a christmas carol - teachers' resource pack for key stage 2/3
DESCRIPTION
When Northern Ballet produced A Christmas Carol in 1992 it was the first time that the Dickens novel had been performed as a ballet. Produced under the then Artistic Director Christopher Gable, the first performance was on 26th September 1992 at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and has since proved an extremely popular ballet. This resource pack is aimed at teachers of Key Stages 2 and 3 with the option to use the information and ideas presented for other Key Stages.TRANSCRIPT
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A Teachers Resource Pack for Key Stage 2 / 3
A Christmas Carol
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Contents
Introduction
Page 2
Scenario
Pages 3 to 4
Characters
Pages 5 to 8
The Creative Process: an Interview with Director Christopher Gable
Pages 9 to 11
Music
Pages 12 - 13
Set
Page 14 to 15
Costume
Page 16 - 17
Lighting
Pages 18 - 19
Practical Ideas for in the Classroom
Pages 20 - 24
Creative Team
Directed by: Christopher Gable
Choreography by: Massimo Moricone
Production Design by: Lez Brotherston
Music by: Carl Davis
Original Lighting by: Paul Pyant
Tour Lighting by: Johny Eyre
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Introduction
When Northern Ballet produced A Christmas Carol in 1992 it was the first time that the Dickens
novel had been performed as a ballet. Produced under the then Artistic Director Christopher
Gable, the first performance was on 26th September 1992 at the Theatre Royal, Bath, and has
since proved an extremely popular ballet.
David Nixon, Northern Ballet current Artistic Director says:
"The magic of Dickens' A Christmas Carol never fails to entertain and touch audiences. It is my
pleasure to continue this work in our repertoire as it is one of the most successful pieces created
in NB's history. It follows the tradition of narrative dance that is one of the strengths of our
company's identity."
This resource pack is aimed at teachers of Key Stages 2 and 3 with the option to use the
information and ideas presented for other Key Stages.
aditional as you
The Daily Telegraph
A Christmas
Carol enjoyed a
The Guardian
Act 2: Mr and Mrs fezziwig
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Scenario
Prologue
Marley is dead. Seven years before our story begins Scrooge is seen as a solitary mourner, at a
funeral gives
meaning to all the events that follow.
Act 1
In a street in the old city of London, on Christmas Eve, shoppers hurry to buy last minute
Christmas presents. Outside the counting house where Ebenezer Scrooge and the late Jacob
Marley have made their money, carol singers arrive collecting for the poor.
-hearted Bob Cratchit, joins them but the reappearance of Scrooge
signals an abrupt end to the festivities.
Inside the counting house Bob Cratchit shivers and suffers under the tyranny of his stoney-
embittered and miserly old man.
At the end of the working day scrooge reluctantly gives his clerk permission to leave but as
scrooge returns to his lodgings he has a disconnecting experience. In the meantime Bob
Cratchit, on his journey home, meets some workmen at Cornhill and stops to join in a light-
hearted game before hurrying back to his wife and family.
While Scrooge is finishing his lonely supper of gruel the ghost of his dead colleague, Jacob
Marley, appears with a terrible warning. Scrooge will be condemned to endless torment as a
phantom unless he changes his meaningless way of life. Scrooge buries his head in his pillow to
escape the fearful sight.
Act 2
The Ghost of Christmas Past appears and
takes Scrooge back to a Christmas of
many years ago, to a party in the counting
house of Fezziwig and Family, his first
employer. The same party where his first
love, Belle, was to tell him that she would
not be his wife for he had a greater love
aspirations fall off one by one, until the
master-
Act 2: Belle and Young Scrooge
5
Act 3: scrooge
Scrooge becomes distressed as he discovers he is powerless to undo the mistakes he made as a
young man. He can bear no more and covers the light of the Ghost - the scene fades into
darkness.
He is comforted by the Ghost of Christmas Present who leads him to the Cratchit household.
their shoes were far from being waterproof; their clothes were
Scrooge is affected by the warmth and love that illuminates the home as Tiny Tim sings a
Christmas Song. The happy family move off with the Ghost of Christmas Present and Scrooge is
unable to follow. He is left with only the phantoms who grown more powerful.
Act 3
The Ghost of Christmas Future leads Scrooge back to the Cratchit home where he finds the family
grieving for the loss of their beloved son, Tiny Tim.
