Set Work: Rooster (Christopher Bruce, 1991)

Christopher Bruce is an acclaimed British choreographer, known for his use of socio-political themes.
He trained at the Rambert School, and became director of the eminent Rambert Dance Company.
Heavily influenced by Martha Graham, Bruce fuses classical ballet and modern dance to create his renowned style.

Rooster is a dance piece set to eight songs by The Rolling Stones.
Premiered in 1991 by the Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneva.
The music, costumes, and action reference the 1960s and 70s, reflecting the cultural and social climate of the time.
Key characteristics include: gender-based power dynamics, the play with both individual and group behaviour, and the distinct representation of each song’s mood.

The dance welcomes a combination of styles, mixing jazz, modern, and ballet.
Bruce’s choreography is notorious for intricate movement vocabulary and complex, layered choreographic structures.

Action: Rooster includes various actions such as jumping, turning, falling and gesturing.
Space: The dancers occupy all levels of space – high, medium and low.
Dynamic from the loose and fluid to sharp and sudden, often transitioning without warning.
Relationships: Interactions between performers play a significant role, illustrating power dynamics and emotional relationships.

Little Red Rooster: Presents the rooster’s dominance and the hens’ submissive behaviour.
Ruby Tuesday: A solo performance illustrating vulnerability and fragility.
Lady Jane: Highlights the transition of the woman’s role during this period.
Paint it, Black: Captures the aggression, and the rebellious, counterculture spirit of the 1960s.
Sympathy for the Devil: The final section reflects a more egalitarian society, on the verge of change.

Explores the time of gender inequality, with women fighting for their rights, and men’s struggle with changing norms.
The character of Rooster is thought to represent Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones’ frontman.
By using popular Rolling Stones songs, Bruce connects the piece to the larger cultural and social context of the 1960s and 70s.
It offers a critique on the era’s rampant machismo and the changes brought about by the women’s rights movement.

The performance is a mix of serious and comic elements with dynamic shifts in mood across sections.
It portrays a wide range of emotion, from brazen confidence to regret and vulnerability.
Costume designs emphasise the gender role representation, for instance, men in brightly coloured shirts, symbolising cock feathers.

Rooster is open to interpretation but conveys a clear socio-political commentary on its era.
It raises questions about masculinity, femininity, and the power dynamics between genders.
The dance ends with a hopeful vision for equality, suggesting the possibility of progress towards societal change.