On Friday, October 30th I attended Paris Dancing in the 1920s: Two by Cocteau at the UNCG Department of Dance Theatre. The performance included two dance adaptations of scenes written by Jean Cocteau entitled Le Boeuf sur le Toit (1920) and Le Train Bleu (1924). Jean Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, playwright, and filmmaker. He was considered a surrealist during his time and is known for experimenting with verbal codes, mise en scene language and modern technologies in his works. The dance department’s performance of his two pieces illustrated these aspects, but with a modern twist.
The first piece performed, Le Boeuf sur le Toit, was Cocteau’s idea of a farce about American prohibition. The scene took place in an American “speakeasy” and included a bar fight, a couple of flappers, and a suspicious policeman. However, the performance was presented more as a dramatic mime and didn’t incorporate much dance technique. The second scene, Le Train Bleu, took place on the coast of the French Riviera and was rewritten considerably to fit the cast and to appeal to current audiences. The action included tennis players, swimmers, and two media thirsty characters known as “The Queen” and “The Music Hall Star.” This performance incorporated much more dance to convey the action and was my favorite of the two scenes. However, the musical interlude presented between the two scenes was the greatest performance of the evening in my opinion. The interlude included a tap number and vocalist that reflected on the spirit of the 20’s as well as the popular music of the time.
Overall, I thought it was a wonderful performance that encompassed some of my favorite things: dance, French culture, and music. Having danced for twelve years I paid close attention to the technique and could appreciate the talent of the performers. I also love the French language and culture and plan to do study abroad in Lyon, France in the spring of 2011. Watching this performance reminded me of my future plans and left me excited about my upcoming international experience.
The first piece performed, Le Boeuf sur le Toit, was Cocteau’s idea of a farce about American prohibition. The scene took place in an American “speakeasy” and included a bar fight, a couple of flappers, and a suspicious policeman. However, the performance was presented more as a dramatic mime and didn’t incorporate much dance technique. The second scene, Le Train Bleu, took place on the coast of the French Riviera and was rewritten considerably to fit the cast and to appeal to current audiences. The action included tennis players, swimmers, and two media thirsty characters known as “The Queen” and “The Music Hall Star.” This performance incorporated much more dance to convey the action and was my favorite of the two scenes. However, the musical interlude presented between the two scenes was the greatest performance of the evening in my opinion. The interlude included a tap number and vocalist that reflected on the spirit of the 20’s as well as the popular music of the time.
Overall, I thought it was a wonderful performance that encompassed some of my favorite things: dance, French culture, and music. Having danced for twelve years I paid close attention to the technique and could appreciate the talent of the performers. I also love the French language and culture and plan to do study abroad in Lyon, France in the spring of 2011. Watching this performance reminded me of my future plans and left me excited about my upcoming international experience.
sounds great...love the graphic.
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