DANCE/MUSIC ARTISTIC PERCEPTION (AP) ® TRADITIONAL CLASSICAL CREATIVE EXPRESSION (CE) rtsource CONTEMPORARY HISTORICAL & CULTURAL CONTEXT (H/C) A The Music Center’s Study Guide to the Performing Arts EXPERIMENTAL AESTHETIC VALUING (AV) MULTI-MEDIA CONNECT, RELATE & APPLY (CRA) ENDURING FREEDOM & THE POWER THE HUMAN TRANSFORMATION VALUES OPPRESSION OF NATURE FAMILY Title of Work: is a rural dance from Bauce which is done in a ‘squareset’ Suite of French Canadian Dances formation. This is followed by a ‘gigue’ representing the Irish ‘step-dancing’ influence of the 19th century. Creators: It is based on fewer numbers of tap sounds per beat Company: AMAN (active 1964-2003) Artistic Director of AMAN (1978-96): Barry Glass and incorporates more relaxed arms than traditional Choreographer: Yves Moreau and France Bourque-Moreau Irish dance. The piece then moves to a ‘formal waltz’ Traditional Music Arranged by AMAN Musicians interlude, called Valse Lancier, a dance which became a Background Information: craze all over Western Europe and North America in The AMAN International Folk Ensemble was a cultural the 19th century. Next is Quadrille de Saint-Basile and educational organization based in Los Angeles, from the County of Portneuf in Quebec. Even though dedicated to researching, preserving and presenting the it is called a quadrille (four couples), this is a walking traditional dance, music and folklore of many ethnic dance for six couples. The final piece in the suite is a groups, particularly those representing North American broom dance, called Danse des Balais, from immigrants. A repertory company, AMAN took its name Chicoutimi (a Native American word) in Quebec. It is from the word Amen, meaning “So be it!” It is an a ‘figure-clogging’ dance in which the dancers use affirmative word used to add emphasis to a sentence or a brooms in much the same way that Scottish dancers thought. AMAN continually researched new work in use swords. order to fulfill an active concert and touring schedule, this Creative Process of the Artist or Culture: in addition to serving educational and community When Barry Glass was Artistic Director, he often requests. Mr. Glass had known and long admired the sought out experts in specific cultural dance styles to work of ethnologist Yves Moreau, so when AMAN choreograph work based on traditional material, wanted a French Canadian Suite, he contacted Moreau which as to be presented on a stage and his wife, France Bourque-Moreau, co-directors of rather than in a folk setting. AMAN L'Ensemble Folklorique Les Gens de MonPays. Their is unique in that its musicians were company, composed of students and workers from the skilled in playing many traditional Montreal region, performs traditional dances of Bulgaria instruments and the dancers capable and French Canada. For this assignment they were asked to of performing in a variety of cultural make whatever statement they wanted about French- styles. Canadian culture through dance, music and costume in an 8 to 15 minute piece. Photo: Jessica Duffett “The understanding of other About the Artwork: cultures is certainly desirable. Yves and France Moreau wanted to show a wide range in the However, today the world is such that understanding of the richly varied heritage of French-Canadian culture. They cultures may be essential CANADA QUEBEC chose to choreograph a suite of five dances to represent to the survival of civilized society.” Barry Glass Montreal both rural and urban traditions. The opening Discussion Questions: what country they came from and what traditions they After the video has been viewed: relate to within the culture. Ask students to learn a part • Describe the differences between the two costume of the dance and teach it to the class. If the parents or styles. How did the men’s and women’s costumes, in grandparents are available, invite them to visit the class each style, complement each other? to teach the entire dance and talk about the cultural • What are the similarities between American traditions which accompany it. square dance and the dances in the French Audio-Visual Materials: Canadian Suite? • Artsource® video excerpt: Suite of French Canadian • Name different cultural groups that influenced Dances, courtesy of AMAN. the dances of French Canada. • Artsource® audio recording: Les Saluts, courtesy of • What are the names of the instruments used to AMAN, ©1989. play the traditional music? (piano, button accordion, • Photos: courtesy of AMAN. fiddle, guitar and an Irish Drum called a Bodhram.) Additional References: • Why do you think the French Canadians chose to • Weikart, Phyllis. Teaching Movement and Dance. use brooms in the last dance? In how many ways Second Edition. The High/Scope Press, Ypsilanti, MI: were they used? Can you think of other ways they 1982. Also available are nine records, The Rhythmically could have been used in the