1. DANCE STUDIE S SOUTH AFRICAN CHOREOGRAPHER FOUR SEASONS GREGORY MAQOMA

2. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA ANALYSIS OF THE WORK  Choreographer: Gregory Maqoma  Company: Vuyani Dance Theatre, Johannesburg Based  Costumes: Jacques Van Der Walt  Lighting Operator: Oliver Hauser  Set Design: Oliver Hauser  Animation Video: Mileta Postic  Composer: Isaac Molelkoa  Band: 4 Musicians, violin, lead guitar, bass guitar, drums  First conceived and created May 2010

3. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA THE INTENTION OR THEME Create awareness deterioration planed humans beings Highlight beauty nature Embraces planet earth Functional cultures tradition uphold sprit & actions humanity Celebrate life all its possibilities Humans require healing Hope future generations

4. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA THE INTENTION OR THEME Uncomplicated dance work Hard message: world at the mercy of human thoughts, emotions, desires, hands Explains how man treats planet earth - exploit, abuse, drain Based in narcissistic needs/actions for power, status, fame, importance, recognition, need to be the ‘special Consequences of our self interest – destroys, violates, soil the planet because we Fear death, fear being exposed for who we really are, fear being made redundant, need for identity & control, fear of missing out, fear of someone being more talented / richer / beautiful / happier / successful than ourselves, mask all with rationalisation, gossip, violating other peoples dignity / talents, manipulation and lies)

5. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA https://youtu.be/WSGbCu6Us8E

6. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA PRODUCTION ELEMENTS – WINTER Lighting: Cold greys and blues Video projection: Black and white, news paper image of a City in ruins and a dilapidated building Animation projected: Falling snow becomes denser and denser as dance progresses Musicians / band: Hidden behind a white scrim Scrim: Surface for lighting, animation and media projection Costumes: Black, long, heavy, thick coarse fabric cloaks & hoods Dancers: Faceless = symbolises Movements: Staccato, sharp, angular Bodies: Rebound as if caught in gunfire Mood of desolation. Feelings and thoughts of death, destruction violence, despair

7. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA

12. What season is this? Discuss the visual aspects: Elaborate on the movement vocabulary: Analyse the structure of the Dance: Evaluate the choreographer concept and how it represents seasons: Kinds of movement, aggressive walks, stillness, repetition, transitions Images projected on cyclorama, Setting, Lighting, Costumes Plot, Movement In Unison, Canon, Stillness, Repetition, Transitions Costumes, cyclorama and the animated projections, music, movement

13. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA PRODUCTION ELEMENTS – SPRING Cyclorama : Projected animation of slow, abstract fluttering of leaves and flowers Video projection: Flowing flowers Lighting: Warm oranges, reds, and yellows Music: African rhythms Musicians: Slowly revealed through the cyclorama to audience Costumes: Black cloaks and hood removed to reveal colourful ribbon dresses of light fabric Dancers: Twirls, leaps, circles, turns, jumps, Movement: Agile, fast, abandonment, light, dynamic Symbols of spring and birth life: butterflies, flowers, lyrical animals

14. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA

17. What season is this? Discuss the visual aspects: Elaborate on the movement vocabulary: Analyse the use and changes in: Evaluate the choreographer concept: Movement vocabulary: Bird wings, Undulations, Gestures Images projected on cyclorama : clouds Lighting and gobo projections on the stage floor Silhouetted shadows on the scrim The band behind the scrim Costumes Transition at the end: Opening of the outfits as the dancers leave the stage

18. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA PRODUCTION ELEMENTS – AUTUMN Cyclorama: Projection of images and lighting states Video projection: Animated brown leaves Lighting: Gobo`s create patterns, on the stage symbolic dry land on the stage Sound effects: Blowing, milling wind, builds to a rock and roll feel Costumes: Flimsy gold shift dresses symbolises leaves Movement: Falls, rolls, recovery, runs, jumps, falls, milling Dancer: Two dancers dance journey of survival, loss, pain Ensemble accompany them with rhythmic clapping Musical Instruments: Violin Dry season bleak windy storm danger loss pain struggle to survive,

19. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA

22. What season is this? Discuss the visual aspects: Elaborate on the movement vocabulary: Analyse the use and changes in: Evaluate the choreographer concept: Movement vocabulary: Change in Pace / speed / energy Lighting and gobo projections on the stage floor Costumes Transition at the end: The change of costumes on stage as part of the performance

23. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA PRODUCTION ELEMENTS – SUMMER Cyclorama: Image projected onto it Video Projection: Animation of a map of Africa in colour This image gradually drifts onto the stage Words scroll across screen: Louis Armstrong “What a beautiful world” Costumes: Red body suits, allows for free movement Movements: Bursts, joy, outward, open, swings, jumps movements influenced by Samba Music: Brazilian rhythm & music Hope, life, peace, joy, love, being humane, kind, generous, gentle, light,

24. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA

25. What season is this? Discuss the visual aspects: Elaborate on the movement vocabulary: Movement vocabulary: Dancers walking towards the projected sequence of images on the cyclorama Projection on the cyclorama: The world with Africa featured, shifting of the Africa image to the stage floor, with Louis Armstrong's words of ‘ What a wonderful world ‘ scrolling across the cyclorama

26. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA Describe and analyse the dance style in ‘Four Seasons’. Describe and evaluate the use of the following projected elements: Describe and evaluate the style of music used. CostumesLighting effectsProjections on the cyclorama

27. FOUR SEASONS - GREGORY MAQOMA MOVEMENT VOCABULARY Fusion of styles: Signifies the growth of Contemporary African Dance Dancers can perform various styles Dancers are able to use their bodies to communicate narratives, themes, ideas, and be the voice of the choreographer Different styles can merge to form a unique aesthetic that maintains an African authenticity https://youtu.be/WSGbCu6Us8E  African Traditional  Contemporary Dance Movements  Asian African influences  South American influences