Cheree R. Knight
This is an area of dance that truly forces both teachers and students of dance to understand character interpretation. When dealing with the story of an individuals life, whether through theater or dance, it is very important to be as precise as possible. This is where research study becomes vital for the dance teacher and student(s). Student(s) must be trained to handle the strenuous nature of solo works. For example, if a dance is being choreographed to portray the life of an individual (whether famous or not) from childhood through adulthood, the teacher may wish to consider using two students—one to dance the individual in youth/adolescence and another to dance the adult role. You may also pay tribute to an artist’s theatrical or musical accomplishments. For instance, a variation of dances can be choreographed to develop a theme from various selections of a singer’s or musician’s lyrical works/arrangements. A suggestion for teacher’s consideration would be
The Josephine Baker Story
.
Objectives:
The teacher and students should read the autobiography and view the film for
The Josephine Baker Story
. Ms. Baker was a black dancer, more famous abroad (especially in France) than in the United States, who struggled constantly for her status as an artist. She is mostly remembered as an exotic dancer (in that she was considered uniquely different for her times), but in truth, her life was not only that of a dancer but of a true humanitarian. Ms. Baker’s adoption of more than ten children of different nationalities made as many news headlines as her dance performances, as did the fact that she left this world as poor (monetarily) as she had entered it. Her life story is truly an inspirational one which the students are sure to appreciate.
Teacher’s Goal:
The teacher should select that student/dancer who can truly bring to life the character of Ms. Joesphine Baker. Because you are dealing with the life of a real woman, the role should be danced with a sense of accuracy. The teacher and student should stay true to the details, as should all of the supporting dancers’ characters. The teacher may find that more than one student is capable of dancing the lead and therefore, should introduce exchanging soloists for performances and have dancers understudy one another. Understudying dance roles is important with any group because there is no guarantee that a particular dancer will be available for every performance.