) Final important notes regarding the methodology employed in this study may be deduced from a brief examination of the manner in which the questions which form the topic of the dissertation, are worded. Notable of this is that the author's starting point for analysis is Michael Clark's work and not postmodern theory. The reasons for this are numerous. Firstly, the author does not wish to pre-suppose that Clark's works demonstrate a postmodern sensibility. Secondly, to pre-define aspects of postmodernism 14 Clumter One ([ ntroduction) and then impose them on Clark's choreography would be to limit, in a rather arbitrary fashion, the aspects of his work discussed. Postmodernism may mean something different in each of its manifestations and it is therefore important to begin with Michael Clark's brand of the phenomenon (Hutcheon, 1988). 15 Chapter Two BIOGRAPHY OF MICHAEL CLARK The following biographical account of Michael Clark has been included in this study for a number of interrelated reasons. While a biography on one level simply provides a means of introducing the choreographer in question, it simultaneously provides a context for the later examination of Clark's choreographic work. Through being aware, for example, that Clark participated extensively in Scottish dancing as a child, his frequent choreographic use of Scottish dancing becomes understandable. As Macaulay notes, on one level Clark's works are about his life and the world he and his friends inhabit - something perhaps most clearly demonstrated in the 1986 video Hail the New Puritan (1986c, p 128). It is therefore crucial that this study provides an insight into that life and lifestyle. In providing such an insight, the biography serves the additional purpose of hinting at why the journalistic reception of Clark's performance is often extreme in its praise or criticism (in the negative sense) and why Clark's achievements deserve academic scrutiny. Both elements are only alluded to at this stage, as they are being considered in depth in subsequent chapters. Finally notable of this biography is that it is best used in conjunction with Appendix Two, a choreochronology of Clark (p 64) in order that the information contained therein is not tediously repeated in the text. Clark's choreographic works are merely listed at this stage, only a brief paragraph being devoted to describing them. More appropriately, Clark's choreography and the body of criticism surrounding it, are considered in chapters three and four. As Clark's career as a dancer is not central to this study, this will be discussed in depth in this chapter. Michael Clark was born on the second of June, 1962, on his parents' farm which was situated ten miles from Aberdeen (Scotland) in a place called Grampian. His Presbyterian 16 Chapter Two (Bio~raphy gfMichael Clark) family consisted of a farmer and his wife, who was a nurse, and three other children (Pascal, 1991, p 20; Robertson and Hutera, 1988, p 233). Clark began dancing aged four (1966) when he began attending Scottish dance classes with his sister. Soon Clark was dancing at Highland games and other gatherings most weekends, and going to ballet classes in Aberdeen three or four times a week. This situation resulted in a rather compartmentalized early childhood. Clark had one set of friends at school to whom he never dared speak of his dancing and then the Aberdeen children with whom he would shoplift in between dance classes (Barber, 1992, p 8). In 1973, when Clark was aged eleven, his family sold their farm and moved to the city of Aberdeen. Here, until his death, Clark's father made a successful career in chronic alcoholism and gambling (Cleave, 1986, p 23-24; Bum, 1986, p 74). Conversely, the move to Aberdeen brought, in 1974, good fortune for Clark. When Clark, aged twelve, was living in this city, the Scottish Ballet Company visited and advertised for four boy dancers to perform in The Nutcracker. Clark's first role was therefore that of 'Fritz' in this production (Cleave, 1986, p 24). As a result of Clark's performance, the Scottish Ballet's Gordon Aitken suggested formal ballet training, and Peter Darrell (the company's director) recommended him to Barbara Fewster of the Royal Ballet School. Clark was not only offered a position at the Scottish Ballet's school in Glasgow, but was also offered a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School (Anon, 1982, p 44; Macaulay, 1984b, p 17; Percival, 1985d, p 6). Clark's Scottish dance teacher was a Scottish celebrity and it was always assumed that Clark would eventually take over his school (Shulman, 1986). However, in 1975, aged thirteen, Clark joined the Royal Ballet School. He had initially intended to study at the school for only a year in order to improve his posture for Scottish dancing, but after three weeks had decided that he wanted to stay (Shulman, 1986; Price, 1988, p 98). Clark spent approximately four and a half years at the Royal Ballet School. During 17 Chapter Two CBioeraphy q,fMichael Clark} this period Clark was taught, in particular, by Richard Glasstone, the school's Cecchetti specialist. Macaulay describes Glasstone as "instilling a highly co-ordinated, precise, and textured style in male Royal students" (1986b, p 52). Glasstone remembers Clark as probably the best student he has ever taught. He remarks: The other boys always said he was my favourite because I used to give him more attention, but the thing was he learnt so quickly - I'd give him something to do and he'd just do it, so then I had to give him something else. He had perfect physical ability and a really intelligent and very open approach to learning. (cited in Barber, 1992, p 8) Having joined the Royal Ballet School later than the other boys, the competitive Clark strove hard to unlearn the faults in his technique and reach a standard above that of fellow students. At first, then, Clark was a model pupil. Once Clark had achieved his goals he turned his attentions, at least at night, to punk rock and glue-sniffing. On one occasion he was caught sniffing glue and was expelled as a boarder. As a result of this Clark's mother came to England to live with her son (Barber, 1992, p 8 and 10; Burn, 1986, p 74; Cleave, 1986, p 24). At the mere age of sixteen (in 1978) Clark had discovered the nightclub scene, this including the people who are still today his closest friends and collaborators. Clark describes the nightlife in the following terms: In those days, post-New Romantics, it wasn't a ghetto thing of all gays together, it was just people who were interested in being ... modern ... .It was basically about a roomful of people who took Ecstacy and became best friends overnight, and the interesting thing about that was that you had such a cross-section of people - I might be the only gay person there, with all these plumbers and bricklayers. (Barber, 1992, p 10) Despite the Royal Ballet School's disapproval of Clark's after-hours behaviour, he was, throughout his stay there, "lovingly nurtured" to become Anthony Dowell's successor (Savage-King, 1983, p 31). In both 1977 and 1978 Clark performed the 18 Chapter Two Scottish Sword Dance in the Dances of Four Nations which was presented annually by the school. Clark was seen in his first public solo in June 1977 when dancing this Scottish piece (Macaulay, 1983b, p 35; Macaulay, 1986b, p 52). In 1978 Clark took the central role in Richard Glasstone's Odd One In which was performed at Wimbledon Theatre for a week in mid-July (Percival, 1978, p 15). In a review of this dance, Dougill described it as revealing in Clark "a sensitive and elegant dancer whose future looks rosy." (1978, p 37). Similarly, Percival notes: Michael Clark's sensitive but resilient account of the central role makes the triumphant finale credible... .It is a pleasure to see so much talent in embryo. (1978, p 15) While Glasstone gave Clark his first created role, being the school's head of choreographic studies, he also guided Clark's first efforts at choreography. Significant in this is that Glasstone is unusual in Royal Ballet circles for the passionate interest he has always shown in Merce Cunningham's work and other modem dance choreography (Macaulay, 1986b, p 52). Clark describes his first pieces as "Freudian", as being about families (Macaulay, 1984b, p 27). It was while at the Royal Ballet School that Clark won a prize for his choreography (Percival, l 985d, p 6). In 1979 Clark attended the Gulbenkian course for Choreographers and Composers. At the course he worked with Glen Tetley and met many other people from the modem dance world. It was here that John Chesworth noted Clark's dancing ability, suggested he attended Ballet Rambert classes and proposed the company as an alternative to the Royal Ballet's impersonality. It was in this way that Clark came to be offered a place with Ballet Rambert (Macaulay, 1984b, p 17). Clark joined Ballet Rambert in early 1980 at the age of seventeen (Anon, 1982, p 44). In the same year his father passed away (Barber, 1992, p 8). Clark's stay at Rambert 19 Chapter Two fBioe,raphy Q(Michael Clarkl coincided not only with a personal crisis but also with a critical time in both Clark's development as a dancer and choreographer and in the evolution of that company. A modem dance company since 1966, Rambert was, until 1979, a home of expressionism shaped by Glen Tetley among others. Clark arrived at Ballet Rambert along with its new resident choreographer, Richard Alston (Macaulay, 1986b, p 52). From this point onwards, Macaulay notes, "Clark became Alston's muse" (1986b, p 52). The 1980 created roles for Clark were those of Bell High, Landscape and Rainbow Ripples, and in 1981, that of Rite of Spring (Macaulay, 1984b, p 18). In such roles, Alston extended Clark's adagio and allegro skills and introduced him to a dance style in which ballet was fused with Cunningham technique and a plunging, lyrical impetus of Alston's own. (Macaulay, 1986b, p 52) During his time at Rambert, Clark also danced in Leigh Warren's Nuthouse Stomp, Christopher Bruce's Cruel Garden and Preludes and Song, Glen Tetley's The Tempest, and Norman Morrice's Smiling Immortal (Anon, 1982, p 44). At around the time of Nuthouse Stomp and Rite of Spring Clark met various musicians and film-makers - he met Derek Jarman at this stage, for example (Macaulay, 1984b, p 18). While with Ballet Rambert, Clark continued choreographing himself. Different to those created at the Royal Ballet School, however, his pieces were less to do with Freudian ideas about the family now (Macaulay, 1984b, p 27). In the 1981 Rambert Choreographic Workshop, Clark presented Untitled Duet, his first work produced and presented at professional level (Meisner, 1981, p 7-8). Also in 1981 Clark attended the International Dance Course for Professional Choreographers and Composers, held at the University of Surrey. This was attended by, among others, Chris Komar, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Michael Popper and Matthew Hawkins (Jordan and Friend, 1985, p 13). In part inspired by the people he met on this course, in April of 1981, aged nineteen, Clark made the decision to leave Rambert and embark on a career as a freelance 20 Chapter Two fBioeraphY gfMichael Clark) choreographer and dancer (Anon, 1982, p 44). Initially once Oark had left Ballet Rambert he supported himself with unemployment benefits or by accepting one hundred pounds for a month's work (Cleave, 1986, p 24). For a year he experimented with new dance practices such as collective choreography and improvisation and continued contacts with Ballet Rambert (Constanti, 1992). Richard Alston's So 1982, p 44). In August of 1982, Clark premiered his Of a Feather Flock, and in November, his RYm and A Wish Sandwich. While working freelance Clark came in contact with Karole Armitage who invited him to join her company. Clark accepted the offer and consequently travelled to New York, visiting the Cunningham Studio and dancing with Karole Armitage and the Trockadero Glowxinia Ballet. Following this, Clark toured Europe with Armitage, performing in her Drastic Classicism. While working with Armitage, Clark also performed in her video Parafanw and met Charles Atlas, the lighting designer and film-maker he was later to collaborate with (Macaulay, 1984b, p 27-28; van Shaik, 1984, p 88; Robertson and Hutera, 1988, p 234). While in New York, Clark choreographed a 'drag' ballet - Swan Lake with moustaches. The ballet was serious - the men really wanted to be ballerinas (Cleave, 1986, p 24). In 1983, having returned to England, twenty-one year old Clark was appointed Choreographer in Residence at the Riverside Studios at Hammersmith, then directed by David Gothard. His choreography was now Arts Council subsidized. Clark's first work as a Resident Choreographer, Parts I-IV, was premiered in August. The subsequent 21 Chanter Two fBioerqphy Q.fMichael Clark) performances of this work, accompanied by a series of workshops, formed a part of the Dance and Mime: On the Road, a Greater London Arts Association project (Finkel, 1987, p 22; Watts, 1984, p 683; de Jengh, 1987, p 3; Anon, 1983). 1984 was a year of prolific output as a choreographer for Clark. He premiered five works, three of which were not for his own group, that is, Fli11pin' Eck (0 Thweet Myth-Tery of Life) for Mantis Dance Company, The French Revolting for Groupe de Recherche Choregraphique de L' Opera de Paris (the Paris Opera's experimental dance group), and liXU for Extemporary Dance Theatre. More significantly, it was in August of this year that Clark launched Michael Clark and Company with New Puritans (premiered in April) and Do You Me? I Did (Pascal, 1991, p 20). New Puritans was choreographed using rock music by The Fall, resulting in Clark being the only mcx:J.em dance/ballet dancer to be profiled in the 'New Musical Express', "one of Britain's angry young-man, hard-nosed rock weeklies." (Finkel, 1991, p 20). Clark's work also generated interest in the form of the BBCl Omnibus television program shown in July of this year. This documentary-style portrait of Clark as a dancer and choreographer contains commentary by Humphrey Burton, Richard Alston and Alastair Macaulay. In 1985 Clark choreographed a further four works beginning in March with the premiere of Hail the Classical for the Scottish Ballet. Angel Food, Clark's second work for Groupe de Choregraphique de L Opera de Paris, was presented in April. For Angel .EQQQ Clark had created and rehearsed a piece for Rudolf Nureyev, this role being about Nureyev's persistence in continuing to dance despite his age causing a diminishing technical ability. At the last moment Nureyev declined to perform the role, perhaps, Clark suggests, because it was "too near the bone".(Barber, 1992, p 10). While Angel Food provided an opportunity to choreograph on Nureyev, it also enabled Clark and Nureyev to exchange ideas regarding choreographic methcx:J.s (Barber, 1992, p 10). Clark's final two works for 1985, not H.AIR and our caca phoney H. our caca phoney 22 ChaDter Two lBioeraphy of'Michael Clark) H., were choreographed for his own company. Both of these works, in part, take the musical Hair as their subject matter. Hair was being performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1968 when Clark was aged only six (Jordan, 1985, p 33). The first work Clark produced in 1986 was choreographed for members of the London Festival Ballet's small group, LFB2, and is titled Drqp Your Pearls and Hoe It. Girl. Clark followed this work with Hail the New Puritan, a videodance/documentary edited and directed by Charles Atlas. It includes parts of twelve of Clark's works plus new choreography created especially for the video. In June Clark premiered Swamp, choreographed for Ballet Rambert, and in September, No Fire Escape in Hell. With the presentation of the latter, Clark's company became the first nonestablisment, nonrepertory British company to be invited to participate in New York's Next Wave Festival, where No Fire Escape in Hell was performed as part of a world tour (Jordan, 1986, p 9). An event in Clark's personal life significant to the choreography of No Fire Ecsape in Hell was the death, through drug overdose, of his friend 'Trojan' while rehearsals for this dance were in progress. Thematic concerns in the dance were influenced by this event as was the decision to present the London opening night as a gala in aid of Pete Townsend's drug charity, 'Double O' (Meisner, 1986, p 13). In 1987 Clark's choreographic output considerably decreased. This was a consequence, it appears, of the fact that in this year Clark and his company lost their Arts Council subsidy after four years of support, on the grounds that he was now "too successful". (de Jengh, 1987, p 3). The loss of subsidy was in the region of fifteen thousand pounds (the 1986 - 1987 figure) (de Jengh, 1987, p 3). In May Clark premiered Pure Pre-Scenes and in December, Because We Must. The latter dance was in fact Pure Pre-Scenes with a second half, Get Real, added. I Am Curious Oran&e, choreographed for Michael Clark and Company, is the one work Clark created in 1988. Presented in Amsterdam, the work was a co-production of 23 ChaDter Two lBioeraphy gfMicbael Clark) the Holland Festival and Sadler's Wells Theatre to mark the tercentenary of the accession of King William and Queen Mary and the Glorious Revolution. When later performed for the Edinburgh Festival the dance contained a number of extras - students of the Michael Clark Foundation Summer School, a school which had also been held in 1987 (Anon, 1988b, p 947). Clark's virtual disappearance from dance in 1988 was a consequence of his serious drug and alcohol abuse. Clark had been drinking and taking drugs since his teenage years at the Royal Ballet School, but by his late-twenties "seemed hell-bent on self destruction" (Barber, 1992, p 8). His addiction was deliberately achieved, in part through a desire to shed the overwhelming responsibilities of running his company, but also because he wanted to understand dependency. Experimenting was not enough - he had to be addicted (Barber, 1992, p 10). During this period Clark stopped frequenting gay nightclubs and began mixing with people Bowen describes as "homicidal rednecks" and "acid house queerbashers" (1992, p 16). The film Because We Must, edited and directed by Charles Atlas and first screened in 1990, was created while Clark was heavily addicted (Barber, 1992, p 10). A serious reappraisal of his life came in 1989 when Clark met the New York choreographer and dancer, Stephen Petronio, at Glasgow's Mayfest (Bowen, 1992, p 16). Clark not only fell in love with Petronio, but Petronio's work reawakened his interest in dance (Barber, 1992, p 10). From 1989 onwards, Petronio and Clark have collaborated on a number of pieces and danced in each other's companies (Bowen, 1992, p 16). Bed Peace, a section of Clark's 1989 work Heterospectives, was choreographed in collaboration with Petronio. An additional work Clark created in this year was Rights for Phoenix Dance Company. In the summer of 1990, Peter Schaufuss commissioned a production of The Rite of 24 Chapter Two fBio~raphy QfMichael Clark) Spring from Clark for the English National Ballet. It was postponed because Clark was too busy with other things, and then quietly dropped (Percival, 1992b, p 22). Also in 1990, Clark's company performed at a Japanese Festival titled UK90. This three month festival was designed to present aspects of Britain's modem arts to Japan (Thompson, 1990, p 4). 