Lighting
The work of other choreographers is
composers like Johann Sebastian Bach or
In addition to sets, lighting plays an im-
more dependent on the music they have
John Adams, popular music of Michael
portant role in creating the larger setting
chosen. For example, Rodrigo Pedernei-
Jackson, or just pure sound effects. In his
for a dance performance; often chore-
ras, the choreographer for Grupo Corpo,
autobiography Private Domain, Paul Tay-
ographers use lighting primarily to guide
starts choreographing a new piece by
lor describes the diversification of musical
what the audience is looking at. In ad-
picking the music he will use – focusing
accompaniment used for dance in this
dition to this fundamental purpose, they
on the feelings that are conveyed by the
way. “If dance could be broadened to
can also use lighting to create shadows
music he has chosen. From that point
include everyday moves,” Taylor writes,
and achieve other effects that contribute
on, he concentrates on translating the
“so could its accompaniment.”
to characterization and/or create certain
music into movement – uninterested in
moods. For example, depending on how
speech or mime. For Pederneiras, chore-
it is used, low lighting can signify a dark
ography is all about creating movements
or evil character, or it can set a generally
and patterns that echo sounds, shapes,
dark or sinister mood.
and feelings that are created by the music he is using.4
Music Depending on the type of dance and in-
For other choreographers, like Paul Taylor,
dividual choreographer, music can define
the relationship between dance and mu-
the form and structure of the dance, exist
sic can fall somewhere in between these
as an entirely separate entity indepen-
two models. In his dance pieces, the
dent of the dancer’s movement, or fall
relationship between dance and music
somewhere in between.
can fall in and out of phase, striking a
The relationship between the dance and the music in Cunningham’s work for example is one of coexistence. He typically rehearsed his dancers without music, so
middle ground between the type of relationship between music and dance that is represented in Cunningham’s work and that of Pederneiras’s work.
that they would hear it for the first time
Choreographers of modern and con-
during the performance. "He manipu-
temporary dance also experiment with
lates movement for movement’s sake,
different types of music when they
making it nonlinear and random. "
choreograph: some use the art music of
3
3 4 5
16
Kassing, 244. Wilcke Taylor, 77.
UMS 10-11