800 Word Dance Critique

Writing a Dance Critique on a Dance Movie – Dirt Dancing
You will need to write a 800-word dance critique.
When writing a dance critique, always include information on what company you saw, the movie, the title(s) of the dance(s), the choreographer(s), the date and the name of the theater where the event took place, and other relevant information, such as important program notes if available at the end of movie.
After viewing the dance movie, determine if it was based on movement and design, or if it had a clear theme or story line. If the dance was a movement-based piece, you can critique the dance using information on the elements of space, time and energy (refer to Chapter Two—The Choreographer). For example, how did the choreographer use: time: speed/tempo; pulse/underlying beat; rhythmic pattern; time signature/meter; no counts at all; breath/emotional phrasing; stillness; and words/text/sounds/silence.energy: dynamics and qualities, space: shape/line; level; direction; focus; points on the stage; floor patterns(s); depth/width; phrases; repetition; and transitions.
Write about what stood out for you and what you felt was significant in the dance and why. Detail why the dancers are making a specific statement is the most important part of a dance critique.
If you determined that the choreographer was trying to evoke a specific feeling, thought or image, or telling a specific story, then you can discuss these findings in relation to the dance elements. Remember, the elements of dance can be used to analyze a dance in two different ways: as information to look at the movements and structure of a dance (to see “how” the movements are used); or to see the symbols and images in the movements (to see “why” the movements are used in a particular way). Was the choreographer trying to “say” something with the specific way they used the space? Did the dancers use their focus in such a way that they portrayed a certain character or emotion? Were certain timing elements used to depict a heightened emotional state?
What were the dancers like? Did the dancers appear highly skilled and technically trained? Were they novice dancers? What specific observations and/or information led them you to make a specific assessment?
Write about the music choice and discuss how that affected the choreography, dancers’ performance, mood of the dance, feeling it evoked in the viewers and connection to the theme. Why do you think the particular music was chosen?
Write about the costumes. How did they relate to the dance, theme or story-line? Were the students able to clearly see the movements under the costumes? Did the costumes “flow,” or did they appear rigid? Why do they think these costumes were chosen?
Write about the lighting that was used throughout the dance? What were the colors? Were they cool (usually blues, greens and violets), or warm (usually pinks, reds, yellows and golds). Lighting designers use different colors to evoke different moods. Why do they think the specific lighting was used if at all.
Discuss if there were set pieces used on stage? If so, how were they used?
Did the choreographer employ a use of technology? If so, what was the extent of the technology and what did it represent?
Were there program notes at the end? What were they and did they assist in the understanding of the movie?
Do you have any information about the choreographer? Is there any information that you might have read or heard about, from our assignments, (or researched) that would give them insight into this particular choreographer’s work or the dance company/performers?
Add anything else that you think is pertinent to your final paper.

The movie is Dirty Dancing, the book that we are supposed to refer to is “Learning About Dance, Dance as an art form and entertainment” written by Nora Ambrosio the 8th edition