Matching Items (21)
Filtering by
- All Subjects: Dance
- Genre: Masters Thesis
- Creators: Dyer, Becky
- Creators: Bowditch, Rachel
- Status: Published
Description
This thesis document encapsulates the findings of my research process in which I studied my self, my artistic process, and the interconnectivity among the various aspects of my life. Those findings are two-fold as they relate to the creation of three original works and my personal transformation through the process. This document encapsulates the three works, swimminginthepsyche, applecede and The 21st Century Adventures of Wonder Woman, chronologically from their performance dates. My personal growth and transformation is expressed throughout the paper and presented in the explanation of the emergent philosophical approach for self-study as creative practice that I followed. This creative-centered framework for embodied transformation weaves spiritual philosophy with my artistic process to sustain a holistic life practice, where the self, seen as an integrated whole, is also a direct reflection of the greater, singular and holistic existence.
ContributorsDeWitt, Inertia Q.E.D (Author) / Mitchell, John D. (Thesis advisor) / Dyer, Becky (Committee member) / De La Garza, Sarah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
The intention for the dance production Story was to develop and explore a collaborative creative process to communicate a specific narrative to an audience. The production took place in the Margaret Gisolo Dance Studio at Arizona State University on November 18, 19, and 20, 2011. The purpose of my thesis work was to investigate how my personal inspiration from classical ballet, balletic movement vocabulary, fantasy narrative (an imaginative fictional story), supportive lighting, set, costumes and expressive sound might merge within a collaborative dance-making process. The final choreography includes creative input from the participating dancers and designers, as well as constructive feedback from my thesis committee. My reflection on the creative process for Story describes the challenges and personal growth I experienced as a result of the project.
ContributorsAllen, Karryn (Author) / Dyer, Becky (Thesis advisor) / Murphey, Claudia (Committee member) / Gharavi, Lance (Committee member) / Piver, Harper (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The purpose of this project was to foster non-inhibited movement exploration such as the movement of untrained dancers in a setting of a music festival (specifically in this case the Grateful Dead community), into the more ritual performance-based ideals and perspectives that tend to occur in a dance studio setting. The external visual perceptions of what an ideal dancer ‘should look like’ lends itself to unrealistic expectations and unattainable goals as an artist. Body image and the lack of individualized self-expression is a problem in studio settings and the goal of this research was to use the perspective of untrained and trained dancers to dig deep into movement qualities that are not contrived or performed from ritual or preconceived notions of movement that tend to occur in trained dancers. Through exploratory improvisational somatic experiences helping the dancer access a more embodied and authentic self, the choreography was shaped through delving into the dancers lived experiences. This study culminated in a performance dance project that was filmed at Arcosanti, an experimental Artist community in Northern Arizona that integrates the design of architecture with a respect to the ecology. The goal is to limit the environmental footprint that is left by the community.
ContributorsFox, Tiffany Suzanne (Author) / Dyer, Becky (Thesis advisor) / Kaplan, Rob (Committee member) / Standley, Eileen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
Re:Vive is a written reflection, exploring the creation of a series of dance films, 迷/ MI, 痕 / HEN, and 寻 /XUN. It presents a journey of digesting the discomforts and unfamiliarity caused by the pandemic in 2020. The ideas behind these works are centered on storytelling, embodied reflection, and the application and development of creative choreography tools. By using experimental video art, dance movement, media design, hybrid event production, and the mixing of elements, I, as a movement artist, am experimenting with embodied ways to creatively inquire about my discomfort and create a new whole in order to record and communicate these ideas.
ContributorsZHOU, ZIQIAN (Author) / Dyer, Becky (Thesis advisor) / Colman, Grisha (Thesis advisor) / Lerman, Liz (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
A Framework For Framing is an evolutionary outcome of the innovative continuum and creative energy of Hip Hop culture and street dance. Framing is a unique Tracing technique developed and codified by Vo Vera, a Bboy and experimental street dancer. Framing uses the hands as tools to interact with lines and points in space. An 11-rule framework identifies, defines, and distinguishes the vocabulary, technique, and theory from other techniques and movement practices. An intrinsic aspect of the technique is the act of constantly and subjectively changing the grid every time the hands Frame, which Vo Vera defines as Gridlining. Similar to the frameworks of Threading and Connects, Framing movement vocabulary may serve to add onto the Bounce, Rock, and Groove, and to add as layer over one’s own movement, such as over Top Rocks and Footwork. This thesis documents the process of Framing technique’s development, kinesthetically, somatically, pedagogically, theoretically, and methodologically. It explores the lineages, communities and practices that influenced and expanded the development of the technique, including Vogue, Hip Hop, Breaking, Trace Waving, Threading, and Connects. It also documents the roles that Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and Forsythe Technique had in expanding the conceptualization process of development. As a qualitative research study, Framing was used in various instructional and performative settings as the staple vocabulary. The developments of the research were analyzed through the traditional street dance lens, and through the lens of LMA. Developments included over 100 Framing moves––or movement patterns that were generated in alignment with the rules, to provide an indubitable proof of concept that not everything in dance has been done, and that the expressionist, transformational spirit of Hip Hop continues to thrive.
Keywords: Breaking, Break Dance, Connects, Dance Technique, Dance Theory, Experimental Dance, Forsythe Technique, Framing, Freestyle Dance, Hip Hop, Improvisation, Laban Movement Analysis, Language Movement Synthesis, Movement Analysis, Somatics, Street Dance, Threading, Trace Vogue, Waving.