1991 marks for Clark a return to his success of the early 1980s. Among his activities during this year, Clark performed at the Dance Umbrella 90 Gala (a showcase for the festival and occasion of the Time Out/Dance Umbrella Dance and Performance Awards) (Hughes, 1991, p 17). In the Joyce Theatre's Altogether Different series of January, Stephen Petronio sponsored Clark's first New York appearance since Clark's BAM season. Clark danced in Petronio's Middlesex George (Anon, 1991, p 99). Finally, 1991 also resulted in the release of Peter Greenaway's film Prospero's Books, a revisionist telling of Shakespeare's The Tempest for which Clark provided the choreography and dancing for the part of Caliban. Michael Clark and Company was re-launched this year (1992) with Wrong Wrong, choreographed in collaboration with Petronio and commissioned by the Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in France and performed in the Festival D'Automne. Also presented early in this year was Bog 3.0 for Peter Schaufuss and the Berlin Ballet. Bog 3.0 is a new version of Swamp, thus titled as it is Swamp's third incarnation (Percival, 1992b, p 22). Clark's company was re-launched this year in Britain with Michael Clark's Modem Mastemiece (Bowen, 1992, p 16). Also in this year, Clark, with Petronio, won money in the Digital A wards - he shared a commissioning fund of one hundred thousand pounds with Laurie Booth, Jonathan Burrows, Motionhouse, Nexus, The Outfit, Sakoba, and Nihid Diddiqui (Anon, 1992b, p 8). Clark is currently (late 1992) working with Peter Greenaway's assistant, Sophie Fine, on an idea for a film, tentatively titled Moo-V. 25 ChaDter Two (Bio~raphy qfMichael Clark) The purpose of the final section of this biography is to provide information of a more general nature pertaining to Clark, that is, information which cannot be 'pigeonholed' under a specific date. In particular, this section is devoted to further elucidating the lifestyle Clark has led since the time when he was emerging from the Royal Ballet School. Clark's work, at its most idiosyncratic, has been greatly influenced by that lifestyle. Stephanie Jordan describes the 'real world' which Clark inhabits and which feeds his theatrical vision as a "strange version of reality indeed" (1988a, p 20). This world may be understood as the combination of a number of sub-cultures - his is a gay, youth, 'post-punk', fringe-rock, avant-garde fashion, exotic nightclub/cabaret, and recreational drug-taking reality (Jordan, 1986, p 10; Savage-King, 1984, p 29-30). In particular, Clark's close association with 'new wave' fashion designers such as Leigh Bowery and Bodymap, and with the after-midnight underground, has marked him as a leading representative of the now fabled 'London youth style' (Bum, 1986, p 73). Shulman notes that while Clark was launching an independent career, a group of young British designers, just out of college, were being lauded by the New York and European fashion worlds. She writes: Everyone was talking about a new 'swinging' London - a revisited 1960s where the clubs and clothes and bands were thriving. The cat-walks were filled with gender-defying items - men in the gauzy shorts of John Galliano, the witty hats of Stephen Jones and the unisex athletic designs of Bodymap. Michael Clark is one of the gang. (Shulman, 1986) Since 1984 Clark has developed an unusually high media profile for a British dance figure, a result, in part, of having brought the spirit of his lifestyle into his choreographic works (Macaulay, 1986b, p 50). Indeed, in 1986 Clark remarked: I wanted my work to feed off my life so that I could 26 Cbavter Two CBioeravhy afMicbael Clark) stop being a ballet dancer by day and a punk rocker by night. There's no point in wasting your life compromising. I wanted to put all the energies of the fashion world and the music world and the night life - all youth culture, if you like - into the work. (cited in Cleave, 1986, p 24) Clark's intentions have resulted in what may be termed popular-culture-derived art (Finkel, 1987, p 20). Apart from the dancing, which also draws on popular forms, Clark's works typically include loud rock music, mime, many props, a wardrobe of bizzare costumes, jokes, and sometimes, some dialogue. Simultaneous to providing works of this nature Clark has modelled nude in The Face magazine, danced in rock videos, made star appearances during London Fashion week, and featured on the front page of L' Uomo Voeue (Macaulay, 1986b, p 50). While negative journalistic response to Clark's work is considered in depth in subsequent chapters, it is useful to note briefly at this stage that for which Clark has been praised as a choreographer. In 1988 Jordan described Clark's "creative genius" and "precocious talent for a choreographer still in his early twenties" in terms of the abundance of theatrical flair, the wit, the personal stamp of artistic statement and the extraordinarily sophisticated handling of dance structures evident in the best of his works (1988a, p 20). Reviewing Michael Clark's Modem mastemiece in June of this year (1992), Mackrell describes the dance as "worthy of his prodigious talents" (p 15). Such observations with regard to Clark's skills as a choreographer coupled with the prolific nature of his output, provide justification enough for taking his work as the focus of an academic study. Furthermore, if these factors are considered alongside the suggestion made in the introduction to this entire study - that postmodern theory might provide a means to re-interpreting and re-evaluating Clark's work - a study of this kind becomes not only justified, but long overdue. Finally, if postmodern theory is found to illuminate an understanding of Clark's works, perhaps this will involve an explanation as to why critical comment on the twenty-one-year-old Aberdeen- 27 Chapter Two (Bio~ravhy Q.fMichael Clark) born dancer is delivered in outbursts of ecstacy or rage. (MacPherson, 1984, p 13) 28 Chapter Three SUBJECT MATTER AND MEANINGS IN MICHAEL CLARK'S CHOREOGRAPHY In the methodology section of the introduction to this dissertation a brief explanation of the purpose of chapters three and four was provided. Before embarking on these chapters, aspects of this methodology require more specific discussion. Firstly in need of clarification are the topics of chapters three and four. While chapter three is concerned with subject matter and meanings embodied in Michael Clark's work, chapter four considers Clark's treatment of subject matter in the creation of meaning. Throughout chapter four a central example or 'case study' of Clark's work is used, thus providing a starting point for the discussion to then branch out and consider other examples from the entire body of his choreography. Chapter three, alternatively, from the beginning takes various works as its starting point. It is alongside these structures that, in each chapter, negative journalistic criticisms of Clark's work are considered. While, in the introduction to this study, an explanation was provided as to why such notions as 'subject matter' needed to be used, it remains to be explained why chapters three and four are based on one, or two (in the case of chapter one), of these notions. The reasoning behind this concerns the fact that there are twenty-nine of Clark's works to be discussed in depth or otherwise (see choreochronology - Appendix Two, p 64). In order to clearly develop ideas when integrating a discussion of the 'case study' with that of the rest of Clark's choreography, a systematic approach is crucial. The work selected as the 'case study' for chapter four is the 1990 television version of 29 Chapter Three the 1987 stage work, Because We Must. This work was selected as it is the most typical example of Clark's choreographic work available on video. While Lycouris, in her 1991 study Semiotics and postmodern dance, also takes this work as her central example, the present study is not only considerably more in-depth but also does not take semiotic theory as a focus. A final methodological note required before embarking on chapters three and four concerns the depth to which critics' responses to Clark's work are analyzed in these chapters. It is beyond the scope of this study to examine the ways in which critics have reached particular evaluations of Clark's work. It is more relevant that this study simply discusses what negative criticisms have been made and to which features of Clark's choreography these criticisms are directed. Of the two concerns of this chapter, subject matter and meaning in Clark's choreography, it is the former which acts as a useful starting point in an attempt to detail the features of his work. Each of Clark's works may be understood as encompassing one or more of eighteen types of subject matter he has employed during the span of his choreographic career. Although such categorizations are always open to question it is notable that in the case of this paper they are particularly speculative, being based largely on critical reviews rather than observation of the works. Video recordings of the entirety of a choreographic work, were available for only two of Clark's pieces - Because We Must and Hail the New Puritan. Contributing to this difficulty was the fact that very few reviews of Clark's work contain a substantial amount of description of the choreography, rather than of the costuming or props, for example. Despite these drawbacks, the reviews do serve to provide collectively a pool of information from which the following deductions have been made. The eighteen types of subject matter Clark has employed during his choreographic 30 Chapter Three (Subject Matter and Meanings in Michael Clark's Choreography) career are most clearly provided as a list. Any one of his dances, then, is 'about' one or more of the following: a) The actual movement of the dance. b) A choreographic device employed in the creation of the dance. c) (An) emotional human relationship/s. d) (A) type/s of dance (for example, ballet), or a type of movement (for example, gestures characteristics of birds). e) Specific characters. f) A specific story. g) Performance conventions (specifically those of dance). h) Social conventions. i) Dance conventions (particularly those of ballet). j) A person and his or her life. k) An historical event. 1) A song/the music. m) (A) specific dance/s I musical I play. n) 1960s culture (in particular, hedonism, mysticism, individualism, introspection and anarchy). o) The lifestyle Clark and his company members I friends lead in post-punk, bisexual, marginal young London in the 1980s, or, the behaviour and ethos associated with this lifestyle, in very general terms (Macaulay, 1986b, p 50). p) 1980s popular culture. q) Various other phenomena which resist the kind of categorization achieved above: - love and sex - self-destruction 31 Chqpter Three - danger and violence - self-image - sacrifice - repression I revolution - life, birth and rebirth I death - gocxi/bad - Protestantism I Catholicism. There are inevitably overlaps in these categories, for example, between the categories of 'performance conventions' and 'dance conventions'. The emphasis of specific dances, however, calls for such distinctions to be made. In order to clarify this list, then, Clark's selection of subject matter requires analysis on the level of specific works. The following section provides this analysis. Simultaneously, this section also contains a discussion of the types of meanings Clark's work generates. It is important to note at this stage that it is not so much in the subject matter or in the meanings of Clark's works that a postmodern sensibility is evident. Similarly it is not towards the types of subject matter and meanings presented by the choreographer that negative criticisms have largely been directed. It is in chapter four where notions of treatment of subject matter are considered, that the heart of the argument of this study lies. The purpose of including a discussion of subject matter and meaning in this paper is to provide as complete a picture of Clark's choreography as possible. If, then, these two facets of his choreography are not those which particularly distinguish him as a postmodernist it is important that this is noted. Simultaneously, the chapter may also serve as a foundation or 'context' for the penultimate chapter four. Despite these observations there are a small number of aspects of the subject matter and meanings in question which, in the light of negative journalistic criticisms, require re-interpretation from a postmodern point of view. These aspects are considered in the following account. 32 Chapter Three fSuQjectMatter andMeanines in Michael Clark's Choreoeraphy) Through reading reviews and observing videos of Clark's choreography, a detailed list of the subject matter and meanings apparent in each of Clark's works was compiled. As it is beyond the scope of this chapter to discuss each dance in depth, this list (which also pertains to the notion of treatment) is provided in Appendix Three (p 81), and a number of works have been selected for particular attention in the text. The works chosen are those which have been negatively criticized by journalists on the basis of the nature of their subject matter or meanings. It is significant that only two of these criticisms collected by the author cannot be argued against with the help of postmodern theory. Reviewing Angel Food (1985), for example, Meisner notes that the wordplay ['ICUMEN' was written on the eye], like the allusions in the rock and designs ... to the traditional song Summer is /cumen In, were doubtless lost on the French. (1985b, p 29-31) Considering the fact that Angel Food was commissioned for the Paris Opera Ballet's experimental dance group, that is, to be performed in France, Meisner may be correct in questioning Clark's selection of subject matter. Similarly, postmodern theory cannot be used to dispute Goodwin's remark with reference to one aspect of the subject matter of our caca phoney H. our caca phoney H. (1985), that is, the musical Hair. He writes: If, as suggested, the 1960s musical Hair prompted some of the ideas, they had long since become bald of interest. (Goodwin, 1985c, p 38-39) Goodwin's statement is, one suspects, prompted by personal opinion. The rest of the criticisms in question are directed at features of the subject matter and meanings of the works, features which may or may not exist (one cannot take it for granted that what critics write is 'correct'), which, if they definitely exist, need not be 33 Chapter Three (Subject Matter and Meanings in Michael Clark's Choreography) viewed negatively. Seven such features have been identified: 1) To a degree some of Clark's works may be described as 'shallow' or 'superficial'; 2) He does not always make the subject matter and meaning of a dance, clear; 3) Clark's works are often "about [the] sex and violence and larks that they present" (Macaulay, 1988, p 441); 4) The subject matter and meanings are often 'recycled' from previous works; 5) Clark sets himself 'against' the conventional world, and in support of the 'post-punk' world; 6) Clark's works blur the distinction between art and life; and 7) Clark sometimes 'presents women as objects'. Some of these criticisms appear to be directed more at the treatment of subject matter in the creation of meaning, than at the actual type of subject matter and meanings. These criticisms are neverthless considered here, rather than in chapter four which pertains to treatment, for two reasons. Firstly, chapter four is more concerned with a discussion of specific notions of treatment, for example, 'radical juxtaposition', than with, for example, the fact that Clark's works have been described as 'shallow'. Secondly, while the critics' comments are to a degree directed at Clark's treatment of subject matter, the critics' concerns lie more with, for example, the resulting nature of the meanings created. As some of these negative criticisms of Clark's work are very serious allegations, it seems inappropriate to attempt to discuss all seven (apparent) features, thereby not achieving much depth of argument. Alternatively, then, one of these features has been selected for discussion in this chapter, that is, the first (see above). It is this feature which is most often mentioned in relation to the subject matter and meanings in Clark's choreography. In selecting only one feature the author can achieve depth in firstly illustrating that the feature in question does indeed exist in some of Clark's choreographic 34 Chapter Three (Suqject Matter and Meanin~s in Michael Clark's Choreo~rqphy) works, and secondly in illustrating how, in this case, postmodern theory can illuminate an understanding of Clark's choreography. Simultaneously, then, the following section serves to illustrate how Michael Clark's work, with respect to subject matter and meanings, demonstrates a postmodern sensibility. In 1991 Pascal described Clark as turning the Nazi salute into an artefact with no deep historical resonance for his own generation (p 20). Jordan finds that much of Clark's subject matter is "the sort that lends itself perfectly to glossy magazines, TV profiles, and preview sensationalism" (1986, p 10). She describes herself as 'missing rationale' where Clark's work is concerned (Jordan, 1985b, p 34). While Clark's works with regard to subject matter and meanings have most often been negatively criticized for lack of depth, in not all of these cases is such criticism justified. It is beyond the scope of this chapter, as well as rather extraneous to its purpose, to discuss the instances in which this negative criticism is not justified. Rather, this chapter details examples of those works which do contain an element of superficiality, but which, in the light of postmodern theory, need not be viewed negatively. Clark's 1985 work Hail the Classical, as far as can be discerned from reviews alone, contains an element of superficiality. Hail the Classical takes as its subject matter, ballet and its conventions. Clark's message in this dance is that ballet in its classical and romantic styles is 'dead' but that there is a new 'punk ballet' to be made out of the traditional fragments. As noted above, the subject matter and meanings isolated from the dance and written on paper as they are here, are not in themselves shallow. In the specific context of Hail the Classical, however, that is, within this specific treatment of the subject matter, less value is attached to the resulting message. Crisp writes that in this dance Clark achieves meaning through humor, for example through the costumes, rather than through serious choreographic argument (1985a). For Crisp, the result is that 35 Chapter Three (Subject Maner and Meanings in Micha.el Clark's Choreography) Hail the Classical amounts to pelting the genre [of ballet] with custard pies from a distance, instead of getting in one well aimed close shot at its vitals. (1985a) Our caca phoney H. our caca phoney H. is another of Clark's works criticized for lacking aim. Reviews indicate that the subject matter of this dance is clear and achieved on a variety of levels - the dance is about the mores of performing dance and of everyday life in terms of formal politesse, post-punk behaviour, the musical Hair, early postmodern dance, 1960s culture (hedonism, mysticism, individualism, introspection and anarchy) and the actual movement of the dance. The meanings Clark is trying to convey, however, appear more elusive. While Clark is simultaneously deriding and celebrating aspects of the subject matter, for example, 1960s culture, there is more substance to specific meanings, that is, those embodied in singular jokes, for example, than to the overall dance. It is for these reasons that Savage-King describes our caca phoney H. our caca phoney H. as "a widely allusive appraisal of fashionable mores" (1985, p 30). Subject matter and meaning in Clark's No Fire Escape in Hell (1986) has been achieved on a number of different levels. Clark has taken as subject matter the actual movement of the dance, Trojan's (a friend) life and world, death and self-destruction, the repression of marginal self-expression by authoritarian forces, living in fear, and a statement by Carl Jung: We are placed in situations in which the great 'principles' entangle us and we are left to find a way out. (cited in Williams, 1986c, p 66) Although a glance at this long list of subject matter might prompt one to question Clark's ability to achieve depth in the dance, these items are in fact highly related, but in a way 36 Chapter Three lSu/ijectMatter and Meanings in Michael Clark's Choreography) which requires explanation unwarranted in this chapter. It is enough to say that this subject matter is treated in a way which results in the message that drugs are a way out of an impossible world, real or imagined, but that the alternative world, hell, is no better (Meisner, 1986, p 13). Macaulay finds that no dance has ever caught Byron's credo so surely, this credo being that, the only object in life is sensation - to know that we exist, even though in pain. (cited in Macaulay, 1986c, p 128) The superficiality of No Fire Escape in Hell, according to Macaulay, lies not in its overall meanings, but in its cross-references to previous Clark works. He writes that in this dance there are cross-references - such as the dancing half fish from Clark's HAIL the Classical for Scottish Ballet - which mean nothing even if you've spotted them. (Macaulay, 1986c, p 128) The dance critic Chris Savage-King, in a review of our caca phoney H. our caca phoney H. (1985) describes Clark's dance parable as "a fitting testimony for his age", age both in terms of Clark's generation and the era in which he lives (1985, p 32). Savage-King describes many ways in which Clark's work is representative of his age, including the fact that it often demonstrates a superficiality. He describes this age as one in which motive has been replaced with empty compulsion. An age where style equals content, and there is a distrust of anything beyond surfaces, a suspicion about 'real' feelings, spontaneity, sexuality. It's a jaundiced age where preceding styles are wrenched from their historical contexts and brandished gayly, merely as something else to do. (1985, p 32) A postmodern theorist who has been particularly emphatic as to this 'depthlessness' of 37 Chamer Three (Subject Matter and Meanines in Michael Clark's Choreoerqphy) much of postmodern cultural production is Frederic Jameson. The final section of this chapter is devoted to a discussion of Jameson's concept of depthlessness in an effort to place the above-described descriptions of some of Clark's work in a context which illuminates an understanding of those works (Harvey, 1990, p 58). In the first chapter to his 1991 work Postmodernism. or. the cultural logic of late capitalism, Jameson discusses a number of what he considers to be the constitutive features of the postmodern. It is the first of these to which this chapter is directed, that is, a new kind of flatness, depthlessness or superficiality in the most literal sense, perhaps the supreme formal feature of all the postmodernisms (as noted in the introduction to this study, p 10), which finds its prolongation both in contemporary 'theory' and in a whole new culture of the simulacrum or image (Jameson, 1991, p 6 and 9). Jameson explains his notion of 'depthlessness' through another notion, that of the 'waning of affect' in postmodern culture, or, termed differently, the waning of the aesthetic of expression. For Jameson, the concept of expression presupposes some separation within the subject, and, accompanying that, a whole metaphysics of the inside and outside, of the moment in which, often cathartically, emotion is projected out and externalized in an outward dramatization of inward feeling (Jameson, 1991, p 11-12). Contemporary theory, a postmodernist phenomenon otherwise known as theoretical discourse, has been committed to the mission of negatively criticizing this very hermeneutic model of the inside and the outside (Jameson, 1991, p 11-12). Besides this model, at least four other fundamental 'depth models' have generally been repudiated in contemporary theory: 1) the dialectical one of essence and appearance (along with a whole range of concepts of ideology or false consciousness which tend to accompany it); 2) the Freudian model of latent and manifest, or of repression (which is, of course, the target of Michel Foucault's ... The History of Sexuality); 3) the existential model of authenticity and inauthenticity whose heroic or tragic thematics are closely related to that other great opposition between alienation and disalienation ... ; and 38 Chapter Three (Subject Matter and Meanings in Michael Clark's Choreography) 4) most recently, the great semiotic opposition between signifier and signified which was itself rapidly unraveled and deconstructed during its brief heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. (Jameson, 1991, p 12) The conception of practices, discourses, and textual play which replaces these various depth models, includes an idea useful in explaining depthlessness as a feature of postmodernity, that is, the notion of the 'death' of the subject, or, in other terms, the end of individualism as such (Jameson, 1991, p 12). The disappearance of the individual subject, Jameson finds, along with its formal consequence, the increasing unavailability of personal style, have engendered the common practice today of what may be termed 'pastiche' (1991, p 16). With the collapse of the ideology of style, cultural producers have had nowhere to turn but to the imitation of dead styles, to the masks and voices stored in an imaginary museum of a now global culture. This situation evidently determines that which architecture historians term 'historicism' - the increasing primacy of the 'neo' (Jameson, 1991, p 17-18). The omnipresence of pastiche, Jameson finds, is indicative of a world transformed into sheer images of itself, with a whole historically original consumers appetite for pseudo-events and 'spectacles'. To such images, events and spectacles one may apply Plato's conception of the 'simulacrum', "the identical copy for which no original has ever existed" (Jameson, 1991, p 18). The culture of the simulacrum, then, comes to life in postmodern society (Jameson, 1991, p 18). The new spatial logic of the simulacrum has had a momentous effect on what used to be historical time. The past has thereby itself modified, become "a vast collection of images, a multitudinous photographic simulacrum" (Jameson, 1991, p 18). As Jameson finds, the past as 'referent' finds itself gradually bracketed, and then effaced altogether, leaving us with nothing but texts. (1991, p 18) 39 Chapter Three (Subject Matter and Meanin~ in Michael Clark's Choreoeraohy) With the disappearance of the historical referent, artists can no longer set out to represent the historical past - they can only produce work which represents a culture's ideas and stereotypes about that past (Jameson, 1991, p 25). This situation may be described as one in which we are condemned to seek History by way of our own pop images and simulacra of that history, which itself remains forever out of reach. (Jameson, 1991, p 25) Jameson finds that the symptom of this culture of the simulacrum is the "waning of content" in various forms of cultural production today (1991, p 18). While this facet of postmodemity has been discussed here in order to demonstrate that the 'depthlessness' of much of Clark's work reflects or contributes to that facet, its inclusion also has the purpose of introducing a feature of the subject matter I meanings /significance of Clark's work not yet discussed. It may be suggested that one of the few ways in which Clark's subject matter reflects a postmodern sensibility is that all of his work, on some level, is about the inability of modem dance and ballet conventions to achieve the functions of art in the context of today's culture. In her article Deconstructing dance: Edouard Lock's postmodern steps, Jackson finds that postmodern dances tend to violate the conventions on which they rely (1990, p 273). That choreographers should want to violate those conventions suggests that they somehow require overturning. Perhaps the deficiency that postmodern choreographers detect in such conventions is their inability to achieve the purposes of art in the context of a culture of the simulacrum. If this is the case with Clark's choreography, one might also, then, note that he addresses such a cultural dilemma in terms of the meanings and significance his work generates. At this stage, however, it suffices to conclude this chapter with these speculations. In chapter four, more appropriately, this idea is developed in relation to treatment of subject matter. 