Claremont Colleges Scholarship @ Claremont Scripps Senior Theses Scripps Student Scholarship 2017 A Choreographic Exploration of Race and Gender Representation in Film and Dance Sharon M. Keenan Scripps College Recommended Citation Keenan, Sharon M., "A Choreographic Exploration of Race and Gender Representation in Film and Dance" (2017). Scripps Senior Theses. 1002. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/1002 This Open Access Senior Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Scripps Student Scholarship at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in Scripps Senior Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Choreographic Exploration of Race and Gender Representation in Film and Dance By Sharon M. Keenan Submitted to Scripps College in Partial Fulfillment of the Degree of Bachelor of Arts Professor Brosterman Professor Williamson Friday, April 28, 2017 P a g e | 1 P a g e | 2 Dedication To my parents for pushing me to do my best in whatever I pursue To my dancers… Maile Blume Caroline Bourscheid Cali Giuggio Julia Griffin Sydney Levine Hannah State …for making my artistic vision come to life To Ronnie, Gail, Kevin, Suchi and Kim for providing immense support and mentorship P a g e | 3 Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 5 Research .......................................................................................................................................... 7 History .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Defining/Distinguishing Representation .................................................................................... 11 Marketing ................................................................................................................................... 16 Course of Action ......................................................................................................................... 18 Conception of the Dance .............................................................................................................. 21 One and the Same .......................................................................................................................... 24 Try It On Make It Fit ..................................................................................................................... 29 Rehearsal Process ....................................................................................................................... 29 Development and Analysis of Choreography ............................................................................. 30 Production Elements ................................................................................................................... 33 Evaluation and Directions for Future ......................................................................................... 37 Bibliography.................................................................................................................................. 39 Appendices ........................................................................................................................................ A: Production Timeline .............................................................................................................. 40 B: Budget .................................................................................................................................... 41 C: Press Release ......................................................................................................................... 42 D: Program Copy Information Sheet .......................................................................................... 44 E: Rehearsal Notes ..................................................................................................................... 46 F: Flyers ...................................................................................................................................... 47 G: Costumes ............................................................................................................................... 50 P a g e | 4 Abstract Through extensive research which culminates in a choreographic component, this thesis explores the lack of diverse representation within artistic and entertainment industries in regards to race and gender. In pursuit of a concise argument, most of the focus is on race and the conditioned view of gender as binary. Looking specifically at dance and film, it considers and analyzes why this absence persists, along with ways to ensure progress. The analysis and exploration unfolds in five central chapters: Research, Conception of the Dance, One and the Same, and Try It On Make It Fit. By detailing all that goes into creating a space that consistently hinders representation of minorities, this project will provide a better understanding of how minority communities are affected as a result. With this knowledge, I hope to present solutions that are simple with an attempt to demonstrate the urgency for new methods that expand portraits of diverse and authentic representations outside of the “norm.” The significance of this project lies in the articulation of an issue that is too often ignored. Change will not happen until it becomes unacceptable for people to remain ignorant and complacent on the subject. Research: Much of this research looks at the historical foundation of both industries and how that history contributes to current race/gender inequities. This section seeks to distinguish the “politics of representation” reinforced in marketing and production. Both film and dance have a history of presenting limited perceptions of the “ideal self” that anyone who wants to be “normal” should adopt. As a result, it forces those outside of the “norm” to try and relate where there is no relation. I will provide evidence that showcases how this is still pervasive, but also how change can occur by offering simple, productive, and authentic solutions. Conception of the Dance: This section details the initial thought process and development of the performance aspect. Stemming from personal experiences as a woman of color, the choreographic project performs and explores the creation, implementation, and breaking of a cycle but it also explores the need for constant progress. One and the Same: The choreography sets up a foundation or the first step in the process of lack of representation. The audience was introduced to images that have previously dictated what popular culture, values, and behavior are. It followed the process of brainwashing, showing a decline of individuality into uniformity. At first, we are happy with the decision to conform and be at the top socially but at some point you realize something about this conditioning is not right or comfortable. Video of the performance can be found… Try It On Make It Fit: Includes an in-depth analysis of choreography in relation to the subject, as well as details of my choreographic process. Try It on Make It Fit is divided into four sections: Prelude, The Call, Struggle, and Coming Together. The sections are representations of themes that reoccur in cyclical systems of oppression. Video of the performance can be found… P a g e | 5 Introduction This project developed through my personal experiences as a woman of color who has a passion for both dance and film. Continuously struggling to find identifiable versions of myself on the screen and stage, prompted me to explore the cause for cyclical misappropriation and underrepresentation. Moreover, it pushed me to reflect on how I, my friends and family interact with and are affected by the complexity of this problem. This exploration yielded a great deal of material which necessitated dividing the choreographic inquiry into two parts. One and the Same was created in the fall semester and presented in the Scripps and Pomona College joint dance concert In the Works, while Try It On Make It Fit developed in the spring and showcased at the Scripps Dances concert. Establishing background research is necessary to contextualize the choreographic intent and development. Understanding the pervasiveness of underrepresentation, and how far it extends into history is key to analyzing cyclical systems of oppression. Dating back to blackface minstrelsy and continuing up until recent blockbusters such as Moana (Clements and Hall 2016), the research details the key components of the system: History, Defining/Distinguishing Representation, Marketing, and Courses of Action. Each facet provides examples connecting the struggles between dancers of the past and present, pervasive movie trends, as well as the evolution of societal expectations. These facets function to illustrate the underlying theme that audiences are continually provided with fixed ideals of the norm. Research and analysis of the system concludes with actionable steps for improvement. P a g e | 6 Building off the research, the choreographic component was divided based on my perception of the cycle stages. One and the Same, which references Defining/Distinguishing