Shadows: Choreographer's approach

Shadows: Choreographer’s Approach

• Bruce’s Method: Collaborative with dancers during creation process, using their input and individual styles.
• Narrative Driven: Bruce’s work often revolves around a story or character, aiding audience understanding.

Exploring Movement Patterns

• Physical Theatre: Bruce incorporates elements of physical theater into dance, blending dramatic and dance elements.
• Motif Development: The use of recurring movement patterns or ‘motifs’, modified and repeated improving recognition for audiences.

Accentuating Thematic Components

• Expression of Emotion: Bruce’s pieces often heavily emphasise emotion, drawing on personal and universal experiences.
• Social Commentary: Many of Bruce’s pieces comment on societal issues or human experiences, grounding the work in reality.

Dancer and Audience Interaction

• Engaging the Audience: Work often includes direct audience interaction, breaking the ‘fourth wall’.
• Gestural Movements: Use of everyday movements that are familiar to the audience, lending immediacy and relatability.

Innovating Established Techniques

• Mix of Styles: Shadows incorporates a number of dance genres including contemporary and ballet.
• Contact Improvisation: Use of this dance technique, involving spontaneous interaction and physical contact.

Use of Space and Stage Setting

• Serialization of Space: The choreographic use of space does not remain static, it varies to maintain interest.
• Levels and Planes: Utilises different levels (high, medium, low) and planes (vertical, horizontal, sagittal) in choreography.