40 Chapter Four TREATMENT OF SUBJECT MATTER IN MICHAEL CLARK'S CHOREOGRAPHY 4.1 INTRODUCTION It is particularly evident when investigating Clark's use of treatment of subject matter, rather than when considering the actual subject matter and meanings, that the body of his choreographic work cannot be understood as belonging to only one of a possible four broad types of British postmodern dance. Before embarking on the discussion of treatment which is the focus of this chapter, it is useful to explain briefly how Clark's choreography fits into such a schema of British postmodern dance, as this understanding of his choreography has influenced the methodology employed in this chapter. Judith Mackrell in her 1991 article Post-modem dance in Britain: an historical essay, notes that to address the story of postmodern dance in Britain is "to open up a can of peculiarly slippery worms" (p 40). She goes on to describe this story as one "tangled by its own confusion of chronology and terms" (Mackrell, 1991, p 46). Obviously, to properly classify the whole range of dance that is currently termed 'postmodern' is well beyond the scope of this study. The following 'sketch' more appropriately suits the purposes it serves. The first of the types of British postmodern dance in question is the alignment, 'release' based, contact improvisation style which developed in the early 1970s at Dartington College and which is exemplified in the work of Steve Paxton, Rosemary Butcher and Mary Fulkerson. A further style, developed slightly later in the mid-1970s, 41 Chapter F ow fTreatment Q.fSubject Matter in Micbael Clark's Choreoeraphy) is characterized by its political and social agenda. The choreography of members of the X6 collective, in particular that ofEmilyn Claid, Fergus Early and Jacky Lansley, is seminal to this style. The third type of choreography may be distinguished by the use of a highly technical movement vocabulary. Siobhan Davies is a central practitioner of this style. A final style of British postmodern choreography, made manifest, for example, in the work of The Cholmondeleys, while also marked by the use of a highly technical vocabulary, is particularly distinctive in its use of the vernacular (Adshead, 1991). Michael Clark has worked in the first, third and fourth of these styles. A Wish Sandwich (1982), for instance, may be understood as representative of the first style, while Swamp (1986), of the third. The vast majority of Clark's works, however, fall into the final category. Notable of the first and third categories is that postmodern choreography of these styles most often demonstrates features characteristic of modernism or high-modernism in the other arts. Sally Banes provides a lucid description of this situation. She writes: Often it has been precisely in the arena of post-modern dance that issues of modernism in the other arts have arisen: the acknowledgment of the medium's materials, the revealing of dance's essential qualities as an art form, the separation of formal elements, the abstraction of forms, and the elimination of external references as subjects. (Banes, 1987a, p xiv-xv) Further, Banes finds that it is the new postmodernism of the 1980s with the 'rebirth of content' which is the most closely allied to the concerns and techniques of postmodernism in the other arts, and to the cultural practices in general which are labelled postmodern (1987a, p xv). While Banes is writing of the American context, her insights into postmodern choreography nevertheless appear to be broadly applicable to the British context. 42 Chapter Fow None of the above has been discussed in order to illustrate that Clark is somehow 'more of a postmodernist' than, for example, Rosemary Butcher, or that Clark's work is at the extreme postmodern end of a modern-postmodern continuum. Clark's work simply exemplifies one type of postmodernism, and, apart from that fact, the dance historian cannot distance herself from a phenomenon which, in the 1990s, may still have many incarnations left to come. Rather, this overview has been included in order to explain the author's selection for this study of aspects of treatment evident in Clark's choreography. The aspects of treatment selected for discussion in this chapter are those more commonly found in Banes' fourth category of postmodern dance, that is, in the postmodern dance which emerged in the 1980s and is characterized by "the rebirth of content", rather than in the choreography which emerged in the 1960s and 1970s (Banes, 1987a, p xxiv). It is, then, the treatment more often evident in the last of the four styles of British postmodern choreography than in the other three styles, with which this chapter is concerned. The reasons for this selection are threefold. Firstly, as early postmodern dance is more modernist than postmodern it is less able than the later postmodern dance to be illuminated by the postmodern theory which does not address dance. Secondly, virtually every negatively criticized aspect of Clark's treatment of subject matter is an aspect more widely understood as postmodern than modernist. Finally, the types of treatment employed in Because We Must (1990), the case study for this chapter, are almost all also postmodern in the wider arts and culture understanding of the term. The aspects of treatment in question in Because We Must are most clearly provided as a list. While some items in this are actual notions of treatment (radical juxtaposition, for example), the rest are simply terms or phrases which less directly describe treatment in this dance. 43 Chapter Four (Treatment Q.fSub.iect Matter in Micllllel Clark's Choreo~raphy) * pastiche I parody * radical juxtaposition * "a brutal aesthetics of squalor and shock" (Eagleton cited in Harvey, 1990, p 8) *privileging of the 'other' * blurring of the distinction between art and life * satire I wit I humor * montage I collage (ie: fragmentary structure) * theatricality * sensationalism I extravagance I spectacle I vivid materialism * instantaneity *post-punk * anti-narrative * use of words, either verbally or visually, coupled with 'wordplay' *playful *sexism * chaos / loose ends I flaws I unsynthesized moments I discontinuity * eclecticism I medley * cabaret I music-hall *equal value accorded to other elements (sets, props, lighting, costumes) as to the dancing * deliberate upstaging of 'serious' dancing with other elements of the performance *anti-illusionary - revealing, for example, that the acting is acting, that the set is providing an artificial environment, that the viewer is watching a film A notable feature of the elements of this table is that there are any number of overlaps between them. These elements inter-relate as each belongs to the vast network of intertwining ideas which forms postmodern theory. For in-depth discussion in the remaining, larger part of this chapter, a small number of these elements have been 44 Chapter Four (Treatment qfSul},iect Matter in Micha.el Clark's Choreoera.vhY) selected. The intention is that, when considering these features, because of the interrelationships, the discussion will 'naturally' branch out to briefly incorporate any other elements in the list which appear useful to consider. It is beyond the scope of this study to consider all twenty aspects of this list. More appropriately, the elements selected for particular attention are those which have both been the subject of much negative journalistic criticism and which are crucial aspects of treatment in Because We Must, that is, the first three elements featured on this list. In chapter one, the introduction to this study, it was noted that deconstructivist methods would be employed to conduct analysis. This mode of analysis appears to be highly appropriate in the context of Because We Must as not only is this dance about social, performance and dance conventions, but it oun>lays those conventions in order to illustrate that they are no longer very relevant to today's society and need to be 'shaken up' (see Appendix Three, p 81). That this mode of analysis is so appropriate for Because We Must is a telling sign that Clark's choreography could benefit from the insights of postmodern theory. 4.2 PASTICHE I PARODY One of the most significant features or practices in postmodemism today, Jameson claims, is pastiche and not the related phenomenon of parody (1988, p 15). Other commentators, however, claim that parody, or, more specifically, ironic parody, rather than pastiche is characteristic of postmodemism. Hutcheon (1988), in particular, repudiates Jameson's stance. In order to discuss either of these notions in relation to Clark's work, then, this disparity requires some attention. Jameson claims that people have tended to confuse pastiche with, or assimilate it with, 45 Chapter Four the related phenomenon of parody. The similarity, he finds, lies in the fact that both pastiche and parody involve the imitation or mimicking of other styles and "particularly of the mannerisms and stylistic twitches of other styles" (Jameson, 1988, p 15). Parody, Jameson writes, capitalizes on the uniqueness of these styles and seizes on their idiosyncrasies and eccentricities to produce an imitation which mocks the original. (1988, p 15-16) Continuing, he finds that the general effect of parody is, whether in sympathy or with malice, to cast ridicule on these stylistic mannerisms and their excessiveness or eccentricity with respect to what is considered 'normal'. There remains, then, somewhere behind all parody, the feeling that there is a norm in contrast to which that different behaviour can be mocked (Jameson, 1988, p 16). The problem with this, Jameson asserts, is that in postmodern culture, the very possibility of any linguistic norm in terms of which one could ridicule private languages and idio syncratic styles would vanish, and we would have nothing but stylistic diversity and heterogeneity. (1988, p 16) In such circumstances, pastiche appears and parody has become impossible (Jameson, 1988, p 16): Pastiche is, like parody, the imitation of a peculiar or unique style, the wearing of a stylistic mask, speech in a dead language: but it is a neutral practice of such mimicry, without parody's ulterior motive, without the satirical impulse, without laughter, without that still latent feeling that there exists something normal compared to which what is being imitated is rather comic. Pastiche is blank parody, parody that has lost its sense of humor. (Jameson, 1988, p 16) 46 Chapter Four Hutcheon's understanding of parody is considerably different to Jameson's. The collective weight of parodic practice, she claims, suggests the need for a redefinition of parody as repetition with critical distance that allows ironic signalling of difference at the very heart of similarity. (1988, p 26) Hutcheon, then, excludes the notion of parody as being about ridiculing imitation, from her definition (1988, p 26). Hutcheon also disagrees with Jameson's definiton of pastiche. She claims that the practice of extraction from the past, for example, in the arts, is far from what Jameson describes as pastiche, that is the random cannibalization of all the styles of the past, the play of random stylistic allusion. (Jameson, 1991, p 18) For Hutcheon, there is never necessarily anything random or without principle in the parodic recall and re-examination of the past of much postmodern practice. In postmodern art, for example, to include play and irony is never necessarily to exclude seriousness and purpose (Hutcheon, 1988, p 26-27). This study is an inappropriate context in which to attempt to disentangle such a complex of ideas. Rather than complicating the issue, the author of this study chooses to place emphasis on the notion which is common to both parody and pastiche, that is, imitation. In doing so, the notions are refered to with the method employed by Briginshaw in the 1991 Postmodernism and dance discussion papers, that is, simply as 'pastiche/parody' (p 18). 47 Chapter Four fTreatment qfSubjectMatter in Michael Clark's Choreoeraphy) In Because We Must Clark has used pastiche/parody in every type of component of the dance - in the movement, visual setting, aural elements and selection of dancers. Often this imitation takes the form of an indirect reference or hint and therefore this discussion also considers the notion of allusion. During this discussion of pastiche/parody, and throughout this chapter, the author refers to various parts and sections of Because We Must. Rather than pedantically and repeatedly directing the reader to the choreographic outline which constitutes Appendix Four (p 91), every time such parts or sections are mentioned the reader should assume that the choreographic outline is to be perused. A particularly clear example of Clark's use of pastiche/parody on the level of movement is provided in sections 1.1, 1.3, and 1.4 of Because We Must. In each of these sections Clark makes reference to Balanchine's Apollo. In section 1.1 three identically dressed women, who here are interpreted as representing Calliope, Polyhymnia and Terpsichore, perform movement which often involves them being linked through physical contact (for example, through the hands) and then intertwining or 'weaving' amongst each other. Their movement is sometimes in canon or unison. While these three women dance, a fourth enters, dressed differently (or undressed, more to the point) and dances by herself with a chainsaw. This woman and the chainsaw may be interpreted as corresponding to Apollo and his lute. This interpretation of an aspect of section 1.1 is reinforced, in particular, in section 1.4 where spoken text alludes to Balanchine's ballerinas. The three women, still identically dressed, lie close on the floor collectively creating symmetrical designs with their legs as they intertwine their bodies. They eventually reach standing level with this weaving movement. As the women dance, Leslie Bryant and Leigh Bowery conduct a conversation in which they speak of the women looking anorexic, taking cocaine for every performance, worshipping Gelsey Kirkland and dancing on their graves. As Kirkland is a dancer who formerly danced under the direction of Balanchine, who 48 Chapter Four fTreatment of Subject Maner in Micha.el Clark's Choreoeravhy) suffered problems with anorexia and drug addiction and who titled her autobiography Dancin~ on my mve, the meanings gleaned from viewing section 1.1 appear plausible. An example of imitation which is more direct, that is, it takes on more of the character of 'quotation' is provided in section 1.8 during the 18:37 to 19:06 time slot. Here both music and idiosyncratic movement from the Fokine ballet Les Sylphicies are used. Three couples are seated on the floor, the two people in each couple facing each other, and the entire group of six forming a diagonal line. Each person of the couple lifts their arm, outstretched, with a wafting/rippling movement to touch the fingertips of their partner. This wafting/rippling arm action is a repeated motif in Les Sylphicies, and the seated, coupled arrangement of the dancers is also characteristic of this ballet. While there are innumerable examples of Clark's use of pastiche/parody in Because We Must in terms of movement which could be cited, there is also evidence of this treatment in the costumes and sets which require brief examination. Sections 2.1 and 2.2 provide good examples of Clark's use of pastiche/parody in this respect. The set for most shots in these sections consists of a traditional, painted forest backdrop which suggests the Romantic ballets blancs. This actual set, in fact, was borrowed from the London Festival Ballet and, under normal circumstances would have been used for the ballet La Sylphicie (Jordan, 1988b, p 15). The white, lightweight, in some cases transparent, costumes for some dancers in these sections are also reminiscent of Romantic ballet (see illustrations 'm', 'n' and 'o' of Appendix Five, p 109). In a typically postmodern vein, in section 2.2, amidst this "romantic episode turned inside out and upside down", Clark introduces the pantomime horse from Cocteau's Parade (Macaulay, 1988, p 441). In terms of the entire collection of Clark's choreography, one important 'trademark' of Clark's with respect to pastiche/parody is his tendency to quote from his own dances. 49 Chapter fow fTreatment q.fSuQ.iect Matter in Micha,el Clark's Cboreo~raphy) This "creative chain effect", as Jordan describes it, is evident, for example, in his 1988 work I Am Curious Oranee (1985a, p 38). In this work, the dancing to national anthems and the use of a massive telephone receiver as a prop are carried over from the 1987 stage version of Because We Must. At another point in I Am Curious Orange Clark performs movement while using a pair of crutches. This idea originated in 1984 with Flippin' Eck (Q Thweet Myth-tety of Life) and was re-used in the 1985 our caca phoney H. our caca phoney H. before being employed in I Am Curious Orange (Jordan, 1988a, p 20). Finally, perhaps the one most significant overall feature of Clark's choreography with regard to pastiche/parody, is the variety of movement types which he employs within any one work. Rarely, however, are these types of movement presented separately from one another rather than blended. Clark describes his personal, firmly etched choreographic style in the following terms: my movement vocabulary is a hotch-potch of what I've learnt: ballet,. .. Scottish reels ... , contemporary dance and ... Cunningham. (cited in MacPherson, 1984, p 15) The foundation of Clark's eclectic dance language is ballet stripped down to its essential principles and then blended with movement distinctive of the Cunningham technique (Constanti, 1984, p 1014). Clark's understanding of the Cunningham technique, however, owes more to Richard Alston and Karole Armitage's interpretations of the word as to the original (Jordan and Friend, 1985, p 13-14). Clark develops this ballet/Cunningham foundation by blending it with both movement ideas which it seems are unique to his choreographic style, and those derived from popular or social dance forms. In terms of the latter, one may note, for example, the flaccid disco-dance movement Clark uses in section 1.8, time slot 16:02 to 16:18, or the blend of ballet/Cunningham and Scottish dance movement in section 2.3. 