Another vision of the future shows three hags ransacking the bedroom of a corpse. Dark scenes
Finally
Scrooge sees the Angel of Death approaching with a tombstone and realises, with horror, that it
is his own. As he throws himself at the headstone it dissolves and he finds himself in his own
bed on Christmas morning. There is still some time to change!
sses frantically and
sets off into the streets to prepare for an enormous Christmas feast.
Children, passers-by, are all enlisted into helping to bring the best that money can buy and soon
a dazzling array of food is assembled for the arrival of the guests of honour - the Cratchit family.
As Scrooge welcomes them to his party the
first flakes of snow begin to fall and the
street becomes the scene of a joyful
celebration. Scrooge's journey is complete.
The embittered and maligned old man has
found the generosity of spirit to regain his
lost humanity and to share in the love of his
fellow man. The story ends with an
affirmation of peace on earth to all men.
'God Bless Us, Every One!'
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Act 3: Scrooge
Act 1: Scrooge
Characters
Charles Dickens words are brought to life through the choreography, music, set, lighting and
costume. All elements contribute towards communicating the story, as Gable explains,
understanding of character
Ebenezer Scrooge
A miserly old man whose heart has been hardened to human
kindness for many years and who has forgotten the true
meaning of Christmas.
Scrooge...the cold within him froze his old fea
This first scene introduces Scrooge as a mean, pinched
character and shows his impatience for anything that keeps him
and tight, to reflect the meanness within. His face is pinched
and his posture is round shouldered.
himself from others. He keeps his hands very close to his chest
with his elbows close to his sides and his gestures to other
people are sharp and small. He avoids any physical contact which is shown in Act 1 when his
and he fends her off by turning his
back and flicking his hand at her.
Repetition of gestures highlights elements of his character,
such as the counting of money close to his chest. This is
repeated when we see Young Scrooge and his fiancée Belle in
Act 2, highlighting the importance of money to Scrooge and
explaining the subsequent loss of Belle.
In contrast, in Act 2 when Scrooge embraces the Christmas
spirit, his posture is open and his movements are spritely. He
stands tall, and holding his chest out and elbows out to the
side, he uses lots of quick steps and jumps.
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Act 1: Bob Cratchit and Scrooge Act 2: Bob Cratchit and his family
Act 3: Scrooge and the phantoms
Bob Cratchit
is a kind hearted man with a large and loving family.
around, taking small steps and cowering away from Scrooge as he tries to keep unnoticed and
se again when
Scrooge reprimands him. In contrast, in Act 2 when Bob is at home with his family, he uses large
sweeping movements and physical contact, showing his loving character and closeness to his
family and friends.
The Phantoms
The idea of phantoms is conveyed through a combination of the elements previously mentioned.
-grey, ragged costumes and ghoulish masks are complimented by the low level
blue light creating a chilling atmosphere. Their movement is continuous and fluid, and their
unease and restlessness is conveyed through
reaching movements and twisted shapes that they
move in to and out of.
The music used when they appear is an urgent
waltz, which rises in pitch. Tension is created as
the volume and speed increase as the phantoms
close in on Scrooge.
In Act 1, the dancers use the set to hang from and
roll off, conveying an unnatural sense of their body
weight. In direct contrast to the openness and
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Act 2: The Ghost of
Christmas Past
Act 2: The Ghost of Christmas
Present
strong use of weight in the previous scene of the Cornhill workers dancing to keep warm, this
fluid and twisted movement highlights their other worldliness.
The Ghost of Christmas Past
This ethereal spirit, in a tunic of the purest white, shows
Scrooge images from his past.
a thing with one arm, now with one leg, now with twenty legs... in
the very wonder of this, it would be itself again; distinct and
The Ghost of Christmas Past movement vocabulary is strong and
angular. She quickly moves her arms and legs, her limbs
making straight lines or strong angles in contrast to the fluidity
of movement of her torso.
The original costume had a much longer silk chiffon skirt. But
choreographer Moricone felt it was important to show the
shorter and lighter to allow leg movements to be seen.
The Ghost of Christmas Present
This lively and joyous spirit, dressed in a simple green
robe with a wreath of holly upon his head shows
Scrooge images of Christmas present.
A colourful character, his costume and movement reflect
the warmth and love of the Cratchit household and
encapsulate the spirit of Christmas.
