Still life at the penguin cafe

Still life at the penguin cafe

1. How does the costume contribute to the dance idea?

   • Shows what gender they are
   • Emphasises theme
   • Shows geographical location
   • Compliments other opponents; set design, backdrop, music and lighting.

2. Facts

   • Designer- Hayden Griffin
   • First danced by the Royal Ballet
   • Lighting- John B. Reed
   • Narration- Jeremy Ions
   • Premiere- March 1988 in London
   • Music- Simon Jeffes
   • Choreographer- David Bintley
   • Stimulus- Doomsday book of animals by David Day, still life at the penguin cafe orchestra and Emily Young's painting.

3. A motif in Still life at the penguin cafe

   • Describe a key motif using actions, space and dynamics.
     • In section 1b the dancers dance in pairs. You will be side to side with your partner facing the front of the stage. Put your left hand forward horizontally with your palm facing the front and push it there twice. You are travelling forward whilst doing this with your hand. Then put that arm in a low 'V' and bounce it there twice. You are using your left arm and your partner uses their right. The dynamics are flowy and relaxed.
   • How does this motif relate to the stimulus?
     • In this motif the flowy dynamics represent that people are relaxed and obviously don't care about the extinction of animals. People are dancing in pairs which you would do at a party. This motif shows that people weren't aware or didn't care about the extinction of animals.

4. Dance style and features

   • Ballet dancing
   • Need to have a good posture and need to stand straight. Have pointed toes or flexed feet. Dance gracefully and don't stomp.

5. Accompaniment

   • Rat section- Hoe down music
   • Describe the accompaniment
     • The music in the rat section starts slow. The music speeds up and has a higher tempo. At the end the music slows down again.
   • When the music is slow at the start it shows that the rat is waking up. Then when the music gets faster it shows that the rat has more energy and is more awake. Then when the music slows down again it shows that the rat is going to sleep.
   • At the end the music is jolty and has breaks in between. The audience can interpret that the rat is struggling to get to sleep which works with the dance moves because the rat looks irritated and looks like it is itching.

6. Costume

   • Flea- helmet, big yellow eyes, anteneyes, stripes, lycra, orange point shoes, sticks used as props for moris dancers.
   • Penguin- black blazer, white shirt, black baggy trousers, yellow socks, black shoes, jacket is long at back to look like a tail.

7. Set design

   • Backdrop
     • Enlarged green cactus for rat section. Shows that the rat is from Texas and also shows how small the rat actually is. Compliments green lighting- like plants.
     • Flea section- enlargement of rats fur. This shows that the flea was inside the rats fur and that's why the rat was itching and was irritated.
   • Lighting
     • Rats section- green lighting like the green cactus .
     • Flea section- lighting is orange which can show the colour of the rats fur and the flea. The lighting also emphasises the flea because she is so small.
     • Zebra section- the lighting is like a sunrise- geographical context.
     • Blue, icy cold lighting to show the penguin is from a cold place. There are spotlights.