50 Chapter F ow (Treatment qf Subject Matter in Micha.el Clark's Choreogrqpby) At various stages during his choreographic career, Clark's use of pastiche/parody has been the subject of negative journalistic criticism. In particular, Clark is described as having 'recycled' or 'thrown in' aspects of a dance. Goodwin, for example, reviewing Not H.AIR (1985) expresses disapproval with the dance being billed as a new work yet involving "a recycling of earlier ideas" (1985b, p 34). Percival describes Hail the Classical (1985) in similar terms: Scene succeeds scene with unexpected speed, some of them most elaborate. And that did not cost a penny to make because they are all from other ballets, although out of context, differently hung and lit, it is surprising how few are readily identifiable. (1985b, p 14) Finally, reviewing Because We Must (1987), Macaulay writes: Clark is an Anything Goes anarchist. Nudity, obscenity, fancy dress, the chainsaw, dancing to the National Anthem, Knees Up Mother Brown, Elvis singing 'Silent Night', loud rock music accompanying the quaint woodland scenery of La Sylphide (La La La Sylphide) ... all of that and more. (1988, p 440) As is clear in Macaulay's comment, much of the objection to Clark's eclecticism is equally weighted towards a disapproval of the accompanying depthlessness of the work. While depthlessness as a feature of the postmodern condition is considered in chapter three, this discussion of pastiche/parody concludes with a brief explanation of the way in which this phenomenon is a feature of postmodern culture. One way of understanding the emergence of pastiche/parody as a feature of postmodern culture is to understand its origins as being in 'the death of the subject', that is, the end of individualism. The modernist aesthetic is linked to the conception of a unique self and private identity, to the notion that each person generates his or her own unmistakable style and unique vision of the world (Jameson, 1988, p 17). Today, however, intellectuals in 51 Chapter Four various disciplines are exploring the notion that that kind of individualism and personal identity is a thing of the past; that the old individual or individualist subject is 'dead'; and that one might even describe the concept of the unique individual and the theoretical basis of individualism as ideological. (Jameson, 1988, p 17) There are in fact two positions to this issue. Commentators in support of the first claim that there was such a thing as individualism, as individual subjects in the classic age of capitalism, but that today, in the age of corporate capitalism, of demographic explosion, the older bourgeois individual subject no longer exists. Alternatively, those in support of the second position, the poststructuralist, more radical position, find that not only is the bourgeois individual subject 'dead', it is also a myth; it never existed in the first place (Jameson, 1988, p 17). For the purposes of this study, what is important about this debate is that cultural commentators have identified an aesthetic dilemma in postmodern culture. Jameson sees this as a dilemma because if the experience and the ideology which informed the stylistic practice of classical modernism, is over and done with, then, it is no longer clear what the artists and writers of the present period are supposed to be doing. (Jameson, 1988, p 17) The older models, Jameson asserts, do not work any more as nobody has that kind of unique style and private world to express any longer. Jameson also finds that this is not merely a 'psychological matter'. He suggests that there is a sense in which today's artists can no longer invent new styles and worlds - that there are only a limited number of combinations possible (Jameson, 1988, p 18). 52 Chapter Four (Treatment Qf SuQ.ject Maner in Micluiel Clark's Choreoeraphy) In a world where stylistic innovation is no longer possible, then, all that is left is to imitate dead styles, to speak through the masks and with the voices of the styles in the imaginary museum. (Jameson, 1988, p 18) This means that postmodern art is about art itself in a new kind of way, and, even more, it means that one of its essential messages concerns the necessary failure of art and the aesthetic, the failure of the new, the imprisonment in the past (Jameson, 1988, p 18). Doesn't, then, Clark's work epitomize this feature of postmodern culture when, in a work such as Because We Must, Clark is goaded in action by a conviction about the impotence of the conventions of art and their collapse, and treats his subject matter using methods (pastiche/parody) which convey these ideas on both the level of meaning and significance? 4.3 RADICAL JUXTAPOSITION A second method of treating subject matter employed extensively by Clark in creating Because We Must, but also throughout his choreographic career, is that of radical juxtaposition. Perhaps the best examples of this treatment evident in Because We Must are those of sections 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3, where Clark is attempting to subvert dance conventions. One way in which he achieves this is to juxtapose movement intended to be performed in pointe shoes, with costumes which are inappropriate to the balletic tradition, but more importantly, which include the wrong footwear. In section 1.1, then, the women perform pas de bourree corns, and in section 1.3 one woman performs a hopping changement action with bent knees. Both are ballet movements originally intended to be danced in pointe shoes, but here are performed in red jazz shoes. The result strikes the viewer as decidedly 'odd'. 53 Chapter four fTreatment afSubject Matter in Michael Clark's CboreoeraphY) At approximately 10:30 of section 1.1 a virtually naked female dancer enters the stage where three identically dressed women are performing a dance which is formalist in treatment. After a short while the naked dancer collects, and proceeds to dance with, a chainsaw in her hands. Here juxtaposition occurs on a number of levels. Firstly, the naked woman's delicate fair-skinned body contrasts fiercely with the huge, heavy, bright-red boots she wears. Secondly, this nudity is contrasted with the three fully clothed women. There is also a dramatic difference in the vocabulary type and quality of the movement performed by the naked woman as distinct from the other three women. Descriptions of this movement are contained in the choreographic outline (Appendix Four, p 91). Finally, the sound of the chainsaw is juxtaposed with the Chopin piano preludes which are played simultaneously. In section 1.2 a similar senario to this, that of section 1.1, is enacted. Episodes such as that just described highlight two other facets of treatment characteristic of Because We Must but also of almost all of Clark's choreography. In an attempt to re-assess dance performance conventions Clark both deliberately upstages 'serious' dancing with other elements of the performance (sets, props, lighting and costumes), and accords the same value to those elements as he does to the dancing. Both these aspects of treatment and that of radical juxtaposition have been the subject of some negative journalistic criticism during Clark's career. In particular, Clark's theatrical interventions (for example, the naked woman wielding a chainsaw) are described as obscuring or distracting attention from the actual dancing (Dougill, 1992, p 14). Often, however, as is described for Because We Must. this is precisely Clark's intention. While many theorists of postmodernism acknowledge that radical juxtaposition is a postmodern strategy, it appears, from the extensive reading conducted for this study, that few explain why this is the case. Janet Wolff provides a clue as to the origins of juxtaposition in her definition of postmodernism as it pertains to the arts. 54 Chapter four fTreatment Qf Sul2,iect Matter in Michael Clark's Choreo~rqpby) She writes: I would argue that the most useful definition of the postmodern, in painting as in other media, is that work which self-consciously deconstructs tradition, by a variety of formal and other techniques (parody, juxtaposition, re-appropriation of images, irony, repetition, and so on). (Wolff, 1990, p 93) Similar to Woolf, and in terms more specific to dance, Jackson finds that in a typical example of postmodern choreography, systems of representation are juxtaposed in order to violate the conventions on which the da.nce relies (1990, p 273 and 281). The prevalence of this desire to challenge artistic tradition in postmodern art works may be linked to an inability of those traditions within postmodern culture, to succeed in fulfilling the functions of art. This issue was briefly addressed at the end of the pastiche/parody section of this chapter and is therefore not reconsidered at this juncture. What is notable at this point, however, is that once again Clark has been consistent in his selection of a treatment strategy appropriate to that which is always the subject of his dances. Each of Clark's works, on some level, challenges dance conventions. More particularly, Clark's selection of subject matter and treatment are indicative of the postmodern age. 4.4 "A BRUTAL AESTHETICS OF SQUALOR AND SHOCK" (EAGLETON CITED IN HARVEY, 1990, p 8) In his definition of postmodernism, the literary critic Terry Eagleton notes that the phenomenon's "contrived depthlessness undermines all metaphysical solemnities, sometimes by a brutal aesthetics of squalor and shock" (cited in Harvey, 1990, p 8). 55 Chapter F ow (Treatment Q.f Suq,iect Matter in Micluiel Clark's Choreoerqphy) While only some of Clark's works may shock and the term squalor is too extreme to be used in their description, Eagleton's remark nevertheless provides an insight into that facet of Clark's work which has been the subject of the vast majority of negative criticisms directed at his work. Clark's choreography is described as vulgar, immoral, irreverent, and so forth, largely because of the verbal profanity, parody of 'camp' behaviour, and actions such as spitting on stage, which he typically incorporates into his choreography. Section 2.4 of Because We Must clearly illustrates this facet of Clark's works. The dancing in this section alludes to, and sometimes more directly refers to, sado-masochism and bondage, bestiality, and cunnilingus, while one image of the photographic collage of the time slot 45:48 to 45:54 depicts what appear to be men masturbating. Most of Clark's choreography, however, is far less explicit. In the 1984 New Puritans, for example, the two dancers perform in costumes which expose their bare buttocks. Clark's solo, in part, involves him spitting on the floor, scratching his arm and neck, miming a prostitute hustling for money, and wiping his wrist across his mouth to smudge a layer of gooey lipstick (Savage-King, 1984, p 30). These features of Michael Clark's choreography, while they are undoubtedly subversive, need to be interpreted in the context of postmodern culture. Harvey in his The condition of postmodernity describes this culture as one in which aesthetics rather than ethics form the dominant value system, and the accompanying cultural practices as ones which laud such a shift in this system (1990, p 336). He explains this transfer as resulting from conditions of 'time-space compression' (Harvey, 1990, p 327). Postmodernity, as with modernity, may be equated with a certain mode of experience of space and time. The postmodern shift is marked by a crisis in our experience of space and time, one in which spatial categories come to dominate those of time, while themselves undergoing such a mutation that nobody can keep pace (Harvey, 1990, p 56 Chapter Four (Treatment gfS@,iect Matter in Micha.el Clark's Choreoeravhy) 201). Aesthetic and cultural practices, Harvey finds, are peculiarly susceptible to this changing experience of space and time precisely because they involve the construction of spatial representations and artefacts out of the flow of human experience (Harvey, 1990, p 327). The aesthetic responses to conditions of time-space compression have been important ever since the eighteenth century when the separation of scientific knowledge from moral judgement opened up a distinctive role for them. The confidence of an era can be assessed by the width of the separation between scientific and moral reasoning. In times of uncertainty and confusion, the tum to aesthetics becomes more pronounced (Harvey, 1990, p 327). The crisis of overaccumulation that began in the late 1960s and which climaxed in 1973 has generated a particularly stong aesthetic movement tcxlay. The experience of time and space has changed, the confidence in the association between scientific and moral judgements has collapsed, aesthetics has triumphed over ethics as a prime focus of social and intellectual concern, images dominate narratives, ephemerality and fragmentation take precedence over eternal truths and unified politics, and explanations have shifted from the realm of material and political-economic groundings towards a consideration of automomous cultural and political practices. (Harvey, 1990, p 327-328) In particular, the morality of postmodemism at this stage is crass and self-centred (Denzin, 1991, p 152). "It turns crimes of passion and greed into misdemeanors, and celebrates the banality of evil" (Denzin, 1991, p 152). In postmcxlem culture, as in Clark's work, gone are any pretentions to morality and integrity. Critics may point a censorious finger at Clark's work, but few could deny its brutal honesty (Savage-King, 1985, p 32). 57 Chapter Four 4.5 CONCLUSION One consequence of this chapter has been to reveal that it is, as one might expect, in an examination of Clark's treatment of subject matter that the most potential for an overall re-interpretation and re-evaluation of his work lies. While, then, it is unfortunate that the scale of this study has restricted the author to a discussion of only three facets of this treatment, there nevertheless remains the fact that it has 1) opened up the relevant issues in a scholarly manner, laying the foundation for further research, and, 2) provided three examples of how that research might proceed with respect to any one facet of treatment. Furthermore, the three examples selected are among the most significant features of postmodern cultural production in general, Clark's work, and the subjects of negative journalistic criticism of that work, with respect to treatment. Finally, in considering these examples, it has been demonstrated that the strategies of treatment central to Clark's choreography indeed .QQ reflect and contribute to the postmodern sensibility of much cultural production today. 58 Chapter Five CONCLUSION The purpose of this study has been to address two interrelated questions: Can postmodern 'theory' illuminate an understanding of Michael Clark's work? and In which ways, if at all, does Clark's work demonstrate a postmodern sensibility? These questions were asked in an attempt to ascertain whether postmodern 'theory' is useful in achieving a re-interpretation and re-evaluation of Clark's work. In chapter one, the author introduces these questions but is also concerned to sketch a portrait of postmodernism, and, to then, largely in relation to this phenomenon, discuss various important aspects of methodology. Chapter two, a biography of Michael Clark, provides both an introduction to the choreographer and his work and a context for the more specific examination of that work which occurs later in the study. The questions which form the topic of this study, however, are primarily considered in chapter three and in the penultimate chapter four. In an attempt to answer these questions, chapters three and four address three 'items' - Michael Clark's choreography, negative journalistic criticisms of that choreography, and postmodern theory. In terms of Clark's choreography, the 1990 television version of his 1987 stage work Because We Must is used as a case study. The two chapters differ in that the former is concerned with subject matter and meanings embodied in Clark's work, while the latter considers Clark's treatment of subject matter. In order to appreciate fully the outcomes of the investigations of chapters three and four, the overall and underlying premises on which the study is based require discussion. 59 Chapter Five (Conclusion) The questions at the heart of this study, in pa.rt, were asked on the premise that a logical procedure for the activity of dance analysis and criticism exists, and on what initially was a suspicion that this procedure is sometimes not adhered to in negative journalistic criticism of Clark's choreography. Fundamental to this logic is that any one dance should be evaluated according to criteria appropriate to the genre from which that dance derives (Adshead, 1988). The second premise concerns the fact that the function of dance~. and therefore that for which it is valued, concerns its ability to reflect I mirror and (more importantly) comment critically on the world in which it is created. In chapters three and four the author of this study places descriptions and interpretations of Clark's choreography alongside descriptions and interpretations of the postmodern condition. This process reveals that various fundamental features of that choreography do ind.eed reflect a postmodern sensibility. Further, when this discussion is coupled with a discussion of negative journalistic criticism of those features, the need for a greater understanding of postmodernity on the part of those who criticize Clark's work, becomes even more apparent. Among the specific problems which this study has revealed with respect to the notion of criteria, but thus far revealed in a covert manner, is that which is also identified by Delafons in her study titled Pina Bausch's 'Theatre of Experience': dance criticism and the work of Pina Bausch - the need for a postmodern approach ( 1992). Delafons finds that critics tend to approach Bausch's work from the 'middle ground' of dance thinking in Britain today (1992, p 25). While the content analysis of reviews for this study has not been directed towards being able to make such a statement in relation to Clark, the author speculates that Bausch's and Clark's experiences are connected in this respect. Pauline Hodgens finds that the norms, standards and critieria appropriate to a particular genre [of dance] are general and allow a great deal of flexibility. (1988, p 91) 60 Chapter Fiye (Conclusion) Perhaps in the case of Clark's work, as with Bausch's, the boundaries of such criteria have not been flexible enough. In the introduction to chapter four, four types of British postmodern dance were identified. It appears that the first three of these types demonstrate more formalistic concerns on a formalist-'theatrical' continuum, than does the third type of which Clark's work is a prime example. Clark's choreography is far from the norm, the middle-ground of British postmodern choreography, but this should not necessitate his work being assessed according to the criteria appropriate to that narrow norm. In postmodemity various worlds co-exist - the modem and postmodern world, for example. Foucault describes this situation through the concept of 'heterotopia'. By heterotopia, Foucault is referring to the coexistence in 'an impossible space' of a 'large number of fragmentary possible worlds' or, more simply, incommensurable spaces that are juxtaposed or super imposed upon each other. (Harvey, 1990, p 48) Clark appears to 'exist in' a postmodern world, a world which would not be truthfully reflected, and could not be effectively critically commented upon, through so-called 'pure dance' (what is an impure dance?) aesthetic which a vast number of critics urge Clark to revert to. Dutch dancer Ellen van Schylenburch who worked exclusively with Clark from 1984 to 1989 finds that Clark sees the world as a chaotic juxtaposition of extremes. She remarks: He loves juxtaposition... .if he used a section of beautiful dance then he immediately followed it by ugliness because that's how he views the world. He refused to create a pure dance aesthetic. (cited in Pascal, 1991, p 20) 61 Chapter Five (Conclusion) Indeed, Clark himself asserts, I just don't think we live in an ideal world. I know it's reassuring for people to see something pure. But for me, it's the other elements in my work which make the dance pure. (cited in Bowen, 1992, p 16) Of the few writers who appear to have addressed Clark's work seriously and with sufficient knowledge of postmodern theory, these including Briginshaw ( 1991 ), Lycouris (1991) and Macaulay (various publications), Chris Savage-King has provided the account of Clark's choreography which has been the most encouraging and insightful for the purposes of this study. Savage-King writes that "art doesn't, nor can it afford it to, reflect aimlessly" (1985, p 32). Clark's work, he finds, is marked by a shrewd scepticism concerning the trends he, at one level, celebrates (Savage-King, 1985, p 32). His work is representative of a postmodern sensibility moreso than a set of ideas. This sensibility has been condemned in its own enactment (Savage-King, 1985, p 32). 62 A.rwendix One The following appendix contains an explanation of the Dance Analysis Model (as it pertains to concepts through which interpretations are made). This model is that discussed in the 1988 publication~ analysis: theozy and practice, edited by Janet Ads head. Adshead notes that an interpretation of a dance .. .is an account which ascribes character, qualities and meanings to the features [components and forms] as they are discerned. (1988, p 61) Adshead also writes that interpretations are directed towards pinpointing and describing the meanings and significance of a dance. These ideas may be represented diagramatically in the following manner. Note that this diagram is based on Adshead's analysis model. It represents the manner in which the author of this study conceptualizes Adshead's ideas. subject matter /treatment CHARACTER genre & style of the dance \ (style including choreographic & performance style) in relation to the socio-cultural background Ascribe & context (ie: function, for eg, to the ritual or artistic context) of the features dance. (components & forms) of the QUALITIES dance * MEANINGS and SIGNIFICANCE 63 A,avendix Two Choreochronology of Michael Clark's work This choreochronology has been constructed entirely from journal/newspaper articles and programme notes. At least within the United Kingdom, a published choreochronology of Michael Clark is unavailable. It is for these reasons that this choreochronology is incomplete. The following symbols are used to instruct the reader as to where information is; ~ unknown e unavailable because not applicable to the dance in question A inferred, speculative, particularly requiring further research in order to be described as conclusive. Additional Notes: Unless otherwise stated, the music/sound scores are recorded and not produced live. In the Composer/Music column, the composer's name is underlined in red whereas the titles of pieces of music are underlined in blue. To provide a comprehensive list of performances subsequent to the premiere of each dance is beyond the scope of this dissertation. Listings as detailed, and as accurate as possible, within the confines of this study, however, have been included to assist future researchers. 