His movements are smooth and lively, often crouching
low in second position, showing a grounded element of
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Act 3: The Ghost of Christmas Future
The Ghost of Christmas Future
A terrifying spectre, shrouded and with ghostly
eyes, shows Scrooge the images of what will come
to pass if he does not repent and try to change. The movement of the Ghost of Christmas Future is
slow and steady, limited partly by the elaborate
costume, but also representing death and the
emptiness of the future vision.
tavern scene, the contrast of the slowly carried
coffin and the drinkers dancing and fighting in and
out of the procession, highlight the disregard and
host of
costume and dark, somber lighting, creates a
scary and foreboding atmosphere.
Jacob Marley
niece and nephew
with their own Christmas spirit.
Mr and Mrs Fezziwig
ll how to celebrate the festive season with
food, drink and dance.
Belle
he soon grew to love money more than the sweet and tender Belle.
Tiny Tim
Youngest son of Bob Cratchit, Tim is in poor health even Scrooge finds his sweet nature
touching.
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Act 3: Scrooge and villagers
The Creative Process: an interview with Director Christopher Gable
(Quotes are taken from an interview with Gable in 1992)
Christopher Gable was artistic director of Northern Ballet from 1987 until 1998. During the
opening week of A Christmas Carol in Bath, 1992, Gable shared this thoughts and feelings about
the production and creative process.
The Idea
The original idea for using A Christmas Carol came from
composer Carl Davis who felt that the story had great
potential as a dance production using traditional and
lesser known carols and word songs as a basis for the
score. Both Davis and Gable wanted to make a special
Christmas production with a real meaning to it that was
a good alternative to The Nutcracker. As Gable
A Christmas Carol
journey from being a shrunken, mean and self-centred character to a person who understands
At first Gable was anxious about producing a ballet from such a famous piece of literature. He
looked at the story I decided there were a couple of moments that just had to be narrated. The
first is establishing that Marley is dead, which is central to the purpose of the story. At first I
thought that would be recorded voices but then voice coach Karen Greenhead had been doing
such fantastic work at the school (Central School of Ballet of which Gable was director) I got her
to work with the company. In Victorian times people automatically sang and played the piano
the story telling.
The Creative Process
Throughout the creative process gable was trying to say through t passionate
about the exploitation of the poor, the horror of the workhouses, and the grinding poverty that
supported the flamboyant lifestyle of the upper classes. Dickens burned with indignation that
good, honest folk were not valued i
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other members of the creative team, Gable wanted that message to come across in his
production.
- Four Pence a Day. I had an image of Bob
Cratchit and Scrooge in the cold, Bob trying to keep warm, and a child outside in the street
singing a song, the image of the workhouse, children, small bowls
They wanted to merge those images, which marked the beginning of designer
mixed. In that scene the children pass along the bridge abo
build the scene further choreographer Massimo Morricconi created a solo for Bob Cratchit which
-
dance about keeping warm, it can also be seen as about his yearnings and aspirations for himself
atmosphere, Lighting designer Paul Pyant
and Brotherston
Gable began his own creative pro
the bible: the detailed description of what is going to happen in this production, what it will look
s
with Davis discussing resource material, the possibility of singing, and the kind of rhythms they
the music and then sometimes it has to be
altered or cut as rehearsals get under way and we see how the action is working out. When I write
the bible I think like a performer, an actor and think myself into what the characters might be
Similarly with Brotherston, Gable left him to create the design after the initial discussions.
leave him to come up with the designs. He knows my insistence on cross-fading rather than
changes as the story progresses. When Brotherston comes back with his ideas we have a pact. I
can hate or disagree with anything he has done but I have to give him a reason why. Then he can
However, the collaborative process with Morriconi has to work differently due to restrictions on
time. This means there is not so much room for exchange of ideas as once he starts working it is
with the whole company, not just on paper. Gable listened to the music with him and gave him a
detailed description of the scenario and photographs of every scene change and costume design.
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Act 3: The Ghost of Christmas
Present and Scrooge
Massimo has to do all his work
two weeks in total from start to polished finish, and that means an average of three and a half
work with lighting designer Paul
Pyant, came near the end of the process in the final technical preparation week before the first
performance.
Difficulties
As Gable explains, each creative working on the production has their own priorities and it is
finding a single vision that can prove challenging:
, well
if you think it should be done that way then do it yourself. The difficulties come in making the
different parts come together as a whole, when everyone has different priorities. For instance
Paul is interested in the atmosphere he can create with his lighting states, Lez wants to make the
costumes look as authentic as possible, and Massimo wants as much of the body to be seen so
that the dancing
However, for Gable the greatest difficulty in directing A
Christmas Carol was ensuring the individual scenes fitted into
high energy level and I was worried that the ball scene with
the ravishing pas de deux of the Young Scrooge and Belle,
would be so exciting and wonderful that the next scene with
Characterization
As a renowned actor himself, Gable saw the importance of his
dancers understanding the character they were playing and
the dancers to think as actors in their performing. Sometimes
now I can have a difficulty with a scene and the dancers will come up with the best way to do it. I
talk with them about their characters, and all the dancers think for themselves about how their
communicate their characters motivation and emotions more convincingly in performance.