dance? Moving Albums, which contain the music for the folk • What do you know about the French Canadian dances described in the book. culture of the 19th century after seeing and hearing Sample Experiences: this performance? LEVEL I Additional Information on French Canadian Dance: * • Learn the simple version of Les Saluts, a French While these music and dance traditions belong to Canadian folk dance done in a circle. the people of Eastern Canada in the Province of • Make up a simple walking dance done in a big circle. Quebec, they have also spilled across the St. Use changes of direction, unison or couple formations Lawrence River and are embraced by the people of and level changes or claps and stamps. Select four pat- the Eastern United States. The principal forms of terns and combine them. Change the order of the pat- French Canadian traditional rural dance were terns and repeat the dance. Try it to two different styles inherited from French and British nobility. The of music in 4/4 meter. Gigue (jig) is a solo dance tradition influenced by LEVEL II Irish and English step dancing and uses a style • Learn the complete version of Les Saluts, a French which is between the rigid Irish and the freer Canadian folk dance (see Extensions of Level I). Appalachian clogging. The last dance shows a clogging * • Learn a four-to-eight couple contra-formation Irish or pattern dance from the town of Chicoutimi. The Scottish reel. A penny whistle, fiddle or piano, playing dance is performed with brooms and is related Gigue (jig) music can be used as musical accompani- historically to the Scottish Sword Dance. Pieces of ment instead of a record. hardwood have been commonly attached to the • Dance the Virginia Reel and compare it to the shoes of the dancers to emphasize the rhythm of the Quadrille. Both are derived from the same historical clogging; AMAN gets a similar effect with metal sources, but have developed in different ways. taps. The musicians wear the traditional Ceinture LEVEL III Flêché, or “Arrow Belt,” a symbol which is * • Learn a Quadrille (French) which uses four to six identified with the culture as is their flag. couples, facing each other, in a set. Multidisciplinary Options: • Research dances from the British Isles (England, • Ask students to interview their parents or grand- Scotland, Wales and Ireland) and from France. Make a parents and find out what folk dances they know collective report and demonstrate what is learned. which represent their cultural heritage. Find out * Indicates sample lessons 2 DANCE/MUSIC LES SALUTS, A FRENCH CANADIAN DANCE ENDURING VALUES LEVEL I Sample Lesson INTRODUCTION: Circle dances are universal and found in the traditions of many cultures throughout the world. Les Saluts is one section of a French Canadian quadrille. It is built upon the dance traditions of France and the British Isles, and is based on walking and bowing. OBJECTIVE: (Student Outcomes) Students will be able to: • Perform a French Canadian folk dance. (Artistic Perception) • Describe, discuss, analyze and connect information and experiences based on this lesson. Refer to Assessment at the end of this lesson. (Aesthetic Valuing) MATERIALS: • Artsource® audio recording of Les Saluts, arranged and recorded by AMAN. PROGRESSION: • Show students a map of Canada and point out the Province of Quebec, where this dance originated. • Explain that the dances from French Canada have their roots in the court dances of both France and the British Isles, because these are the homelands of a majority of people who migrated to the Eastern part of Canada. French is spoken by about 90% of the population, but English is also spoken as a second language. • Teach the dance in its simple form, as follows: LES SALUTS: circle formation facing counterclockwise (line of direction), holding hands. PART I: Walk 16 steps counterclockwise. Turn and walk 16 steps clockwise. PART II: Walk 4 steps into the middle of the circle, walk 4 steps backward. Walk 3 steps into the middle of the circle again and bow. Hold the bow until the long note ends. Walk 4 steps backward. BEGIN THE DANCE AGAIN. • Depending on the size of the space, you may wish to have a smaller circle inside the larger circle. Both circles can either go the same direction or move in opposite directions. 3 EXTENSIONS: • Have the students experiment with locomotor steps other than walking. Ideas might include skipping, galloping or sliding. • Think of another way to bow or salute. Substitute other ideas, as variations, at this point in the dance. • Teach a more advanced version of the dance to older or more experienced students. It is as follows: LES SALUTS (more complex version: source is France Bourque-Moreau) PART I: Make two circles, one inside the other, each group holding hands.The inside circle does eight walking steps to the right, while the outside circle walks eight steps to the Left.