64 APfENDIX TWO ChoreochconoJogy of Michael Clark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) Untitled Duet 1981 • Performed in silence. • • • Choreographed at the Rambert Choreographic Workshop. Of a Feather 1982 Gaby Agis Eric Clermontet: collage of • Rebecca Neil • When performed for the Dance Umbrella Flock 29th August Karole Armitage birdsounds,gunsho~& Festival 1982 on 6 & 7 November, the dance Riverside Studios Claire Baylis ornithological commentary. included the following changes: London Michael Clark In one section of the dance Performers: Gaby Agis John Peterson Clermontet has combined Claire Baylis Owen Smith §!l~-Saen's 'Swan' section Chris Cheek from Carnival of the Michael Clark Animals with bursts of Steve Goff stock-exchange prices for Matthew Hawkins lead and base metals. (Hawkins took Clark's original part, Cheek took what was left of Armitage's part & Cheek acted as a speaking commentator. Clark danced Richard Alston's Dutiful Ducks in place of Armitage's 'Swan solo'.) The former soundtrack was replaced & the set & costumes were considerably altered. On the premiere evening, two performances of the dance were given. The Dance Umbrella performance, after an interval, was followed by Rush (1982). Rush 1982 4 or 5 dancers Voice used. • • • Rush is constituted of much of the movement 6th November including from Of a Feather Flock (Dance Umbrella Riverside Studios Gaby Agis version) performed extremely quickly. It London Chris Cheek therefore includes para of Richard Alston's Michael Clark Dutiful Ducks. Performed as a part of the Dance Umbrella Festival. Also performed on the 7th of November, in the same location, for this festival. 65 APfENDIX TWO contlpued Choreochropology of Michael Clark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGN ERIS DESIGNER/S DESIGN ERIS COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) A Wish 1982 Michael Clark Eric Clermontet: a collage * * * Perfonned as a part of the Dance Umbrella Sandwich 6th November Owen Smith score including spoken Festival. Riverside Studios words. Also perfonned on the 7th of November, in the London same location, as a part of this festival. Parts I - IV 1983 Gaby Agis Schellenbaum/Branca * * * Parts I & II were perfonned prior to the 5th August Michael Clark fiddle music complete Parts I - IV, at the Chateauvallon Riverside Studios Tracey Coutts (child) Festival, France. London Cerith Wyn Evans Part of !tarto~'s Music for A Stephen Goff Strings, Percussion and Perfonnances subsequent to the premiere of the Gregory Nash Celesta. complete dance: & Ballet Rambert 1983: - 6th & 28th August members: A collage score by fur~ Riverside Studios Hugh Craig comprising a mixture of London IkkyMaas gurgles, feedback and - Perfonned as a part of the Dance Cathrine Price electronic wild animal Umbrella Festival on the 29th of noises. October. Performer/s: Michael Clark Music which comprises Angus Cook "Indian twangs, African the Neo-Naturist Cabaret drums and rock guitars." & Rosemary Butcher (Savage-King, 1983, p 31) Dance Co. members: Gaby Agis Pop music with a "fast, Catherine Tucker fimky, regular beat." - 5th November (Savage-King, 1983, p 31) Riverside Studios London Aippin' Eck 1984"' Mantis Dance Pop music. * * * Perfonned during a week's season of Mantis (OThweet 22nd February Company Dance Company at the Place Theatre, London. Myth-tery of the Place Theatre A small amount of Life) London traditional Greek music. 66 APfENDIX TWO continued Choreochronology of Michael CJark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) The French 1984 The 12 dancers of the The Fall • Leigh Bowery • e Revolting the Grand Salle Paris Opera Ballet's 4--- pieces from their album of the experimental dance titled The Wonderful and Pompidou Centre group: Groupe de Frightening World of the Paris Recherche Fall. Choreographique de L' Opera de Paris. Spoken text. New Puritans 1984 Michael Clark The Fall • Leigh Bowery • Performed as a part of the final night of the 1st April Ellen van --- season of New British Dance. Riverside Studios Schuylenburch 6 London Subsequent performances: 1984: - 2nd- 8th August Riverside Studios London The dance was now longer in duration & included 4 dancers: Michael Clark Matthew Hawkins Julie Hood Ellen van Schuylenburch On each evening it was performed it was preceeded by Do You Me? I Did (1984). - The Riverside season was followed by a British tour (which included a visit to the Edinburgh Festival from 27th August to 1st September & Bath) & a visit to Brussels. Each evening it was preceeded by Do You Me? I Did. -November Riverside Studios London (ag;ain preceeded by Do You Me? I Did) 67 APPENWX TWO coptipued Choreochropology of Michael Clark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGN ERIS COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) A DoYouMe? 1984 Michael Clark ~~~Gil~!! • Bodymap Charles Atlas Subsequent perfonnances: (see listings for I Did 2nd August and Company: electronic New Puritans). Riverside Studios Michael Clark London Julie Hood Matthew Hawkins Ellen van Schuylenburch 12XU 1984 Lloyd Newson Wire • • • Perfonned as a part of the Dance Umbrella At some stage Yaakov Slilkin rock Festival's fifth week. from 1st to 6th of A November Ex temporary Subsequent perfonnances: Riverside Studios Dance Theatre 1985: - Perfonned during the Extemporary London Dance Theatre's season at the Shaw Theatre from 22nd - 26th January. For these perfonnances 12XU was converted into a female duet using, for any one performance, two of the following three perfonners: Lindsay Butcher Charlotte Hacker Annalies Stoffel ~ A Hail 1985 Michael Clark & Ravel's Introduction and Charles Atlas Charles Atlas Charles Atlas Subsequent perfonnances: the 29th March members of the Allegro for harp, string 1985: May Classical Theatre Royal Scottish Ballet guartet, flute and clarinet. Bristol & Liverpool Glasgow including: A. Kenn Burke ThU!.ll Vincent Hantam (of the Scottish Ballet) took Louise Hellewell HAIL the Classical Clark's role in the later perfonnances. Paulo Lopes Noriko Ohara Speech & singing Linda Packer performed live by the dancers. 68 APrENWX TWO continued Cboreocbronology of Michael CJark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGN ERIS COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) Angel Food 1985 Patrick Dupond Bruce Gilbert Bruce Gilbert Angela Conway Bruce Gilbert Conunissioned by Rudolf Nureyev. 12th April Jean Guizerix Score contains allusions to Opera Comique Charles Jude the traditional song Subsequent perfonnances: Paris of the Paris Opera Summer is Icumen In. 1985: 13th April - 3rd May Ballet's experimental Opera Comique dance group: Groupe Paris de Recherche Cborfu- graphique de L' Opera de Paris. notH.AIR 1985 Michael Clark and The Fall * Leigh Bowery * Is a development & extension of material used 30th May Company including: - in New Puritans. Northcott Theatre Michael Clark 6 Exeter Matthew Hawkins Subsequent perfonnances: 6 1985: 7th June Theatre Royal Bath for the Bath Festival 6 ourcaca 1985 Michael Clark and Jeffrey Hint~ Bodymap Bodymap Charles Atlas Was the first of the 'official' perfonnances phoneyH. 10th August Company: A collage score including Leigh Bowery Leigh Bowery of the Edinburgh International Festival. ourcaca Royal Lyceum Leigh Bowery songs from the musical phoneyH. Theatre Leslie Bryant Hair and recorded words, Was created especially for the festival. Edinburgh Michael Clark sung or spoken, by the Matthew Hawkins perfonners. A substantial reworking & development Julie Hood of elements of Clark's recent productions, in LanaPellay The Fall particular, New Puritans. Ellen van Various songs. 6 Schuylenburch Subsequent perfonnances: TRex,...,,.,.__ _._.- 1985: - 27th August- 8th September plus Riverside Studios the Neo-Naturist London Cabaret 69 APfENDIX TWO continued Cboreocbronology of Michael CJark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) ourcaca Velvet Under~ound - British tour including Bath phoneyH. One song sung live by &Aberdeen. ourcaca Ellen van Schuylenburch. phoneyH. (continued) Various other pieces of contemporary popular music & live speech & singing. t:. 6 Drop Your Pearls 1986 Virginie Alberti Saint-Saen's Charles Atlas Charles Atlas Charles Atlas Subsequent performances: and Hog It, 13th March Karen Gee Swan - Bodymap Bodymap Bodymap 1987: At some stage before July, the London Girl Theatre Royal Craig Randolph Festival Ballet's small group (LFB2) Bath (the only man) Jeffrey Hinton made a short tour & then spent a week and some other Swansong CollaEle performing at Sadler's Wells Theatre, members of the Includes such music as: London. This was the London premiere London Festival aspects of Swan Lake; and of the dance. Ballet's small group, a choral rendering of LFB2. Swanee using the recorded voices of various performers. The Fall A--- piece titled Wings. Balinese music. 70 APPENWX IWO continued Cboreocbronolou of Michael Clark FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME CAMERAMAN ASSOCIATE SCREENING DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S PRODUCER Dancers: 1986 Gaby Agis Glen Branca Lucy Morahan Leigh Bowery John Simmons Francesca Moffat 21st May Leslie Bryant Bruce Gilbert Michael Clark Jeffrey Hinton 'copped it' set by: Matthew Hawkins The Fall Trojan Julie Hood Ellen van Schuylenburch Interviewer: Jan Murray Cameramen TITLE: Hail the New Puritan (a videodance I documentary) PRODUCER EDITOR& PRODUCED BY ADDITIONAL NOTES DIRECTOR Jolyon Wimhurst Charles Atlas Best Endeavours for Includes parts of 12 dance works by Clark plus new choreography created for the video. Britain's Channel 4 in association with 83 minutes in duration. WGBH-TV, Boston. @Channel 4, 1986. Has only tenuous connections to the 1984 stage work New Puritans. Opened the 'Dance on 4' season. New Puritan Dances (excerpted from Hail the New Puritan) was shown on 'Alive From Off Center', the experimental video series originating from Twin Cities Public Television (USA), in 1987. A 71 AfPENDIX TWO contigued ChoreoclJroqoJogy of Michael CJark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DE SIGNERIS COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) Swamp 1986 Ballet Rambert Bruce Gilbert Leigh Bowery Leigh Bowery Charles Atlas Based on Do You Me? I Did (1984). 17th June members: Music for Michael Clark's Jeffrey Hinton Jeffrey Hinton Sadler's Wells Mark Baldwin Do You Me? I Did (1984) - Commissioned by the director of Ballet Theatre Catherine Becque rock music. DavidHolah DavidHolah Rambert, Richard Alston. London (or Siobhan Stanley (of Bodymap) (ofBodymap) Ii for some Subsequent performances: performances) 1986: 18th & 19th June Lucy Bethune Sadler's Wells Theatre Amanda Britton London Ben Craft Mary Evelyn 1987: Ballet Rambert USA tour which opened: Gary Lambert 3rd February Cathrine Price City Center Theatre New York and: The opening program included Swamp. DavidHolah (ofBodymap) No Fire Escape 1986 Michael Clark and Bruce Gilbert Charles Atlas Charles Atlas Charles Atlas With alterations, Clark re-used a solo from inHell September Company: Leigh Bowery Leigh Bowery Leigh Bowery our caca phoney H. our caca phoney H. (1985) Manchester Leslie Bryant Simon Ro15er! Michael Clark Michael Clark Michael Clark (in each case this is performed by Clark). Joachim Chandler l.l Michael Clark Laibach DavidHolah DavidHolah DavidHolah Subsequent performances: DavidHolah Played- live on stage. (of Bodymap) (of Bodymap) (of Bodymap) As a part of a British & world tour the Amanda King company visited, among others, the following Joseph Lennon Janice Joplll.! Stevie Stewart Stevie Stewart Stevie Stewart places (not necessarily in this order): Ellen van Piece of My Heart The Fall The Fall The Fall - 17th - 28th September 1986 Schuylenburch Sadler's Wells Theatre Carol Straker ~ London - Performed at some stage during 21st - 26th Extras including a Drostan Madden October 1986 at the Brooklyn Academy of child. Music, New York, as a part of this city's Jeffrey Hinton Next Wave Festival'. 72 APfENWX TWO contigued Choreocbrogology of Michael CJark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLEIS DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) No Fire Escape Much of the music was - Los Angeles in Hell commissioned. (continued) - Brazil - Australia 1987 - February Victorian Arts Centre Melbourne - Sydney - Far East including Israel - Europe: - Before August 1987 Teatro Olimpico for Spaziozero Rome Note: Only the second half of the dance was performed, ie, the part titled Now Gods. -Barcelona -Madrid - Stuttgart - 1987 - For the Brighton Festival, Now Gods was performed at the Theatre Royal, Brighton. - Leicester Haymarket Grand Theatre, Leicester. - Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds. Televised on BBC2, March 28th, 1987: Introduced by: Stephen Remington Commentary by: Jan Parry Producer: Keith Alexander Director: Mike Barnes Vocal Artist: Fiona Knowles Photography: Carry Morrison 73 APfENDIX TWO cootmued ChoreochropoJogy of Michael Clark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLEOF (& TITLEIS DESIGNERIS DESIGNER/S DESIGN ERIS COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) No Fire Escape Dancer in addition to those already listed in in Hell performer/s column: Dawn Hartley. (continued) BBC Scotland © Channel 2, 1987. Pure 1987 Leigh Bowery Chopin * * * For the Brighton Festival, Pure Pre-Scenes was Pre-Scenes Approx.May Michael Clark Piano preludes. performed with Now Gods. Theatre Royal and others A Brighton Recorded speaking voice. Subsequent performances: 1987: - Before August Teatro Olimpico for Spaziozero Rome - September Los Angeles Festival Michael Clark and Company opened the festival's dance events. Because We A 1987 Michael Clark and Chopin Leigh Bowery Bodymap Leigh Bowery The first half of the dance is titled Pure Must 16th December company: Piano preludes. Leigh Bowery Pre-Scene§, and the second half, Get Real. Sadler's Wells Leigh Bowery 6 Theatre Leslie Bryant Recorded speaking voice. Subsequent performances: London Michael Clark 1987/88: 17th December - 2nd January Ben Craft Bagpipe music played live Sadler's Wells Theatre David Earl by Major Bob Murphy of London Dawn Hartley the Caledonian Highlanders. Matthew Hawkins See also listings for Pure Pre-Scenes. Julie Hood Graham Lewis & Bruce Amanda King Gilbert Ellen van Heavymetal. Schuylenburch one other performer Elvis Presle}' Silent night 74 APPENWX TWO coptlpued Cboreocbropology of Michael CJark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) Because We Knees UE Mother Brown Must (continued) The British National Anthem. The performers speak, sing & play guitars live. I Arn Curious 1988 Michael Clark and The Fall Bodymap Bodymap Charles Atlas A co-production of the Holland festival & Orange 11th June Company: Play live. Leigh Bowery Leigh Bowery Sadler's Wells Theatre to mark the tercentenary Municipal Theatre Leigh Bowery of the accession of William & Mary & the (Stadsschouwburg) Leslie Bryant A score incorporating the Glorious Revolution. British & Dutch National Amsterdam Michael Clark A Matthew Hawkins Anthems. Subsequent performances: DavidHolah 1988: - 12th & 13th June Julie Hood Municipal Theatre Amanda King (Stadsschouwburg) Ellen van Amsterdam Schuylenburch - 15th - 20th August extras King's Theatre Edinburgh for the Edinburgh Festival - 20th September - 8th October Sadler's Wells Theatre London Rights 1989 Phoenix Dance * * * * Subsequent performances: 19th October Company 1989: 20th & 21st October Shaw Theatre The performers Shaw Theatre London including London A Ricky Holgate. 75 APfENWX TWO coptipued Choreochropology gf Michael Clark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLEOF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) Heterospectives 1989 Leigh Bowery Sondheim * * * A part of Heterospectives is titled Bed Peace. Anthony d'Offay Michael Clark This part was choreographed in collaboration Gallery Russell Maliphant with Stephen Petronio. London Stephen Petronio 2women others A 76 APPENDIX TWO coptlnued CboreochropoJogy of Mfchael CJark FIRST PERFORMER/S MUSICIAN/S COMPOSER/S LIGHTING CHIEF VIDEO/ ART SCREENING CAMERAMAN SOUND ENGINEER DIRECTOR Leigh Bowery 1990 Leslie Bryant David Sari Frederick Chopin Tom Brown Ian Hughes Stephen Scott 1st January Joachim Chandler T-Rex Michael Clark PipeMajor Graham Lewis Dawn Hartley Bob Murphy Velvet Underground Matthew Hawkins Dome DavidHolah Amanda King Rachel Lynch-John Leesa Phillips Russell Maliphant Gisela Mariani IIILE; Because We Must COSTUME VIDEO OFF-LINE LINE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR& PRODUCED ADDITIONAL DESIGNER/S EDITOR EDITOR PRODUCER PRODUCER EDITOR BY NOTES Bodyrnap Hugh Chaloner MiraKopell Peter Nicholson Jolyon Wimhurst Charles Atlas Best Endeavours for A specially Leigh Bowery Channel4 in commissioned association with television version of La Sept. the 1987 stage work ©Channel 4, 1989. of the same name. 77 APrENDIX TWO continued Cboreocbronology of Michael Clark FIRST CH OREO- CAST COMPOSER/S PRODUCTION WARDROBE EDITOR DIRECTOR OF SCREENPLAY SCREENING GRAPHER/S DESIGNERS PHOTOGRAPHY 1991 Michael Clark Marie Angel Michael Nyman Ben van Os Dien van Straalen Marina Bodbyl Sacha Vierny Peter Greenaway (for the character Tom Bell Jan Roelfs Maggie McMahon In colour Based on the play Caliban) Michel Blanc Jacques Janssen The Tempest by Pierre Bokma EmiWada William Karine Saporta HClene Busnel Shakespeare Michael Clark (as Caliban) Deborah Conway Kenneth Cranham Florence Gielen John Gielgud Erland Josephson Mirale Jusid UteLemper Orpheo Isabelle Pasco IIILEi Prospero's Books Michie} Romeyn Paul Russell Mark Rylance James Thierree Gerard Thoolen Emil Wolk Jim vander ASSISTANT CASTING Woude ASSOCIATE CO- PRODUCERS EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTOR DIRECTORS HClene Zellweger PRODUCERS PRODUCERS PRODUCERS COMPANIES Gerrit Martijn UK: MasatoHara Philippe Kees Kasander Kees Kasander Allarts/Cinea/ Palace Pictures Sophie Fiennes Karen Lindsay Roland Wigman Carcassonne NHK: Denis Wigman Camera One/Penta. Edith Hazelebach Stewart Michel Seydoux Yoshinobu In assoc. with Paul Marbus Polly Hootlcins Numano Elsevier Vendex Extras: Katsufumi Film/Film Four FTV Nakamura International/ VPRO Television/ Canal Plus/NHK. 78 APPENDIX TWO continued ChQRochronology of Michael Clark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) Wrong Wrong 1992 • • • • • Choreographed in collaboration with Paris Stephen Petronio. Commissioned by the Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in France & performed in the Festival D'Automne. Michael Clark's 1992 Michael Clark and fib (Public Image Ltd) Michael Clark Leigh Bowery Charles Atlas The solo Clark performs to Send in the Clowns Modem 25th March Company: Theme Steve Scott is carried forward from Heterospectives (1989). Masterpiece Nottingham Joanne Barrett A Playhouse Leigh Bowery Stravinsky Subsequent performances: (often refered to Nottingham Bessie Clarlc The Rite of Sprin_g 1992: - 26th March simply as Michael Clarlc Nottingham Playhouse Modem Matthew Hawkins Sex Pistols - 8th & 9th May Masterpiece) Julie Hood Submission Theatre Royal Brighton (titled Mmm ... ~ (for the Brighton Festival) for the London Cosmic Dancer - 14th & 16th May performances) Cambridge Arts Theatre Ste,ehen Sondhe~ - 22nd & 23rd May Send in the Clowns Crucible Theatre Sheffield Velvet Under~ound - 26th & 27th May Grand Theatre Blackpool - 29th & 30th May Playhouse Newcastle - 2nd - 6th June Glasgow's Tramway - 19th - 28th June King's Cross Depot London (The dance was modified for this venue.) 79 APPENWX TWO continued Cboreochropology ofMJchael Clark TITLE FIRST PERFORMER/S COMPOSER/S SET COSTUME LIGHTING ADDITIONAL NOTES PERFORMANCE (&TITLE OF (& TITLE/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S DESIGNER/S COMPANY IF OF MUSIC) APPLICABLE) e Morag's Wedding * * * * * * 80 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatment and Meanjpgs jg Michael Clark's Choreographic Works. Title of Dance Subject Matter Treatment Meanin2S Untitled Duet * The actual movement of the dance. *"modem" (Meisner, 1981, p 7) * No external referent f 19811 Of a Feather * Birds ( a variety of types of birds and their * loose characterizations *Mainly to do with bird behaviour, for Flock corresponding behavioural characteristics). * loose narrative example, that magpies are aggressive (Parry, [1982] * The actual movement of the dance. * abstraction 1982, p 32) or that a bird in flight somehow * A choreographic device employed in the *symbolism moves in a random way (Constanti, 1983, creation of the dance, that is, chance I *pastiche p 13). randomness techniques. * Choreographic device of 'chance' used * Clark is acknowledging the preoccupation in resulting in a random, fragmentary structure dance with birds, and with dying swans, in to the dance. particular. * Clark is also simply saying that the dance was choreographed using chance I randomness techniaues. Rush * The Clark dance 'Of a Feather Flock' is taken * See 'Of a Feather Flock' noting, however, * See 'Of a Feather Flock', except for the last [1982] as subject matter, therefore the dance is about that in 'Rush' Clark has probably employed a point birds and the actual movement of the dance. greater degree of abstraction. * Clark is also saying that he has employed * The choreographic device taken as subject *humour the performance device of 'rushing' or matter in this dance is not chance I randomness * Performance device of 'rushing' or 'fast-motion'. (as in 'Of a Feather Flock') but 'rushing', that 'fast-motion'. is. oresentin2 the dance in 'fast-motion'. A Wish * The actual movement of the dance. * abstraction * The dance is an expression of want, love, Sandwich * An emotional human relationship. and trust, but on another level the meaning is [1982] not attached to an external referent, to something other than the movement itself. These levels of meaning are interrelated in Clark's concern to illustrate "the disparity between his skills and Smith's more limited ability, and the way they yet treated each other as equals" (Percival, 1983, p 30). 