Finally, Gable shares what he hoped to achieve through the ballet;
size of a pinhead and how the scales
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Music
Carl Davis is a distinguished composer, musical director and conductor who has collaborated
with Northern Ballet on productions such as A Simple Man (1987) and Liaisons Amoureuses
(1990).
For A Christmas Carol, the orchestra is made up of 25 musicians and there is an extensive
percussion section including marimba, glockenspiel, vibraphone, tubular bells and a flexitone.
a synthesiser and keyboard make the sounds of the cathedral organ for the Ghost of Christmas
Integral to the work are the sound effects: times of day, bells ringing, the bells of Christmas day
and dragging footsteps with chains which help to create the atmosphere in the scenes. These
sound effects are on tape and are played through loudspeakers at the theatre. This means that
ves the beat. By implementing the idea
only dance and song, but also modern technology in order to have sound.
Writing the music
Gable aimed for the production to be in three half-hour
acts as it is intended for a family audience. As he
Gable first indicated how long he
envisaged each key dance section to be: 2, 3, 4 or
5 minutes, before he and Davis then went on to establish
the proportions of other sections of the piece. Davis
explains e talk about the mood, and what aspect of the
story we want to bring out within these sections -
happiness, melancholy and regret. All this has to be
expressed in the music. I then re-read Dickens A
Christmas Carol just before I composed it and I wrote the
music sections with all this in mind. This way of working
followed right through the whole piece, so we have horror
music, melodrama, ghostly music, happy music and the
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Source material and period
Traditional waltzes are used, particularly during the party scene at the Fezziwigs in Act 1, in
keeping with the music of the period and to create the atmosphere of a Dickensian Christmas. In
contrast to this, for the scene in the counting house in Act 1, Davis wanted a Victorian ballad
ne which was a broadside ballad a
we went right back to source to Cecil Sharp House in London and found the original score from
Carols are used throughout the production to add texture to the score and to help narrate
important moments in the story. Following the ban of carols and parties at Christmas by
Cromwel th Century, the revival of Christmas traditions during Victorian
particular did a lot to rekindle the joy of Christmas.
Familiar to audiences today, the carols create both a sense of celebration and allows them to
The carols used in the production are:
Funeral Song
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Four pence a day
Patapan
Song of Marley
The Holly and the Ivy
A great and mighty wonder
I will be merry (round)
How far is it to Bethlehem?
Come follow me (round)
A great and mighty wonder (reprise)
Act 3: Scrooge and villagers
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Set
(Quotes are taken from an interview with Lez Brotherston in 1992).
Lez Brotherston is a highly renowned opera, dance and theatre designer who had designed the
sets and costumes for Romeo & Juliet in 1991 and Swan Lake in 1992 previous to
working on A Christmas Carol.
Design process
After reading the book three or four times Gable and Brotherston met to discuss which elements
of the story were most important, refine the synopsis and start solving problems. This was also
when they decided to keep the story set in Victorian England.
Brotherston explains the collaboration process for A Christmas Carol.
- to realise the text visually and then solve
the problems with the director. Independently the director is responsible for making the
performance happen in the set and the designer takes responsibility for the technicians to build
The research period then began and involved finding old photographs and books featuring
Victorian London. Brotherston used images from the original plates in the text for the Ghost of
Christmas Present.
Problem solving
The set designer and production manager have to liaise during the production process to make
sure the most important elements of the design are included and decide where compromises
have to be made to fit within budget limitations.
In one of the early synopses there was
bridge at the back of the stage came
about because more dancing space
was needed. The first design featured
a gantry that went round three sides
of the stage, but that was later
changed to the current design. This
in itself caused structural difficulties
though, as the bridge had to reach
across the whole stage as a single
span, whilst remaining sturdy and
safe enough to dance on.
Act 3.