ContributorsSapienza, Angelo Vo Vera (Author) / Dyer, Becky (Thesis advisor) / Magaña, Edson (Committee member) / Aprahamian, Serouj (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Perceptions and interpretations of life experiences and actions vary across individuals. When these differences are linked to colors, they become more apparent and discernable. Colors have the ability to convey a range of emotions, evoke diverse feelings, and conjure up different images for different people. For dancers, these colors and emotions can impact the execution of a movement, resulting in variations in quality and texture, despite performing the same choreography. Notably, the same color can hold opposite meanings in different cultural contexts. Consequently, the objective of this project is to employ dance performance as a means to communicate these disparate cultural perspectives.
ContributorsPan, Houyu (Author) / Kaplan, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Dyer, Becky (Committee member) / Bowditch, Rachel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
For my MFA project, I aimed to explore the differences between Chinese and Western dance cultures and investigate strategies for integrating them. This thesis reflects on the process of creating my original dance work, "Water, Disappearing in Water," and how it informed my understanding of choreography and creation. Through a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experimentation, I have gained new insights and techniques for choreography. My work, which draws on Tai Chi, calligraphy, somatics, and modern dance, exemplifies the potential of cross-cultural collaborations to inspire new forms of artistic expression. Under the umbrella of integrating Eastern and Western cultures, my goal was to extract elements of Chinese traditional culture to make modern dance more open and inclusive, while also exploring new possibilities for incorporating traditional culture. The first chapter investigates the construction of the narrative text of dance works by examining the pre-choreography and creation stages. It also examines the transition from narrative text to feasible dance work structure, which poses a significant challenge in the practice process. The second chapter delves into the possibility of integrating Eastern and Western cultures in dance from a theoretical and practical perspective. Using the first and second parts of the work as examples, I analyze the "force" of modern dance, the "shape" of Tai Chi movements, and the relationship between emotion and the lines of Chinese calligraphy. The third chapter centers on exploring the significance of imagery expression in somatic choreography. The fourth and final chapter of this thesis sets a new goal of combining dance and multimedia technology to challenge the limitations of traditional dance performance. Overall, this thesis showcases how my original dance work combines theory and practice to explore new possibilities in future dance works.
ContributorsMa, Ying (Author) / Dyer, Becky (Thesis advisor) / Conder, Carley (Thesis advisor) / Kim, Marianne (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
This MFA project in dance involved a dance concert that fused together different socio-cultural dance forms. Goals of the project included engaging the audience members in ways that are meaningful and express cultural identity, looking at similar and contrasting values or norms between different dance styles, and seeing how that might be expressed in a Western concert theatrical space or be adapted to that space. The research explored the themes of fusion, emotional states, and engagement through collaborative processes of choreography. A series of dance sections were developed based on different cultural movement styles that were ultimately woven together into a live performance.
ContributorsDimitrov, Tanya (Author) / Dyer, Becky (Thesis advisor) / Koch, Carolyn (Thesis advisor) / Landborn, Adair (Committee member) / Fossum, Dave (Committee member) / Rohd, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
First, this study is intended to comprehend what is perceived to be “good” dancing from two perspectives: the dancers and the dance choreographer/teacher. Second, the goal of this research is to achieve their perceived idea of “good” dancing using the categories of dance aesthetics, movement efficiency, and performance quality as a direction. A phenomenological research approach was applied to understand the terminologies: movement aesthetics, movement efficiency, and performance quality and whether they are essential and contribute to defining what is considered to be “good” dancing. The research was conducted over the course of ten weeks, which included workshops/rehearsals, discussions, and journals and concluded with the showcase of the choreographies in the dance concert performance. This study revealed that there were many similarities in the participants and the researcher’s perception of what “good” dancing is. Through the application of the various somatic methodologies and frameworks, they learned how to perform in their own best way in the different movement styles so that it is beautiful to look at, easy on their bodies, and safe for their bodies. All of the participants were able to achieve a better understanding of their own bodies. Besides gaining individual heightened awareness and understanding of their bodies, they also gained a better understanding on how to work as a collective to achieve the aesthetics of the group from the perspective of the entire dance piece.
ContributorsChoong, Jemima (Author) / Fitzgerald, Mary (Thesis advisor) / Conder, Carley (Committee member) / Bowditch, Rachel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
This project explores the cultivation of artistic methodologies centered in embodied movement practices. I worked in collaboration with dancers to inform the development of a movement vocabulary that is authentic to the individual as well as to the content of the work. Through the interplay between movement and subconscious response to elements such as writing, imagery, and physical environments I created authentic kinesthetic experiences for both dancer and audience. I submerged dancers into a constructed environment by creating authentic mental and physical experiences that supported the development of embodied movement. This was the impetus to develop the evening length work, Flesh Narratives, which consisted of five vignettes, each containing its own distinctive creative process driven by the content of each section. This project was presented January 29- 31, 2016 in the Fine Arts Center room 122, an informal theatre space, that supplemented an immersive experience in an intimate environment for forty viewers. This project explored themes of transformation including cycles, concepts of life, death and reincarnation, and enlightenment. Through the art of storytelling, the crafting of embodied movers, and the theory of Hauntology, the viewer was taken on a journey of struggle, loss, and rebirth.
ContributorsGerena, Jenny (Author) / Standley, Eileen (Thesis advisor) / Rosenkrans, Angela (Committee member) / Britt, Melissa (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016