81 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatment apd Meapipgs jg Mjchael Clark's Cboreograohic Works. Title of Dance Subiect Matter Treatment Meaninl!S A Wish * Clark has chosen a title and programme Sandwich note ["a wish sandwich is the kind of sandwich [1982] where you have two slices of bread and wish ctd ... you had some meat" (Constanti, 1983, p 19)] which are intended to (1) broaden the possible audience interpretations, (2) perhaps make the audience realize that they're not meant to try to read meaning into the work, or, (3) refers to the economy of movement of the dance, its "sincere simolicitv" (Haves. 1983. o 19). Parts I-IV * The actual movement of the dance. *allusion * The meanings are largely not attached to an [1983] * Parts I & II: emotional human relationships. * abstraction external referent, to something other than the *pastiche movement itself. * Outplays the codes on which the dance, in those parts, relies. * Part I: episodic Part II: a very loose narrative set up of a dramatic-fantastical kind. * collage (fragmentation in presentation) * montage: TV screens are placed on stage showing fragmented sections of Parts I-IV, from different angles and out of synch (Percival. 1983). Flippin' Eck * The relationship between the mythical * highly abstracted * The meanings are largely not attached to an (OThweet characters of Echo and Narcissus, Echo being *pastiche external referent, to something other than the Myth-tery of hopelessly in love with Narcissus. * Outplays the codes on which the dance, in movement itself. Life) * The actual movement of the dance. those parts, relies. [1984] 82 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatment and Meapjpgs jg Michael Clark's CboreograQhjc Works. Title of Dance Subiect Matter Treatment Meanin2s The French * The French Revolution. * humour I wit * Insufficient information given in reviews Revolting * loose characterizations to be able to state meanings. [19841 New Puritans * The mores of performing (of dance *metaphor * Koegler sees the work's basic statement as [1984] specifically) and everyday life, in terms of * humour I satire I wit being that of protest against convention formal politesse. *allusion (1984, p 34). * Post-punk behaviour. *episodic * Has meaning similar to that of the Dadaist *pastiche manifesto of 1920 (Constanti, 1984, p 1014). *post-punk * Clark is "poking gentle fun at the desperate * radical juxtaposition outrageousness affected by himself and by his * Outplays the codes on which the dance relies peers" (Meisner, 1984, p 33). *parody * Clark presents the idea that dancers are * abstraction narcissists and 'on show', and that the audience *mime members are the voyers (Savage-King, 1984, *symbolism p 30). * loose characterizations * Clark is saying that there can and should be *dadaist (Constanti, 1984, p 1014) serious (that is, not playing around) role- * 'romantic' in some parts (in the sense of love reversal of the sexes in dance & everyday life. rather than romanticism, for example, in He suggests that there is an element of both romantic ballet). sexes in all people (Savage-King, 1984, p 30). * In one section Clark notes the disposability of today's society (Savage-King, 1984, p 30). * Defiance, aggression and attack can be beautiful and celebratory, not just ugly or agonizing (Savage-King, 1984, p 30-31). * Youth is about risk, wilfulness, reckless abandon and relentless energy (Savage-King, 1984, p 31). 83 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatmept apd Meapjpgs in Mjchael Clark's Choreographic Works. Title of Dance Subiect Matter Treatment Meanin2s New Puritans * "In much of the work the dancers are [1984] separate, wrestling with themselves and a ctcl ... hostile world: towards the end they are united by a common consciousness, a bold desire, expressed in their dancing, to grab life by the throat" (SavaJ!;e-Kimr. 1984 D 31). Do You Me? * The actual movement of the dance. * abstraction * On one level the dance could be read as if I Did * The emotional human relationships of *"post-modern" (Crisp, 1984) it were highly formalistic, the meaning not [1984] Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (the *irony being attached to an external referent. play and the Burton I Taylor movie), in *episodic * The first section is "a sinister exposition particular, the relationship between the *allusion of the nature of male power and the spirit of characters Martha and George. The power * loose characterizations female defiance" (Savage-King, 1984, p 29). structures underlying the relationships - *"surreal" at the very end (Savage-King, * Clark is saying that the relationships tension and confrontation. 1984, p 29). presented are all conventional (Savage-King, * 'romantic' in some parts (in the sense of love 1984, p 29). rather than romanticism, for example, in * The dance illustrates a couple having to romantic ballet). play witness to their host's destructive games (Meisner 1984. D 32). 12XU * The actual movement of the dance. *highly abstracted * The meanings are largely not attached to an [1984] external referent, to something other than the movement itself. Hail the * Ballet and its conventions. * humour I wit * Ballet in its classical and romantic forms is Classical *pastiche 'dead' but there is a new 'punk ballet' to be [1985] *allusion made out of the traditional fragments. *post-punk * "surreal" (Crisp, 1985) * Outplays the codes on which the dance relies. 84 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatmept apd Meapjpgs in Michael Clark's Choreographic Works. Title of Dance Subject Matter Treatment Meanina-s Angel Food * The traditional English song 'Summer is *allusion * Related to the meaning in the song [1985] Icumen In'. * loose characterizations 'Summer is Icumen In'. The author of this study is not familiar with this song but smrn:ests that it may be about 'spring fever'. notH.AIR *The musical 'Hair' (of the late 1960s). * humour I satire * See 'New Puritans' - as this dance is the core [1985] This is the only element of subject matter *post-punk of 'not H.AIR' many meanings may carry discernable from reviews of 'not H.AIR'. This These are the only aspects of treatment over. dance, however, is a development an extension discemable from reviews of 'not H.AIR'. This of material in 'New Puritans', so some dance, however, is a development and elements of subject matter in that dance may extension of material in 'New Puritans', so carry over into 'not H.AIR'. some aspects of treatment of that dance may carrv over into 'not H.AIR'. ourcaca *The musical 'Hair' (of the late 1960s). * humour I satire * Clark is simultaneously deriding and phoneyH. * The actual movement of the dance. * radical juxtaposition celebrating 1960s culture. ourcaca * 1960s culture - hedonism, mysticism, * abstraction * There is more substance to the specific phoneyH. individualism, introspection and anarchy. *episodic meanings than to the overall meaning. [1985] * 1960s postmodern dance. * Outplays the codes on which the dance relies * Some meanings may carry over into this * Ideas from 'not H.AIR' have been re-used *pastiche dance from 'not H.AIR', as ideas from 'not in this dance, so some subject matter may *allusion H.AIR' have been re-used here. carry over. *parody * characterizations * The title of the dance gives a clue to its overall treatment (not just its qualities in terms of musical accompaniment), that is, the dance is called a 'cacophony'. * These are the only aspects of treatment discemable from reviews of 'our caca phoney H. our caca phoney H.' This dance, however, is a development and extension of material 85 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatment apd Meapjngs jg Michael Clark's Choreographic Works. Title of Dance Subiect Matter Treatment Meaninl!S ourcaca phoneyH. in 'New Puritans', so some aspects of ourcaca treatment of that dance may carry over into phoneyH. 'our caca phoney H. our caca phoney H.' [1985] ctd ... Drop Your * The traditional obsession in classical * humour I satire *Clark suggests that ballerinas end up "on the Pearls and Hog ballet with swans. The ballet 'Swan Lake' is *allusion scrap heap at 30 with arthritic feet" (Clark It, Girl therefore particularly taken as subject matter. *irony cited in Cleave, 1986, p 23). [1986] *pastiche * Clark is suggesting that "the idea of a *parody ballerina wanting to be a swan is ludicrous" * characterizations (Clark cited in Cleave, 1986, p 24). *narrative * He suggests that ballerinas should break free from the convention of aspiring to dance swan roles. Hail the New * Michael Clark *humour * The film suggests that there is little Puritan * The lifestyle Clark and his company I friends *narrative separation between Clark's life and art [1986] lead in post-punk, bisexual, marginal *collage (Towers, 1986, p 69). "All the world's a young London in the 1980s. *parody stage for ... Michael Clark" (Towers, 1986, *metaphor p69). *allusion * revealing artifice - blurring the boundary between fiction and 'reality'. * mini-retrospective * fantasy-documentary *portrait * a day-in-the-life-of-an-artist (Towers, 1986, p69). 86 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatmept apd Meapjpgs in Michael Clark's Cborqraohic Works. Title of Dance Subject Matter Treatment Meanin2s Swamp * See 'Do You Me? I Did', as 'Swamp' is a * abstraction *See 'Do You Me? I Did' - as 'Swamp' is a [1986) re-working of the former dance. *allusion re-working of this dance, many ideas may * loose narrative carry over. * loose characterizations *metaphor *symbolism * use of drama - the dance is described as 'dramatic' These are the only aspects of treatment discernable from reviews of 'Swamp'. This dance, however, is a re-working of 'Do You Me? I Did', so some aspects of treatment of that dance may carry over into 'Swamp'. No Fire * The actual movement of the dance. * wit I humour * "Drugs are a way out of an impossible Escape in Hell * Trojan's life and world (Trojan being a *pastiche world, real or imagined", but the alternative, [1986) friend of Clark's who died). * narrative (used in parts of the dance) Hell, is no better (Meisner, 1986, p 13). * Death and self-destruction, *parody * Macaulay finds that this dance captures * The repression of marginal self-expression *post-punk Byron's credo: "The only object of life is by authoritarian forces, this causing people to *characterizations sensation - to know that we exist, even live in fear. *symbolism though in pain" (Byron cited in Macaulay, *Carl Jung's statement: "We are placed in *allusion 1986, p 128). situations in which the great 'principles' entangle us and we are left to find a way out." 87 APPENDIX THREE Subject Maller. Treatment and Meapjngs jg Mjcbael Clark's CboreograQhic Works. Title of Dance Subiect Matter Treatment Meaninl!.S Because We * social conventions 'Because We Must' generally: * Dance is, in part, about sex. People watch Must * performance conventions * humour I wit I satire dancers because they find them attractive, (the 1987 stage *dance conventions (in particular, those of * radical juxtaposition reguardless of gender (Sutcliffe, 1987, p 10). version and the ballet) *pastiche * Clark's dance is an answer to the following 1990TV * Clark's productions, according to Macaulay, * Outplays the codes on questions: Why go so far? Why go on version) are "about the sex, violence and larks that they which the dance relies. about the wom-out-ness of dance and other (note alsd that present" (1988, p 441). 'Pure Pre-Scenes' (the first half of 'Because social conventions? His answer is 'because the first half of We Must'): we must', that is, there is an element of 'Because We * cabaret I music-hall compulsion in the reason (Sutcliffe, 1987, Must' is the * humour I wit I satire p 10). His answer is also, however, that ballet 1987 'Pure * radical juxtaposition in its romantic and classical styles is 'dead', Pre-Scenes'. *pastiche that is, it is not of our times, and relevant to This, therefore, *allusion our times (Sutcliffe, 1987, p 10). is also discussed 'Get Real' (the second half of 'Because We here). Must'): *pastiche *romantic *allusion *'fantasy' *symbolism *parody I Am Curious * The actual movement of the dance. * characterization * Insufficient information given in reviews to Orange *The (true) story of King William and Queen *allusion be able to state meanings. [1989) Mary and the Glorious Revolution. *metaphor (seventeenth century). * the dances themselves are fundamentally * Protestantism versus Catholicism. abstract. * 1988 popular culture. *parody * radical juxtaposition *pastiche 88 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatment and Meanjpgs jg Michael Clark's Cboreoarapbic Works. Title of Dance Subiect Matter Treatment Meanin2s Rights * The actual movement of the dance. * abstraction * The meanings are largely not attached to an [1989] external referent, to something other than the movement itself. The sound score, however, does name social wrongs - apartheid, child molestimi:. Heterospectives * Insufficient information given in reviews to * Insufficient information given in reviews * Insufficient information given in reviews to [1989] state subject matter. The subject matter may to state treatment be able to state meanings. The meanings may be connected with sex I sexualitv. be related to sex I sexuality. Prospero's * The actual movement of the dance sections *highly abstracted * The meanings are largely not attached to an Books Clark has choreographed for this film. external referent, to something other than the [1991] * The character of Caliban. movement itself. Finkel, however, notes of * Themes in the play which are also evident in Clark's Caliban that he is "all sexual .... an the character of Caliban, that is, danger and element, a resource of the earth, neither good sex. nor bad, possibly deadly, possibly healing" (1991. p 21). Wrong Wrong * Insufficient information given in reviews to *Insufficient information given in reviews to *Insufficient information given in reviews to f1992l state subiect matter. state treatment. state treatment. Bog 3.0 * See 'Swamp' - as 'Bog 3.0' is a re-working *See 'Swamp' - as 'Bog 3.0' is a re-working * See 'Swamp' - as 'Bog 3.0' is a re-working [1992] of this dance, elements of subject matter may of this dance, aspects of treatment may carry of this dance, many meanings may carry over. carrv over. over. Michael * 'The Rite of Spring' (both the dance and * Most of the dances are abstract. Clark draws a parallel between himself and Clark's score). * fragmentation Stravinsky in terms of the kind ofresponse Modem * A number of ideas, some of which are to do * radical juxtaposition his work has received and the response Masterpiece with an earthly lifecycle: life/death, good/bad, *analogy Stravinsky's work first received. Perhaps he [1992] ugliness/beauty, originality/revolution, *irony is also drawing a parallel between the revol- sacrifice, birth and rebirth, love and sex, self- * loose characterizations utionary nature of Nijinsky's breaking of ballet image, and self-destruction. * primitive (in some parts of the dance) tradition and his breaking of it. This dance, * Today's marginal rock music. *paradox then, primarily works on the level of *allusion significance. * humour I wit 89 APPENDIX THREE Subject Matter. Treatmept apd Meapjpgs jg Mjcbael Clark's Choreographic Works. Title of Dance Subiect Matter Treatment Meanin2s Michael Clark's "' Outplays the codes on which the dance, Modem in these parts, relies. Masterpiece [1992] ctd ... Morag's "' Scottish customs *humour * The meanings are largely not attached to an Wedding * The actual movement of the dance - Scottish "'parody external referent, to something other than the (? year of first dance. movement itself, however, Clark does seem to performance) be saying that Scottish customs and costumes are amusing. 90 Kf'f: bs:., "''""~eon..,. MG:" Hick.al Clarie. O~ O#MI' APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE Riii+ : f'lll)llMlen-t" vie: ups~ OF IOW tauel : rsorr.~.+:UoftF 0 ~...!f ,11e: ao..ins ~ -"'°"ncA. 'lllDIW • r\ IX : J11~i+lon of! Because We Must ml4 ieue1 : ~i~ lauel r~l">Cl.I J.:;J.~ +N:t>'l1" (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) h°!1' ICIJCI :i11"'f"i'19 or b&l~ntl ; l'tei OFF .fl,e ~ • ed:~SI ~""fo."'u. "' " TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-sbu!e. back-sta2e. other) 1 1.1 ()() ()() The following shots are used, some more than once: (bs) Almost completely dark Man mopping - jeans & a Jumbled sound of audience talking (s) front curtain See for (s) & (o) shots. Red T-shirt. throughout Exception: mopping (o) audience Ap6 tinge for curtain & Pianist - see Ap 5. sound only with mopping image. (s) piano behind curtain audience shots. Green (bs) mopping tinge to pools of over- (s) curtain going up head & side lighting for (bs) shots, which are otherwise quite dark. ()() 30 3 women dance mvt which is 'lyrical' or 'fluid' in quality See Green eye. Bright white See Ap 5 Chopin (played by pianist) plus & which is a blend of ballet & modem-dance-type mvt Ap6 elsewhere. noise of mopping. Each dances different 'steps', for eg, one performs mainly mvts which involve turning & fouette actions of the body at mid-level, & small jumping actions. Another performs mvt with outstretched limbs, at low-level. The third nerforms small hoonin2 actions at mid-level. ()() 54 (bs) A person is puting makeup on MC. Man mopping See MC bathed in red light Man mopping - jeans & Chopin ctd. in background. Ap6 completely. Man T-shirt. MC - see Ap 5. mopping - pools of over- Makeup person - bowler head & side lighting hat & decorative jacket. which have a green tinge. Otherwise the (bs) area is quite dark. . ()() 59 (s) 3 women dancing ctd. Their mvt slows to finish still. See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Chopin slows to silence. Ap6 white elsewhere. 01 27 (bs) Female stage technician sitting at desk. See Bathed in red lighting. Black. "Fly cue 1. Go." Ap6 Elsewhere dark. 91 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-swe, back-swe, other) 01 30 3 women start dancing again. They start with mvt at low See Green on Cyc. Bright See Ap 5 New Chopin music (played by level & work towards mvt at mid-level, then high. The Ap6 white elsewhere. pianist) plus the sound of the dancers perform reasonably close together. Their mvt is chainsaw. Sound of chainsaw sometimes in canon or unison. They are often woman stamping feet is added once physically linked through touch (eg: link hands) & inter- she has taken the chainsaw. twine among each other. The mvt becomes faster as it progresses, but is mainly of an adagio quality with a few indispersed pulses. A female dancer is added to the stage a few seconds after the 3 begin. Her mvt is initially mainly slow backwards walking & then rolling on the floor. Meanwhile a chainsaw descends, hung in the u/s L area. She takes the chainsaw & from then on her mvt involves stamping her feet & swinging & thrusting the chainsaw. She dances distanced from the other 3 women. 02 41 (bs) Shot of a male dancer with makeup & costume on. See Performer bathed in red. See Ap 5 Chopin & chainsaw ctd. Ap6 Elsewhere darkness. 02 44 (s) 3 women & chainsaw woman ctd. See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Chopin, chainsaw & stamping Ao6 white elsewhere. sound ctd. 02 48 (bs) Shot of someone's lower legs & feet Someone is See Legs bathed in red. Stockings around the Male voice says: "More, up, up!" kneeling behind these legs. Ap6 Kneeling person bathed ankles & high-heeled plus Chopin & chainsaw ctd. in white light Elsewhere shoes on standing person dark. (all red). Kneelin2. 02 54 (bs) Similar to 02 41, except a different male dancer, & See Bathed in red. Elsewhere SeeAp5 Chopin & chainsaw ctd. slilihtlv different costume. Smilin2. Ap6 dark. 02 57 (s) Shots of 2 of the 3 women leaving the stage, the See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Chopin & chainsaw ctd. Chainsaw chainsaw women touching the blade & grimacing, & the Ap6 white elsewhere. stops. Chopin slows to silence. pianist. 1.2 03 26 (s) Solo sequence for one woman (of the previous trio) See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 New Chopin music (played by begins. Ap6 white elsewhere. pianist). 03 30 (bs) Female stage technician & male dancer in costume See Bathed in red. Technician - Black. Male Chopin ctd. plus speech: talk. Ap6 Performer - see Ap 5. Technician: "Ask Maria" Performer: "Oh" ')'J. APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-sta2e, back-stlll!e, other) 03 32 (s) Solo sequence for woman ctd. See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Chopinctd. Ap6 white elsewhere. 03 38 (bs) Similar to 02 41 except is a female dancer in See Backgrowid of shot is See Ap5 Chopinctd. costwne. Ap6 blue. Perfonner in white li11:ht 03 39 (s) Solo sequence for woman ctd. See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Chopinctd. Ap6 white elsewhere. 03 51 (bs) Male dancer tries to find a 'tool'. See Blue side lighting. See Ap5 Chopinctd. Ap6 03 52 (s) Solo sequence for woman ctd. The mvt perfonned See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Chopinctd. throughout this solo is similar to that of 00 30 but only Ap6 white elsewhere. to the first woman's mvt described. 04 03 (s) A dressed-up person with a false head enters, sits at See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Chopin ctd. which is shortly table. Female soloist continues & is joined by the 2 Ap6 white elsewhere. coupled with chainsaw sowid. other women plus chainsaw woman. Chainsaw woman cuts false head off the dressed-up person, who then falls to the floor. 04 31 (bs) Person drags off stage the dressed-up person. Can See Mingled 'yellowy' light See Ap 5 Clapping & whistling of audience see 1 woman left on stage (not the orevious one). Ao6 plus sowid of dra22ing. 1.3 04 39 (s) Solo sequence for woman begins. Fast turning & See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 New Chopin music (played by jumping mvt. In between shots of her dancing, Bowery Ap6 white elsewhere. pianist). enters, sits at the table & then stands & removes cape. 04 47 (bs) Shot of female dancer & male stage technician. See Bathed in red light Woman - see Ap 5. Chopinctd. Ap6 Technician - black T-shirt. 04 48 (s) Shot of female soloist dancing & then of Bowery See Green on eye. Bright See Ap5 Chopinctd. changing costume. Ap6 white elsewhere. 04 52 (bs) Two female dancers changing costume very rapidly. See Bathed in red light. See Ap5 Chopinctd. Ap6 04 55 (s) The female dancer's solo continues as Bowery See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Chopinctd. continues changing costume & then looks at himself in a Ap6 white elsewhere. hand mirror. The other two female dancers enter as Bowery puts perfume on. The 3 women perfonn inter- twinin2 mvt as described in 01 30, excent much faster. 