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Successes
Some of the more successful aspects of the set design are not seen by the audience. As the
production manager Alison Walker explains,
clever and very simple - they move on wheels which go either side of a solid metal rail which is
fastened to the floor. Those trucks are very well designed in their build, and of course you have
to anti-rake everything and the whole bottom section hinges up with a row of bolt holes to
accommodate the different slope in all the theatres we go to. Also the way the free-moving trucks
break is very clever -they are on hinges and they brake by coming off their wheels and resting on
the floor using a simple lever which can be oper
In Act 2 when the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the Cratchit household, moving
trucks are brought together to create a small room within the larger set. This highlights not only
sense of closeness and unity as all the action occurs
within a smaller area.
Act 1: The Cratchit family
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wife
Costume
(Quotes are taken from in interview with Sasha Keir in 1992)
The costumes for A Christmas Carol were designed by Lez
Brotherston and there are 650 items of costume in the
production. Not only do these costumes have to survive the
rigours of being worn for seven performances a week, but they
also have to reflect the style of the period and allow the
dancers to move freely in them.
Design Process
With some costumes, such as the fantastical costumes of the
three ghosts, it is important to have a good idea of how they
will look early on in the production process as they can affect
the way the character is played, which needs to be considered
before starting the choreography. The weight of a costume can
weight of the costume affects how the movement looks. For
example, the costume for
dancer put it on for the first time in rehearsal, and did the very quick, jumping, turning
movements of her solo, the weight of the petticoats actually made it impossible for her to move
fast enough so we cut out some of the petticoats
Most costumes however, are only worn for the first time during the technical week, and under the
lights on stage, potential problems have to be spotted, resolved and alterations made quickly.
had to be cut down on the index finger
because that finger is used so much in his
initial characterisation
Reflecting the period
When designing the costumes, Brotherston
had to research the designs of the period and
incorporate the line and styles in his
costume. Brotherston explains,
Cornhill people are poor, in my logic their
clothes would come from an earlier period, so
Act 2: Young Scrooge and Belle
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instead of 1840 they can be from 1810. The colours used are dim blues, greys, slatey colours,
whereas the middle class people wear more natural colours and the upper classes wear reds,
blues, purples and greens.
When we go to the Fezziwig party we go back another thirty
years and we get the empire line, which is where the skirt
starts from just under the bust. The colours used are light
and bright to project innocence and youth, as well as their
status of being fairly well-off. In the future we introduce
the bustle, which is where a lot of material is gathered at
Parts of the set had to go through a process called
look older, threadbare and dirty by painting them and
cheese grating so that the edges become worn, then we
dirty them all up. This is to create the contrasts between
groups of people. For example, the Cornhill costumes are
all made to look old in contrast with those at the Fezziwig
Act 2: Fezziwig Ball
Act 3: Villagers
Act 3: Villagers
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Lighting
Paul had worked on two productions with Northern Ballet before A Christmas Carol: Romeo &
Juliet and Swan Lake and had worked several times with Lez Brotherston.
Lighting is used within the production, both to set the action in different locations and to create
the atmosphere of a scene. All the elements of the production, such as movement, music,
lighting, costumes and set, work together to create a strong visual narrative and help
communicate the story.
Setting the scene
Effects can be used to set the action in a specific location and to build layers to a scene, within
the limitations of a theatre. An example of this is the snow effect in the opening scene, created
by projecting light onto a circling image to create the effect of falling snow. Also in Act 1, to
create the cobbled street of the Cornhill scene, metal plates with designs cut out of them (called
Lighting is used not only used to place the action in a certain setting, but can also contribute to
the feeling of a scene and to creating the right atmosphere. For example, in the street scene in
Act 1, soft, warm lighting is used to create a happy, festive atmosphere as shoppers go about
their last minute Christmas preparations. As the action moves into the counting house, some
very hard focused lamps, with a white light are used to give a cold, heartless interior. When the
nephew and niece arrive some warmer lights are added to give the impression that the spirit of
Christmas has arrived. Again, the scene is warmed up and softened with light when Cratchit does
Act 1: Villagers
20
Act 1: The Ghost of Christmas Past and Scrooge
of warmth and beauty and the lighting state helps to say this.
oom scene where something more surreal and
the top o
very tightly on Marley while the rest of the scene is sparsely lit, giving the impression that he is
floating in mid air.
Emphasizing character traits
the Ghost of Christmas Past, a bright white light shines from directly behind her so that it looks
as if she brings the light with her. When she
steps into the room, we see that she also has
flickering lights on her headdress, portraying
the innocence and optimism of the characters
in Christmases past.
In contrast, the gloomy scene in Act 3 when the
Ghost of Christmas Future shows Scrooge the
bleak consequences of his behaviour, is
created with minimal blue light. The low
lighting emphasizes the lifeless, harrowing
nature of the scene.
