Swan Lake

I started drawing some dance images (if that's the best way to describe it) over the weekend although unfortunately I was slowed down a considerable amount as I was ill. But never mind! I did get some things done anyway. I have a DVD of Matthew Bourne's version of Swan Lake and I though this was a good place to start. 

To fill you in, Bourne has taken the original music by Tchaikovsky and transformed the classical ballet we all know into his contemporary version. Not only is the style of dance different but he changes the roles, using an almost all male cast. Instead of beautiful ballerinas in tutu's, we get to enjoy the performance but bare chested gentlemen. 

I studied this piece a few years ago so as I'm more familiar with this performance it was very easy for me to get into drawing. The arm gestures often represent the head and neck of a swam, rather than only wings and many movements are much more bird-like than that of the classical ballet.

I didn't stop the DVD as I wanted to treat it as though it was a real performance so it was very good practice. At the moment I'm quite slow and my images are very static but there are a few which were starting to improve. 

I think it's important to start treating some of the movement, no matter what style of dance or type of performance, as though I was doing it myself. As though it's from my own experience. I understand how to use my body and think this interpretation will stat to transform my drawing.

Classical Swan Lake Ballet

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

Black Swan Dance

I've also included some video's here as there are a few versions of Swan Lake., all with the same story but slightly different ways of portraying it. We have the classical ballet, Matthew Bourne's version and most recently, the film 'Black Swan' starring Natalie Portman, where the two swan's (the white and the black swan) almost become real and are two sides of her personality, good and evil.