93 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-stue, back-sta2e. other) 05 34 (bs) Shot of a female dancer (she is one of the 3 See Bathed in red light. See Ap 5 Chopin cul. supposedly dancing on the stage at this moment) with Ap6 the dark chin-strap of her wig strapped across her face from ear to ear, under her nose. 05 40 (s) Three women finish dancing & Bowery ends his See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Chopin ends suddenly. dressing action by standing to face the audience with a Ap6 white elsewhere. flourish and nose. 05 45 (bs) MC opens a door marked EXIT, looks to camera & See MC bathed in pale See Ap 5 Clapping & whistling audience, walks through door & down a hallway. Ap6 yellow, roof in pale sound of door being opened & green & bright blue. sound of MC's footsteps. Bright blue in windows of doors at end of hallway. 1.4 05 53 (s) Bowery & 3 women still posing on stage. 2 women See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Clapping dying out. are not shown on camera for a while (we later discover Ap6 white elsewhere. New Chopin music (played by they are lying on the floor). Various shots of Bowery & pianist) begins. the female soloist, sometimes of these two together. The Chopin continues coupled Bowery, amongst other things, repeatedly scratches his with the following speech: head, looks at his watch, folds his arms & taps the floor Bowery: "Well look what the with his foot, & shakes his arms in mock anger. Finally breeze has blown in. At this he sits on the chair & puts one finger under his chin. o'clock. What kept you?" During this time he also does some mvt similar (&some- Sound of Bryant clicking his times in unison with) to the mvt being performed by the fingers 3 times. woman. Her mvt is relatively slow compared to every- Bryant: "This girl is not kept Miss thing else done by any of the 3 women. It begins on the Burnge. Grief on the train as per floor & then alternates between standing, floor, standing. ushe." Her mvt on the floor involves much rolling & the Bowery: "More trouble. Why don't extension of limbs above floor level. 2 floor mvts are you unload your tits." of particular significance: she makes a 'fish-dive' shape, & Bryant: "They're monsters out later, in the splits with her hands holding her front calf, there, Leigh, monsters." rolls along the floor. Bryant enters & he & Bowery talk Bowery: '1s it too much for a son to at chair while woman changes curtain part of set. kiss the queen?" Bryant: "Mmm-Hmm" 94 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME MAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET UGHTING COSTUMES mlns: secs (on-stHe. back-stJwe. other) 07 42 (bs) Woman speaks to female stage technician. See Bathed in red. Technician - black. Sound of Chopin cul. plus sound Ap6 Woman - black & white of on-stage talking in background. street wear. Woman: "Where's Michael?" Technician: "He's over there wait- ing to come on." 07 47 (s) Bowery & Bryant continue talking. See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Speech: Ap6 white elsewhere. Bowery: "Remember, Leslie, a knife cuts both ways." (Bryant's swearing is cut out with beeps.) 07 51 (bs) Similar to 07 42. Woman shakes her head. See Bathed in red. Technician: black. Cannot hear their speech. Chopin Ap6 Woman: black & white cul. street wear. 07 52 (s) 3 women lie close on the floor making symmetrical See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Chopin cul., first combined with designs with their legs & intertwining their bodies, while Ap6 white elsewhere. laughter (mainly Bowery's) & then Bowery & Bryant walk around them, arm in arm. with speech: Bowery: "Come for a stroll, lad?" Bryant: " Mmm-Hmm." Bowery: "I must say, the girls are looking fantastic tonight." Bryant: "Yes, lovely." Bowery: "A little bit on the thin side by my ample standards." Bryant: "Positively anorexic." Bowery: "You know of course, that they're on cocaine, for every oerformance." 08 21 (bs) Male dancer in costume speaks the words Bryant See Bathed in red. See Ap 5 Chopin cul. plus speech: hear speaks on stage. Ap6 Bowery & back-stage person say: "No Leigh, I'm horrified." 95 APPENIDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-sme. back-sme, other) 08 50 (o) MC enters Sadler's Wells Bar. See Patches of green, red & See Ap 5 Noises at the bar (voices etc). Ap6 yellow light to illuminate certain objects/aspects of bar area. 08 57 (s) 4 technicians carry on a piano while Bryant & Bowery See Green on eye. Bright Technicians: black. Speech: continue to speak. 3 dancers leaving stage. Ap6 light elsewhere. Bowery & Bryant: See Bowery: '1 have heard he's (o) Very brief flash of audience. Ap5. flattened quite a few blades of grass (s) Bowery walks to piano. in his time as well." Bryant yells: "Leigh, Leigh ! Before any more repartee, may I have a little attention please, & tell our audience that Pure Pre- Scenes... " Bowery: "No, attention please, look(!), here comes a piano. Why don't you take off your jacket & then we can belch out a hymn to2ether." 09 17 (bs) Shot of man & female stage technician. See Bathed in red/yellow. Female technician: black. Sound of mvt on stage. Ap6 Man: street clothes. 09 21 (s) Bryant takes jacket off, technicians leave stage & See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Speech: Bowery removes his gloves at the piano. Ap6 white elsewhere. Bowery: "Do you have any requests?" Bryant: "Uh Uh." Bowery: "Oooh, come on, what shall it be for tonil!:ht?" 09 27 (bs) 2 male dancers back-stage. One prepares 'food' (?) as See Blue & yellow light See Ap 5 Speech: another watches. Ap6 coming from opposite Can hear Bowery: "Don't worry, directions. fve l!:Ot the perfect choice." 09 29 (s) Bryant & Bowery sing Ebony & Ivory while Bowery See Green on eye. bright SeeAp5 Singing & piano music (Ebony & plays the piano & Bryant leans on it Ap6 white elsewhere. Ivory) played by Bowery. 96 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mlns: secs (on-si-e. back-staile, other) 09 46 (bs) 2 performers back-stage who are preparing 'food', See Blue & yellow light See Ap 5 Singing & piano music (Ebony & watch on-stage action & sing along. Ap6 coming from opposite Ivory) cul. directions. 09 47 (s) Bryant & Bowery singing ctd. Bryant now stands See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Singing & piano music (Ebony & behind Bowery, with one hand on Bowery's shoulder. Ap6 white elsewhere except Ivory) cul. slightly pink on oiano. 10 11 (bs) Male dancer watches on-stage action. See Performer bathed in See Ap 5 Singing & piano music (Ebony & Ap6 yellow, background in Ivory) cul. blue. 10 13 (s) While Bowery & Bryant singing they are momentarily See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Singing & piano music (Ebony & joined by the 2 dancers who were cooking & 3 women. Ap6 white elsewhere except Ivory) cul. Changes to 'ballet When they leave, one of the 'cooks' takes the chair (near slightly pink on piano. music', still played by Bowery. the mirror) off-stage. One of the 'cooks' remains on- stage. When the music changes, Bryant dances leaning on Bowery & around the piano (eg, ballet barre exercizes). The 'cook' does 'stretching' type mvts near mirror. 2nd 'cook' walks on-stage, drags Bryant under piano & walks off al!:ain. 1.5 11 25 (o) In Sadler's Wells bar/foyer area. Bowery plays piano See Soft white. Actual light See Ap 5 Singing & piano music played by while dancers sing &/or dance for a drunk (?) audience Ap6 fixtures on the walls are Bowery. The songs include, for which stand around the edges of the cleared space where red or yellow. One panel eg, Knees Up Mother Brown (ie, the dancers move, & watch, laugh, drink & sing. Dancing on wall is green. music hall favourites). much jumping or turning mvt Use of 'fish dive' position on floor from 05 53. 1.6 13 40 (s) Bowery plays piano while 4 dancers (2 male & 2 See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 'Ballet music' (same as that of female) do ballet barre exercizes at the piano. Other 2 Ap6 white elsewhere except 10 13 played on piano by (male) do stretching exercizes near mirror. sli2htlv pink on piano. Bowery). 13 52 (bs) MC runs through hallways, smelling the air. See MC bathed in yellow. See Ap 5 'Ballet music' cul. plus the sound Ap6 Blue coming through of MC's footsteps & him taking a window at end of hallway. deeo breath in. 13 55 (s) The dancers continue barre exercizes. When the music See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 'Ballet music' cul. stops the men offer the women presents shaped like Ap6 white elsewhere. pianos (taken out of the piano) & the two male dancers near the table crawl underneath it 97 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mlns: secs (on-stue, back-stue, other) 14 14 (s) Technicians move piano to L side of stage while See Green on eye. Bright Technicians: black. 'Ballet music' ctd. Bowery continues to play it. The draped fabric attached Ap6 white elsewhere. Others: see Ap 5. to the t>iano is dra22ed alon2 after it 14 37 (s) Technicians leave piano on L side of stage & walk off- See Green on eye. Bright Technicians: black. 'Ballet music' slows to silence. stage. Dancers finish in a pose on R side of stage while Ap6 white elsewhere. Others: see Ap 5. Bowery finishes playing the piano & collects up the fabric draped on it Bowery leaves the stage as the pianist (see 00 00) enters. 1.7 14 45 (s) A huge 2-d egg has been placed on-stage. It opens in See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Chopin (very fast) played by the middle to reveal MC. Dancers leap up out of their Ap6 white elsewhere. pianist. poses 'with fright'. Alternative shots of MC dancing solo & pianist. MC's mvt is very fast & involves mainly frenzied jumping & running coupled with a wide range of non-technical arm mvts. 15 13 (s) 4 female dancers enter linked to each other identically See Green on eye. Bright See Ap5 Chopinctd. bv holding hands & interweaving arms. Ap6 white elsewhere. 15 36 (bs) Female stage technician watches on-stage events. See Area where technician Black. Chopinctd. Ap6 stands bathed in yellow/ red. Background bathed in blue. 15 37 (s) MC & 4 dancers continue & then leave stage. Pianist See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Chopin ends with the end of this. left there. Ap6 white elsewhere. 15 56 (bs) MC runs to back-stage to answer phone call while See Area where MC & Technician: black. Back-stage noise. technician drags off some of his costume. Pianist leaves Ap6 technician stand is bathed Others: see Ap 5. stage. in yellow/red. Back- izmund bathed in blue. 1.8 16 02 (s) 8 dancers plus Bowery enter dancing the same 'casual See Green on eye. Bright Technicians: black. Rock music which ends before the disco' mvt in unison. Technicians enter & carry off Ap6 white elsewhere. Others: see Ap 5. next shot (16 18) begins. t>iano. 16 18 (bs) MC on the phone. See Area where MC stands is See Ap5 Hear the sultry female voice on the Ap6 bathed in yellow/red. other end of the phone say Background bathed in "Husky, dusky." blue. ~IS APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-st82e. back-stasre, other) 16 19 Dancers leave stage. See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Sound of mvt on stage. Ap6 white elsewhere. 16 21 Shot of audience. - Red. - Sound of mvt on stage ctd. 16 25 2 couples in piggy-back position with outstretched arms. See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Beeping noise followed by a Ap6 white elsewhere. momentary flash of rock music (different music to 16 02). 16 32 Cbs) Dancer looks to onstalle area. bs White. SeeAt>5 Silence. 16 32 (bs) MC on phone - laughing. See Same as 16 18. See Ap 5 MCs laughter as the woman on the Ap6 phone says: "That's what I get called & I love it." 16 37 (s) Dancers on stage dismount from piggy-back. See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Silence (there seem to be problems Ap6 white elsewhere. with the music). 16 38 (bs) 2 dancers - simialr to 16 32. bs White. SeeAp5 Silence. 16 40 (o) Shot of audience. - Red. - Silence. 16 43 (bs) MC puts down phone. See Same as in 16 18. See Ap 5 Voice of woman on phone. Beep. Ap6 16 45 (s) & (o) Succession of quick shots depicting snippets of See Green on eye. Bright See Ap 5 Rock music (same as 16 25) mvt performed by various groups of dancers or a single Ap6 white elsewhere. When stops & starts. dancer. All the dancing, however, seems to derive from the dancers are depicted the same section of the stage production. In one shot against the black wings, Bryant acts as if he has forgotten his steps. This the lighting has a pink collection of shots includes VIDEO-MIX. tin2e. 17 13 (bs) Female stage technician sorting out MC's tail- See Background bathed in Black. The sound of her mvt, someone costume. Ap6 blue, the technician in saying "cut", & then the rock yellow. music be11:ins again. 17 14 (s) VIDEO-MIX of MC & a female dancer performing mvts See Green on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Rock music ctd. in which he lifts her. Some of these lifts do not work Ap6 white elsewhere. (deliberately) & the female dancer slides to the ground. 17 26 (o) Shot of audience. - Red. - Rock music ctd. 99 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-stue, back-sta2e. other) 17 30 (o) VIDEO-MIX of: MC's profile which moves across the See Green on eye behind MC. See Ap5 Male voice with an American screen, & then of sleeping pianist which moves down the Ap6 Bright white elsewhere. accent says: 'This kind of blanket screen. would last presumably for about a year, year & a half, maybe 2 years. This will be sufficient to kill off all of the vegetation." 17 40 (s) & (o) Succession of quick shots depicting snippets of See Bright white. Green on See Ap 5 Rock music (new) which stops & mvt performed by various groups of dancers or a single Ap6 eye in some shots. then we hear text spoken by the dancer. All of the dancing, however, seems to derive from Towards the end of this male voice with an American the same section of the stage production. This collection collection of shots the accent again: "It was alive, & of shots includes VIDEO-MIX. Important mvts: shaking white lighting is subdued hence killing off all of the plants of bent knees while standing with legs in parallel (mock & a pool of light (white) it would kill off all of the plant- fear); sleeping pianist depicted; dancers lie on floor in is cast in a triangular eating dinosaurs." Rock music male-female couples, face to face, on top of each other; shape down on the starts again. American voice the VIDEO-MIX involves MC sitting sleeping in an arm- picture frame just above again: "&hence the flesh-eating chair which appears to fly while other performers sleep on it. dinosaurs." Rock music starts stage. again. Male voice with a Scottish accent: "It brings home the world that no group is free or safe from extinction if it doesn't obey the natural laws of the planet." Male voice with an English accent: "And that's something we should all think about as we use up our energy resources and pollute the planet" A hollow, eerie, wind- blowing-in-space sound with this last voice. 18 28 (o) Audience - see man yawn. Red. - Man's voice (English) ctd: "I - wonder if man will last for 140 million years like the dinosaurs." 100 APPENIDX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-st82e. back-st82e. other) 18 37 (s) & (o) Succession of shots including VIDEO-MIX: See Green on eye & soft SeeAp5 Chopin piano music from Les performers sleeping; 'mirror' being lowered; identically Ap6 white light elsewhere. Sylphides. At end - sound of dressed dancers stand on either side of 'mirror', one Later changes to red on stamping as Chopin finishes. imitating the other's mvt as if she is the other person's performers & eye. reflection; dancers imitate Les Sylphides mvt doing unison hand/arm rippling mvt; MC's profile (VIDEO-MIX); person & his 'reflection' carry the mirror off-stage with a stamping action; shot of pianist sleeping. 1.9 19 06 (s) & ( o) Succession of many quick shots depicting See Most of the time the See Ap 5 Begins with rock music (new) snippets of mvt performed by various groups of dancers Ap6 lighting on the dancers which soon after is mixed with or a single dancer. All of the dancing, however, seems is a bright white. Only another rock song. Continuing to derive from only one or two sections of the stage once is it a soft white. on, the original rock song to this production. This collection of shots is largely a VIDEO- The eye is peach/orange section is overlaid with Bowery's MIX. Important mvt: pianist sometimes shown asleep; coloured throughout. piano music (the other rock song dancers form a circle, arms around each others' waists & has disappeared). Continuing, the jump up & down together; reference to African dance with piano music stops & we are left thrusting contraction & extension of torso, & arms held with the original rock music &, on bent & pointing upwards to sides of body; mvts which are one occasion, the sound of used to warm up for a dance class; mvts people perform Bowery's verbal sounds as he when they're 'pretending to be ballerinas', eg, flapping masturbates & the pianist's arms in 3rd arabesque with one leg bent & turned in & scream. Then, as the rock music raised derriere & jumping on u/neath leg; Bowery plays continues, Bowery speaks about the piano in a teapot costume; the dancers jump up & angels, Jacob's ladder and Charing down near the sleeping pianist to try & wake him then Cross as the pianist plays. one dancer puts a fmger to his head miming to indicate Bowery stops speaking & we are that he has an idea; dancers bring a ladder on-stage which left with the continuing rock and a technician wearing angel-wings ascends & then piano music, then just rock music. descends immediately on the other side while the dancers The section ends with rock music pose around it; Bowery masturbates (teapot spout) & the & Bowery's screams. glitter-sperm falls on the sleeping pianist who wakes with a scream; dancers perform ballet barre exercizes in some of which they place the backs of their hands across their brows as a part of a port de bras - the ladder & piano are used as a barre & at one stage MC keeps doing his barre 101 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-stue, back-sta2e. other) exercizes holding onto the ladder as it is moved; pianist plays piano & then walks off with a towel placed over his head; MC depicted sleeping in an armchair (as in 17 40); MC & 2 other dancers allude to a specific ballet as they dance with their arms in open 5th position, linked to each other by the elbows; MC sits in piggy- back on Bowery & pats his bottom; the dancers lift & swing Bowery - this image shrinks to a dot to reveal MC asleeo in an armchair. 1.10 23 14 (o) Succession of shots. Throughout this section MC is See Pale yellow glow. See Ap 5 Re-make of the Beatles' song depicted asleep in an armchair while the dancers move Ap6 'Because'. Lyrics partly spoken around him. Important images/mvts: shot of TV screen (rather than sung) in a 'camp' depicting a log fire as if a fireplace; dancers gathered, voice. The lyrics remain the kneeling & standing at different levels around MC's chair same except for words like in front of the TV/fire; surrealistic effects, eg, Bryant has 'sweetie' being added to the end of eyes where his nipples should be; the mvt is all slow & a line. involves lifting one another, sliding & leaning on one another & much of it occurs on the floor; exaggerated pathos in gestures/miming which are references to the meanings in the music, eg, when we hear the word 'love' in the music, the dancers place their hands on their hearts; male dancer's use of hand gesture from the romantic ballet traditionally used by female dancers (ie, arms crossed at the wrists, palms facing away from each other) with 'fish-dive' position of the body, yet the dancer is lifted by his legs being placed on either side of another dancer's head; there are other such references to romantic ballet; the armchair is tipped upside down (with MC still in it asleep) by the dancers. 102 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-stlll!e. back-stal!e. other) 2 2.1 26 ()() (s) The following is an entire section on stage which has See Deep red on eye. Yellow SeeAp5 Slow, electronic, minimalistic two sub-sections which blend at their intersection. It Ap6 (&small bits of green) music which has an eerie quality. opens with a close-up of the TV/fire & then we see the on floor. White light TV in the u/s L corner of the stage. 6 dancers (3 male, 3 also. female) enter the stage in m-f couples. Bryant rises out of the floor through a trap-door. The dancer's mvt is sometimes slow, moving through the music, or, is abrupt & occurs on the sparsely spaced sudden individual notes of the 'melody' line. Bowery enters dressed as a silver star. The star 'is blown up' to fill the screen. The dancers lie on the floor as the set changes. (Here is the sub-section change). Once off the floor, 4 of the dancers are arranged in a row Much more green Silence for a short while at the along one wall, evenly spaced like a romantic corps de (patches) added to floor. completion of this section while ballet. All dancers' mvt becomes very fast for a moment, Blue & green on back- MC & his partner perform their they suddenly reach a static poses & then 5 of them leave drop. White light also. duet. the stage, two of the men dragging their female partners. MC & a female dancer continue to dance, using another 'signature' pose from a ballet & then doing a series of lifts which deliberately fail to work. 2.2 29 16 (s) MC with his hand on his head (as if worried), then See Bright white. SeeAp5 MC yells: "Get out of that rain!!" tilts his head back & ooens his mouth (as if yellin1?l. Ao6 (or is he savin2 'frame'?) 29 17 (s) MC & female partner dance quite fast using pirouettes See Yellow with green SeeAp5 Rock music (new). en dedans & fast developEs to 2nd, amongst other mvt. Ap6 patches on floor. Blue & When the music finishes before they do, MC does a 'silly' green on backdrop. mvt. White li2ht also. 29 24 (s) Shot of snow falling against set. No dancers. See Yellow with green Silence. Ap6 patches on backdrop. - White light also. 29 26 (s) Shot of set emotv of dancers. Ap6 Bright white. - Silence. 29 29 (o) MC putting on makeup in bed. See Yellowy tinge. 