Evaluation of ‘Les Noces’

As part of our move work we were showed a DVD of Les Noces. We learnt that it was devised at the beginning of the 20th century, around the year 1923, by a Russian choreographer named Bronislava Nijinoka. Les noces is famous for being one of the set-back contemporaneous b anyets performed on the stage. It is known as a neo- classical concert trip the light fantastic and is ground on narrative allusions. It has a strong rhythmical emphasis and includes the recitation of point work.Les noces is a real strong, emotional saltation and creates a intumescent impact. It is very compulsive and after watching the first scene you cannot inspection and repair but to watch on. It has a large narrative content which gives it a desirable back bone. Les noces consists of four scenes which portray a Russian espousals. The scenes be the consecration of the bride, the consecration of the bride groom, The departure of the bride and The wedding feast.The choreographic techniques in Les noces are well ruling out for the feeling and mood of the dance. The choreographer has utilize young-begetting(prenominal) and female dancers in a neo-classical dance that declares a story effectively. The choreographer has use symmetrical and one-dimensional shapes and lines as well as levels, this makes the dance more aesthetically lovely and adds indefinitely to the depth and feeling contained deep down it. From the position and height of dancers contained within the dance we can get a feeling of what is happening and who is more important etc. We can also learn a mess from how the dancers travel. Les noces includes a very artistic style of jumps and travelling movements.In all the scenes contained within the dance at that place are different numbers of male and female dancers. To help create mood in the dance the choreographer has employ a very percussive form of point work. He had used the method of dancing in point shoes into somewhatthing that creates a substantive so und. To help base the dance into a society and culture the choreographer has include a large amount of Russian folk dancing. The use of ballet in Les Noces is more isolated and stiffer than conventional ballet of the advance(prenominal) twentieth century. It is more earthy and grounded and less floaty.The design in Les noces is relatively simple. The graphic designer Natalia Gontcharova has used basic costumes and there is plainly one set. In the first scene the dancers just enter onto a plain stage. There is no backdrop etc, the dancers wear simple costumes, such(prenominal) as brown dresses and fair shirts with all the women wear head coverings. This is probably because we are meant to view these dancers as being peasants. The head coverings are also a religious symbol. The dancers arent wearing masks or any obvious make up. The only main maintain used in the dance is a wig consisting of long plaits used in the scene Departure of the bride. This is used to demonstrate the p assage from childishness to womanhood as the plaits are consequentially cut take out. The one and only set is used in the last scene The wedding feast, It essentially consists of a wall with a door in it and a a few(prenominal) stools. This set is used as it gives a way of showing the togetherness and tie-in of the bride and bridegroom as they leave through the door together. This also presents a way of ending the dance.There is no spoken words or phrases in Les noces. All the sound included in it is formed by the orchestra or the afore mentioned use of percussive point work. The musicians are establish off stage. The orchestra provides live music and so therefore it isnt recorded. The volume of the music in Les Noces often indicates mood or feeling. For example, in the last scene The wedding feast, the sound becomes significantly louder and seems more joyous. Les Noces is performed on a proscenium arc stage. This is probably because the choreography in the dance wouldnt lend itself to being performed in the round or anywhere site specific.In this dance there is good communication with the audience. The names of the scenes and there contents all tell a story. This is helped by the mood created by the music and the facial expressions of the dancers. Because Les Noces is based on a realistic event many people may feel that they can relate to it. It may also create some interest and intrigue as it portrays a Russian marriage. In the early part of the twentieth century there wasnt the same cultural discernment between nations that there is know. Many people would know nothing of Russian culture.I definitely felt on a personal level that I could understand what the dance was trying to communicate to me. The feelings of change, love and pathetic into the unknown. The dance was definitely very compelling.I thought that the way that some of the characters swore oaths was very mysterious. I also liked the way that Les Noces included everyday things and movemen ts such as cuddling. I think that Les noces is a very interesting dance and I can see how it could have been a very rootage piece of choreography for its day. It is a good example in how dance has changed throughout the ages. I am sure that Les noces is an important piece of dance history. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it being performed.