Act 3: Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Future
21
Task 1 (5 mins)
Individually find 3 gestures that Scrooge might make. These may include pointing, counting
money, or other gestures that reflect his mean, cold character. Pay attention to posture
(hunched, closed) and how he relates to other.
Task 2 (5 mins)
Decide on the order and find a way of linking them. This could include stationary
movements (eg turns, changes in level, balances) and travelling movements (walking,
sliding, shuffling).
This will create a dance phrase that can be repeated.
Practical Ideas for the Classroom
Characterisation Scrooge
(See page 5 for a description of his characterisation)
22
Task 3 (10 mins)
Entrances and exits where do you enter/exit space, when (at the same time, one by
one?).
Decide on pathways and directions which pathway does each person take, which
direction are they facing?
The relationship between the performers is there any interaction (eye contact,
reaction), spatial relationships and formation?
Group dynamic and timing is there a moment where you all gather together? Move
at the same time or hold moments of stillness? Changes in speed and tempo?
Task 4 (10 mins)
movement vocabulary, quality and posture completely change. Gestures become open and
expansive, reflecting the personal revelation and rediscovery he has gone through. His new
vocabulary includes jumps, hops and heel digs and has a light, lively dynamic.
Individually find 3 movements demonstrating this change in outlook. These may be
stationary or travel. Link in the same way as task 2 to create a phrase
Task 5 (10 mins)
Experiment with ways of incorporating this new
material into the previous group sequence. This may
be through splitting the group into the two roles,
structuring into sections, dividing/using the space in
different ways. Focus on the contrast between the
Act 3. Scrooge
23
Task 1 (10 mins)
arm gestures. Introduce these features and use them to improvise across the space:
Concentrating on different kinds of turns (swirling, spinning, using different levels and
speeds)
Concentrating on extensions with different body parts (as if being pulled by your toe,
fingertips, elbow, hip)
Concentrating on undulating arm gestures (as if underwater, floating)
Stress the importance of a continuous flow and soft quality of movement throughout each
improvisation task.
Task 2 (10 mins)
Create phrases in pairs using material found through the improvisation. Include turns, leg
extensions and arm gestures, again ensuring the movement is fluid with a soft quality. Decide
how many counts each movement will take and fit to a phrase of 16 counts.
Phantoms
(See page 6 for more information)
24
Task 3 (5 mins)
Teach this phrase to another pair.
Task 5 (10 mins)
This scene, like the music, starts slowly with phantoms appearing gradually before slowly
building in numbers of dancers, energy and speed. Repetition is used alongside unison and
canon.
Using the above as a guide, structure all the material created into a group dance sequence.
Consider:
Entrances and exits where, when, who.
Group formation relationship in space, lines, patterns etc.
Unison and cannon sections where the whole group are performing the same
movement at the same time, sections where one person follows on from the next
(Mexican wave) or cumulative cannon (dancers joining in one by one until all moving
together).
Task 4 (10 mins)
movements using this idea. As a group decide on 4 and use to create a phrase. This may
include stationary and travelling movements and fit to a 16 count structure.
25
Task 1 (10 mins)
In pairs, find ways of:
travelling around your partner - this may involve using different levels, contact (such
as holding hands) and a range of travelling steps (skipping, galloping, hops, jumps
etc). You may or may not have exchanged places by the end of this motif.
moving towards and away from your partner - again, this may or may not involve
contact, but concentrate on mirroring each other and working in unison.
find a travelling step that can be repeated - this may include gallops, skips, turns,
hops or movements that are assisted by your partner such as jumps or balances.
Task 2 (10 mins)
Task 3 (10 mins)
As a group decide on an order and practice linking them together to create a sequence. Pay
attention to timing, deciding on how many counts each movement will take to ensure the
group works together in unison.
Task 4 (10 mins)
Set a clear group formation considering:
starting position relation in space to each other.
floor patterns and pathways you could make (such as lines, circles, peeling off, weaving
or crossing).
changes in group formation you may decide to change position to form another
shape.
finish how does the dance end?
Fezziwig Ball
The Fezziwig Ball is a party scene involving a
large number of dancers taking part in a formal
dance. Mr and Mrs Fezziwig bustle around
their guests creating a lively atmosphere of
excitement, jollity and festive cheer. In the
warm up it may be useful to introduce
travelling steps such as skipping, galloping,
triplets and jumps which could be used in the
following tasks.