'Natural' SeeAp5 Silence. Ap6 light on walls. lUj APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-stue, back-staae. other) 29 33 (s) MC & female partner begin dancing & are shortly See Bright white. See Ap 5 Slow 'rock' music. Towards the joined by 2 other dancers (m & f). Repeated mvt idea - Ap6 end, the music unexpectedly suspended fall & sudden catch; one person (man usually) stops. supports other's weight (woman usually) & then suddenly lets go. The falling person catches herself, caught by another man or by her partner. When music stops, the dancers grimace & stop what they're doing. The camera moves around, unfocussed, on an asoect of the set 30 24 (o) MC drinking in bed. See Yellowy tinge. See Ap 5 Silence. Ao6 30 28 (s) See a male dancer amble off-stage, then a shot of MC See Bright white. SeeAp5 'Rock music' ctd. but has up in one of the painted trees of the backdrop. The Ap6 considerably increased in tempo ambling dancer enters the stage dancing on the u/s L to (to a medium tempo). The music d/s R diagonal doing a virtuosic solo (involving, eg, stops as the 'star-face' fills the cabrioles and double pirouettes). He is shortly joined by screen. another male dancer. Shot of first male dancer by himself entering the stage &, seeming to feel like it wasn't a good enough entry, turning around and leaving. At this stage the camera is obviously moving in time with the mvt. Back to the shot of the first male dancer with the 2nd, 'still dancing', & joined by MC. They dance in unison. Bowerv's 'star-face' fills the screen as in 26 00. 31 06 (s) Many dancers perform in front of, & behind, a See Bright white. SeeAp5 'Rock music' ctd. huge DEAD sign. Repeated motif - dancer being carried Ap6 off-sta2e in a crucifix shave. 32 05 (o) MC smokes in bed. See Yellowy tinge. 'Natural' SeeAp5 Silence. Ap6 light on walls. 104 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-stue back-stue. other) 32 08 (s) Performers dance as two people dressed as a horse See Bright white. See Ap 5 'Rock music' ctd. Includes guitar enter. Two female dancers jump onto the horse's back, & Ap6 riffs which correspond to the are soon lifted off. The horse 'dies' while the dancers horse's 'rearing' actions. Music run across the stage & then stand & sway/lean. Dancers becomes increasingly dissonant, drag horse off-stage. irregular, without melody. Ends suddenly. Very brief period of slow, quiet classical stringed instrument music while horse is dra22ed off-sta2e. 2.3 33 34 (s) Bagpipes player enters, stands on a rock & plays. 5 See Bright white. SeeAp5 Bagpipe music (played by Pipe male dancers walk on-stage & stand in a row facing Ap6 Major Bob Murphy). audience. 34 09 (bs) Female stage technician looks through glass See Bright white. Black. Bagpipe music ctd. windows of door. Ap6 34 11 (s) Men begin dancing with a bow. Mvt they perform is See Bright white. See Ap 5 Bagpipe music ctd. a blend of Scottish dance & ballet. 4 women enter also Ap6 doing ballet/Scottish mvt but as a group intertwined & interlinked bv crossed arms & holdin2 hands. 34 24 (bs) MC changing costume with help from female stage See Bright white. Technician: black. Their muffled talking & steps & technician. Ap6 MC: seeAP5. baimipe music ctd. 34 31 (s) Dancers continue. See Bright white. SeeAp5 Bagpipes ctd. Ap6 34 35 (bs) MC & technician running down steps. MC trying to See Yellowy tinge. Technician: black. Bagpipes ctd. plus noise of them do up new costume, technician carrvin2 costumes. Ap6 MC: see Ap5. runnini? on stairs. 34 38 (s) Dancers continue. See Bright white. SeeAp5 Bagpipes ctd. Ap6 34 44 (bs) MC & technician running. See Yellowy tinge. Technician: black. Bagpipes ctd. plus sound of their Ap6 MC: seeAp5. running. 34 47 (s) Dancers continue. See Bright white. SeeAp5 Bagpipes ctd. AP6 34 51 (bs) MC rushing, gets in 'cage' area, puts on a crown, See Yellowy tinge. Technician: black. Bagpipes ctd. plus MC's running. gives 'thumbs-up'. Stage technician winds the lift Ap6 MC: seeAp5. lU~ APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mlns: secs (on-staee. back-sbllle, other) 36 06 (s) MC & 4 women dance. Women leave stage & MC See Bright white. See Ap 5 Bagpipes ctd. continues. Significant mvts: MC puts the heel of his Ap6 hand to his forehead (as if in distress); does a 'crippled' walk (turned-in legs with one foot on demi-pointe) with his cape over his face & stooped over forwards; lays on floor in front of bagpipe player & looks up at him; runs around stage taking tiny stepping runs & then collapses in a heap u/s; stands up with his crown in his mouth & lim-os/staHers off sta2e. 38 08 (s) 3 men, 3 women & MC perform a blend of Scottish See Bright white when See Ap 5 Bagpipe music continues but is dance & other mvt. Part of this section involves VIDEO- Ap6 dancing in front of more up-tempo. MIX, & there are some momentary whole-screen flashes scenery. Yellow on eye of the bagpipes player. Bowery in his star-costume & bright white elsewhere 'expands until his face fills the screen' as in 26 00 & for other parts. 30 28. 39 28 (o) The Scottish dance continues around MC, while he See Yellowy tinge. 'Natural' See Ap 5 Bagpipe music ctd. puts on his makeup & drinks in bed, whether by the Ap6 light on walls. dancers actually moving by his bed or through VIDEO- MIX. 39 49 (s) & ( o) Scottish dancers still dancing however their mvt See Yellow on eye. Bright SeeAp5 Bagpipe music ctd. no longer looks like Scottish dancing. VIDEO-MIX of Ap6 white elsewhere. MC smokin2 oasses across screen. 40 25 (o) MC lying in bed watching 1V. A friend visits & See 'Natural' light on walls. See Ap 5 Visitor says: "Oh Michael, kisses him hello. Ap6 White light. Michael, baby, are you okay?" plus ba1mioes ctd. 40 33 (bs) MC vomits (we see the same lead up to, & then See Yellow & blue light See Ap 5 Bagpipes ctd plus sound of actual vomiting, 3 times). Ap6 coming from different vomiting. directions. 40 55 (s) Bagpipes player takes instrument out of his mouth. See 'Natural' light on walls. SeeAp5 Music stops. Ap6 White li2ht. 40 57 (bs) MCs 'lead up' to vomiting (but we are cut off before See Yellow & blue light SeeAp5 Sound of MC's footsteps. he actually does). Ap6 coming from different directions. 106 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-stue, back-sta2e, other) 41 03 (o) MC is lying in bed with his visitor sitting on the end See 'Natural' light on walls. See Ap 5 SoWld of vomiting while the of the bed. This visitor screams when another visitor Ap6 White light elsewhere original visitor screams: "Oh!" & suddenly appears from behind the bed. with a slight yellow tinge the new visitor says "Hello Michael, you're not well, I hear." 41 08 (bs) MC after vomiting. See Yellow & blue light See Ap 5 MC gasping & sniffmg. Ap6 coming from different directions. 2.4 41 11 (o) VIDEO-MIX - various shots in which one or more See Bright white. See Ap5 Rock music (different to all the dancers are depicted. Significant images/mvts: one Ap6 previous rock music). person on all fours wearing a collar is pulled along on a leash by another person; the leach is pulled between the 'owner's' legs & the 'owner' walks as MC did in 36 06; dancer rubs the insides of her thighs with her hands; naked couple - the woman stands while the man kneels with his head against her pubic region; kising of feet; some of the dancers carry 2 lit candles; the horse from 32 08; imitation of bestialitv; whiooimz. 45 48 (o) 13 shots depicting words (eg, 'evolve' & 'deep'), - Various. - Rock music ctd. photos, paintings, signs, a mushroom, parts of documentaries. 45 54 (o) MC in bed is woken by an alarm. The TV is on. See 'Natural' light on walls. SeeAp5 SoWld of alarm. Ap6 2.5 45 58 (o) VIDEO-MIX - various shots in which one or more See Slightly pink. See Ap 5 New rock music. dancers are depicted. Significant shots: MC dancing Ap6 armmd TV/fire while other dancers play guitar/dance; the dancers are sometimes seen within a TV screen; MC clenches his teeth & PWlches at the camera/viewer. 48 27 (o) Shot ofMC's emptv bed. Ap6 'Natural' li11ht on walls. - Rock music ctd. 48 29 (o) Shot of a sunflower - fills the screen. - - Rock music ctd. 48 31 (o) Dancers lie on the floor making patterns through See Bright white. See Ap 5 Rock music ctd. collection of bodies moving - viewed from overhead Ap6 (like in old Hollywood movies). 107 APPENDIX FOUR: CHOREOGRAPHIC OUTLINE OF Because We Must (the 1990 television version of the 1987 work) TIME IMAGE SOUND PART SECTION COUNTER ACTIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS SET LIGHTING COSTUMES mins: secs (on-sme. back-sta2e. other) 49 27 (o) MC with sunflower. VIDEO-MIX - Bowery in his See Bright white. SeeAp5 Rock music ct lOM \IQ 1 • ·..olfc;Mq 'llV!d ·/flop~~~-. ,1118 - ~~,f~N l0661) Jsnw aM asntJjaEI Jo saumisos aQl j o uo!JCllsnm at\fd x1puamtv Armendix Five F011n calo11red svl+ : f.f~h ~ i ~ -lravws.. J rQ ir~ loose ) b~ Biot't "otlb!E. l>n•~~J J QC1:ef Real &iiJ l~r~ vn i +,,.., vn~u-ntAll.. Vat'ia.fioris 011 ./ltis cos+4'~: t. WHh jAcKet o~r. J. W;~ boH.ja 110 Appendix Five 9 Men tavfl colovred 11v it wnl°" h.i..s ofl!J oflC. Clfl'l'1 • \ \)11,'+oro( un•c,...-11. h•f> A s tit »011: 3011t•l':j "'rosl N. lo•c.ic.. J \ f ftie.- ir'o v~ are- 1/Hrll~ io -!!. Of>C. !.I/Om '°J ~ women . / \ \ V~riatiais on #iis costume: r. Wiff-i()V~ jaacel' ~ 1. " ,. ., an' wi""1ovr tro11sus en • ie : Jo6t +he. ,.~, vnifat'ol ~"d shoes worn. 111 AD,pendix Five ~ le!J.hBow~ Th fG/\ rimmed b lac« Fiue, i~1'4in~ wh•fc. wi#> ('i~Kt'~ c:J-icS J J41f't ~e- 81~ .He w~ ·,J4'11 ',felt"$ WiiicJ-i r:an baGI< olllo 1"1/ll(~_..,. 41'1C( llA".f=' rd lif S cValV(I f/l/el/I 11vkid~ -llM.. ~rn 1'3 head . l "' ~ k f11fvl"lll lip- l ine • //.~, ... -- 1 ~ \fa,...,a+ionson +his costvme &wu'f is SU/1, on s+a~,dl'essit1j hlmselF 1(,to ./hi's c.o.stume. We.. #iert~f'C.s~e.~ \/At'IOUS $hje.S o~ ~ '"-'ef'inj 0, ~ i+erns o~c.lo+hi'j in .fohi s. CO$f-urvu? • 112 e) Micl-lael ClarK Oillosa11r Svit Favn colovre4 ~ OttorM • The, \'jod11 +rov Gel"6 • -tail~ oF .Jh&.J""~ ~-/op OF ead1 liffrlll!'1 p"'1C I ihlfrd ed. ariO rovndd . Va,,ia+i0t1 on #ii~ c.ostvme: +rovset's and shorit--sleevetil lyc,ra top wom on~. Barel'ool" also. 113 "111 ·-+~~,.,r Pi>fJ;IOJ ~ ,,.£_~ . ?VII -d•f J•J~+•V '>'ft ')J'.l'ilif\O f ~f"l ~fJ(J ~!/ l'V ?~( '"WI rg~~&'fl {snJ "v,11 'M111'f"fS?fi') UffJb 1(1-.11" ?f•~1'\ ~t U !o0 'S! "';J Aopendix Five l\ihik. (:rill •t cht6t · Flesh Iif tfi 1o loo"" 1:x.e- breo&ls . W~.ff- ~ri I 4f wris~ . llb Aopendix Five llb J..11 '9WllfQOJ JO,fg c~Mog ~~~, Cr AT2[2endix Five t9 Michael ClarlV Ar,..J ,r·c" .+~. (_...otled) Va,...ia~ion on .fhi5 costv~: Ovh;ide ho.If of enh~ eye~ arias paiot~ blac.I(,. II~ • 0 . ~lll'lll'! .. "lt~M .,,~ jO )l?Vq 6fUD ~do.l.}'3 - saio'f-'<'~ '11-!,.., ~NI (l) fl'ltl'nl 'lfll(J O'CI ''lOtJfq pa+u1id 9111.,.11:1 ~>r>~1h- "'l.l!+ua :JO JI~ ~~ '!~110 : ~llf attfd x7puaaav 't?I ·~:>"'ICf P+"!"cJ Sl1~ ..(t>OO~h~ "alf-1-"~ :JO .:1104 ~/O.lf.+no : awn-4-">0J S!'it VO VO!ftl~ J VJ\ • .,,,1q11J 'll~~lfM ;/J ~~,i;I . f¥1'1J b"'1'""f4"d £ll "')fJ/f~~ "fl&(J • ~~ ~ .i1oq vmo.Jq fuo1 aflJd x_zpuaaav Armendix Five Bl•ac. mai:c.lf' pa•~W it1 ~ olrl'sik «>~ ~ ~e M'llf"- aA;JC--&"cttK 11/'c4I . &/t : si' rr.r wa ~ . I I IJ4 I ! 31l!d xJpu:>actv Appendix Five .SM~ "•'"· 811'1.ir ma•t·VP f"'it'lted ;.. "*'c.. ovt6idc. '°'""""" °' ~..+-ire. c~c-.soci..et area. Scfll i11'4 br• -':JP' aHachment *1 Vf1.i#rl. Shoc.s / f'lt ·~ , 6~ «rt al~o r.e1u111ed.. J &rt &fm6. For a var,"an'o11 or> .fhis wsf11me.. tJ« p 121. /lb ApPvidlx f/ve- t) Womat1 · •.Sptt'KliJ u•ocun. 51/le«. m4te-vp pai11+eJ. in -!tie. ovt&i'de eorn~ DI' •~ entire. ~-~et Nt'~. se.yvi11~ bn:i (Ml4. &rt MllS, ~ I.fellow, safu Gire~ whic4-i l\as o. R:IAm bv6t le un.:1 ...,.."'"' 1r -to ma"e it 5tAnol wt •+ 'h O..u; • The b11S-tfe.. ie. A-in~ if\ feo...... ,. -down . '1ellow,shij ljU-4 tijht.!>. Variafion on /his coslt;me: -!he s1 i ' \ .. 'r. [ ~ ' ' ,.•,· " I . .,::).)·.·.\...... ·.• ~.- f "'I•.'' "'".; / ':.'~ /) t I . -·-· ~--· <\! . --- 127 Apoendix Five tjellow wwbo'1 hQr; wi#i White, bQl\tf. L.i_jhl- rna1t:.tvp: 'ft'kiui, p1'01< ~ ,.(!) • 'fellovi Sa+i'l cape -+-shirt. ~v 1 1>ei:l stip c;A)Ayne lj llcr'OSS ~I-. 12$ Apoendix Five v) Mi~ae I Clari<. 11 ~I' whit• a.n' p;ru:. cr"Olll • 6lact<: l\'Mlt ·ni< sA-tiA bo:lice : ~ e.corqtM 1'1 Ge Yaria~ion: on #tis co~+ume. : wi~OCI+ cape Md crown plv~ A sl~'1ttj differe.ni" h4~r-$~le - fwo VetJ small pi~--ttik 011 ei-ther side oF -tt-e. hdd (Ii~ Qlien an+~nn~) 12.'I Appendix Five E:mb~oitkred ~l<-'Y'--<" lil...... -A e111i.,~ c-'tre ,m,,.s~+ boo; ce . Booli c Variations on -#tis cosfv1t1e : Men mws' coshlmes have. a hof-pi11K. Sf1f11•'n ed crohn areQ +o #te. hD 130 131 Armendix Six Description of the Sets for Because We Must KEY: Le,:ot ------~------centre (9 eto-1' 1. Red apd Greep Sta1:e Set (See images in sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.7 & 1.8, as described in the choreographic outline.) This set consists of a red floor, black wings and an apple-green eye. Situated in the upstage right comer of the stage, covering a third of the eye, is a red curtain which extends from 'ceiling' to floor. Three longitudinally bunched curtains, one white and two red, hang next to the inside edge of the open red curtain. In front of the open red curtain is an enormous rectangular, gilt-framed mirror, and just underneath this mirror, a wooden table and chair. Part of a costume and various toiletry items are on the table. A white grand piano with its stool is partially hidden behind the curtains. Variations on this set: (Note that these must be read in succession because, unless otherwise stated, changes occurring in one section carry on into the next section discussed.) During section I .I a chainsaw is lowered to hang from the ceiling in the upstage left comer of the stage at the dancers' head level. During this section the chainsaw is taken by one of the dancers and the device used to lower it is raised up beyond sight. During section I .4 the two bunched red curtains are moved to drape, curved in an upside-down 'V' shape from one point on the 'ceiling' to the wings on either side of the stage. Shortly afterwards both curtains are lifted up and entirely out of the stage space. Following this the grand piano is carried to centre stage, the bottom end of the white curtain being attached to the open lid. This creates a draped curve of white curtain from the ceiling near the big red curtain to the piano. Finally the wooden chair (belonging to the table) is removed from the stage. During section I .6 the piano is moved to approximately the downstage left comer of the stage, the white curtain simultaneously coming loose from the ceiling and trailing to 132 Appendix Six the ground The curtain is gathered up at one end and dragged off-stage. For section 1.7 the large red curtain against which the mirror is hung has been replaced by a flat red panel. This panel extends in an 'L' shape to cover the entire right wall of the stage space. The table and chair have been removed while the mirror remains but is lowered closer to floor level. Centre stage stands a huge two-dimensional egg which Clark splits in half to reveal himself behind The two panels are left lying on the floor centre stage while he dances. During section 1.8 this set is rarely depicted, but on one occasion when it is, the piano and stool are carried off-stage. On another, the bare minimum is presented - a green eye, a red floor, and an empty frame (which once contained the mirror-glass) in the upstage right corner. 2. The Sadler's Wells Theatre Bar and Foyer Area (See image in section 1.4 and all of section 1.5, as described in choreographic outline.) The bar area and 'foyer' are in fact different aspects of the one space. While people sit or stand around the edges of the room where the bar and seating is located, an area in the centre is cleared. It is here that the dancers perform and a white grand piano is located. 3. Backstaa:e The backstage areas of the Sadler's Wells Theatre are like those of any other theatre and therefore a lengthy description is not considered necessary here. It is for this reason that in the choreographic outline where the backstage areas are used as sets, the outline simply reads 'bs' rather than referring the reader to this appendix. 4. Purple and Green Staa:e Set (See images in sections 1.8 and 1.9 as described in choreographic outline.) This set consists simply of a green eye and a plum-coloured (medium purple) floor. There is only one variation on this set, that being the inclusion of the mirror frame against the green eye in the upstage right corner of the stage in one image of section 1.8. 133 Azwendix Six 5. Red Staa:e Set (See images in sections 1.8 and 1.9 as described in choreographic outline.) This set consists of a red eye and red floor. Variations on this set: (Note that these must be read in succession because, unless otherwise stated, changes occuring in one section carry on into the next section discussed.) During section 1.8 the mirror frame is carried off-stage to leave a plain red set. For section 1.9 the white grand piano has been included on the stage in some images, while in other images the otherwise empty red set is coupled with a step-ladder. 6. Red and Purple Staa:e Set (See images in section 1.9 as described in choreographic outline.) This set consists of a red eye and a plum-coloured (medium purple) floor. The only variations to this set occur in some images of section 1.9 in which either the step ladder or white grand piano are included. 7. Ljyjne-room Set (See all of section 1.10 as described in choreographic outline.) This set consists of a room containing: windows, a potted plant, a fireplace which has a television depicting a log fire inserted into it, a video machine situated under the television, paintings, various ornaments, a magazine rack containing magazines, a radiator, an old armchair, a lounge-chair, a lamp on a tall stand, and a wooden floor. 8. Yellow and Red Staee Set (See images in section 2.1 as described in choreographic outline.) This set consists of a red eye and yellow floor. Situated in the upstage left corner is a television set depicting a log fire. 9. Woodland Staee Set (See images in sections 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3, as described in choreographic outline.) This consists of a mottled green and yellow floor, a mainly blue and green, painted woodland backdrop, a television set depicting a log fire located in the upstage left 134 Aopendix Six comer of the stage, and a fake rock covered in moss half way back along the right side of the stage. Variations on this set: (Note that these must be read in succession because, unless otherwise stated, changes occuring in one section carry on into the next section discussed.) In section 2 .1, towards the end 'snow' or 'rain' is introduced. For most images in section 2.2 the set is considerably more lit, and lit with white light, and thus the floor now appears slightly yellow. For some images in section 2.3 a huge DEAD' sign attached to transparent net is lowered down to stage level. Shortly afterwards it is removed. 10. Michael Clark's Bedroom Set (See images in sections 2.2 and 2.3 as described in choreographic outline.) This set is made up of a cast-iron bed with a Union Jack bedspread, a television set, and Clark's princess costume plus various posters hanging on the walls. Of the posters, there are multiple identical ones which are advertisements of one of Clark's productions, while the remaining one depicts one of the members of the band T Rex. 11. All Yellow Set (See images in section 2.3 as described in choreographic outline.) This set consists of a buttercup yellow eye and floor. 12. Movim: 'olapt-desi1m fabric' back1:roupd (See all of section 2.4 as described in choreographic outline.) This is not a 'set', but rather a swirling design depicting plant-like shapes (for example, leaves) upon which the dancers are superimposed through video-editing techniques. The design is constantly changing in its colour combination, from yellow and brown to yellow, pink and red, to brown, pink and yellow, to pink and orange and then to green and orange. 13. Rotatim: Royal Blue Backa:round (See all of section 2.5 as described in choreographic outline.) 135 Appendix Six This is not a set, but is a coloured background against which the dancers are superimposed through video-editing techniques. Sometimes a television set (depicting a log fire) is included with the blue background and the dancers. Alternatively, sometimes the television set is included without its screen, so that the dancers may be seen through the television's frame when they dance behind it. 136 BIBLIOGRAPHY Note: In some instances page numbers were not available for newspaper articles. Those available have been included to assist future researchers. Abercrombie, N., Hill, S. & Turner, B. The Penguin dictiomuy of sociology. London: Penguin Books, 1988. Adshead, J. (ed) Dance analysis: theory and practice. London: Dance Books, 1988. Adshead, J. Lecture notes from the University of Surrey course Dance Analysis and Criticism, 1991. Anawalt, S. Los Angeles. Ballet Review 15, 3, Fall 1987, pp 7-10. Anderson, J. New York newsletter. Dancing Times LXXVII, 915, Dec 1986, pp 222-223. Anon. Dancer you will know: Michael Clark. Dance and Dancers Feb 1982, p 44. Anon. Dance: first steps: Michael Clark. The Times Mar 8th, 1986. Dance info: Michael Clark and Company. 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A~ainst the ~ain: essays 1975-1985. London: Verso, 1986. Featherstone, M. (ed) Theory culture and society: vol 5. nos 2-3. June 1988: Postmodemism. London: Sage, 1988. Finkel, A. London - New York (USA): the story of English: Michael Clark at the Next Wave Festival. Ballet International 10, 3, Mar 1987, pp 20-23. Trying The Tempest. New Dance Review IV, 2, Oct-Dec 1991, pp 20 -21. Fischer, E. Aesthetic norms and today's social taboos: the effect on innovation and creativity. Ballet International 13, 1, Jan 1990, pp 48-53. Fiske, J. Introduction to communication studies. London: Methuen, 1982. Fuchs, E. Staging the obscene body. TDR (The Drama Review) 33, 1 (T121), Spring 1989, pp 33-58. 141 Foster, H. (ed) Postmodern culture. London: Pluto, 1985. Frith, S. Art of the book of the film. Si~ht and Sound 1, 8, Dec 1991, p 32. Garske, R. Holland Festival: Amsterdam/NL: a task for the future. Ballen International 11, 5, May 1988, pp 12-17. Genne, B. The Rambert birthday season. 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