Choreography for Solo Performance (MU40370O)

I feel the process of creating this solo has been a challenging but rewarding experience. I really enjoy being creative and exploring different choreographic ways of communicating a message to an audience, and I feel I was really able to perform the emotions I was aiming to portray and communicate the themes of the piece. During the performance I felt really confident in the movement, however something I found quite challenging was moving my body in a way I wouldn't have thought to without exploring different practitioners and techniques. For instance some of the movements inspired by Akram Khan I had incorporated into my choreography I found challenging as I had to change the direction of movement quite frequently. However by the time it came to performing the solo the movement began to feel really natural to me. Usually when creating movement for fun or in improvisation explored in contemporary or jazz I like to move in a way that feels good for my body and base my movement on th...

My Starting objectives for creating choreography first came from my interpretation of the image stimulus. I analysed the contrasting elements of the harsh lines and the fluidity of the water, as well as looking further into themes of perception influenced by the two contrasting images of the woman in the image; the 'normal image' and the 'distorted image' seen through the reflection. To communicate these feelings of not being happy with the way we look and perceive ourselves I used a significant mirror motif to emphasize the symbolism of mirrors and reflections in the choreography. I made sure to incorporate this motif and used motif development throughout the piece beginning to end as an overarching theme running throughout the choreography. As the choreographic process developed I began to research further into perceptions and came across the mental disorder of body dysmorphia. I feel this topic fit well with the themes I had already been exploring through the choreog...

Zero Degrees, first premiered in 2005, at Sadler's Wells in London. (Mackrell, 2005) The piece is a 75 minute duet performed and co-choreographed by Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. ( Akram Khan Company, 2015)  When the two choreographers met in 2000, they recognised strong connections and resemblance in their work. (Mackrell, 2005) Both originated from Islamic families and were brought up in Europe. ( Scherr, 2008)  They explore this dual identity and meeting of different cultures through the intricate Indian kathak dance combined with the stealthy, precision of the contemporary movements. (Mackrell, 2005)  When Khan and Cherkaoui came together to plan a joint work in 2005 cherkaoui asked khan to tell him something he had never told anyone before this conversation was recorded and was the beginning idea for the piece, this conversation was translated into a dialogue that is used to open the work.  (Mackrell, 2005) The piece begins with the two performers sittin...

The structure of the solo is cyclical as I decided to use retrograde at the end to repeat the significant beginning motif at the end of the piece. I consciously choose to structure the solo like this as when researching further into body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), I was able to understand with more clarity, how this never really goes away. Common treatment for BDD is cognitive behavioral therapy which is a type of talking therapy in which you can challenge the way you think and behave. (NHS, 2020) An addition to this can be a type of antidepressant. However this is an ongoing condition that you have to somewhat learn to control. The first section of our piece is about exploring our body and being very inside our own minds about how we perceive ourselves. The movements at this point are very enclosed and minimal, there is a contrasting use of dynamic that works with and against the rhythm of the music to emphasise the beauty on the outside but business of the controlling thoughts within...