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Learning agreement

NAME:                                   Naomi Williams

COURSE:                             BA (Hons) Costume with Performance Design        

UNIT TITLE:                                    Self Directed Project                    

REF. NO./LEVEL:               CSS518

WEIGHTING:                        2.0      

DURATION:                         9 Weeks       

HOURS OF STUDY:          300 Hours    

Unit Leader:                         Adele Keeley/Graham Cottenden

Your Blog address:           http://naomiwilliams-naomi.blogspot.com/

DESCRIPTION:

For SDP I have chosen to undertake the ballet project as through this project I will learn more about ballet as an art form and the history of how it developed to the art form we see today. This will help me contextualise ballet so that when I am making the ballet costumes I will not just want to produce beautiful costumes but I will have a real love for the whole world of ballet. Through this project I will also be learning how to make a romantic tutu, bodice, applying decoration, and different ballet sleeves, therefore this will develop my making skills in this specialist area because after I graduate this is the industry I would like to try and get into.

For this SDP project I am going to write three reviews discussing different versions of Swan Lake. This will develop my understanding of ballet and how different directors will choose to tell the story through the choreography, and set and costumes. I will also be studying other ballet productions from the past and present so that I have a wider contextual understanding of ballet. I also want to produce a small journal so that I can discuss these productions in greater depth and also research famous ballerinas and costume designers.

I will produce for assessment a ballet bodice and romantic tutu, decoration samples, and a collection of female Ballet sleeves samples plus evidence of contextual studies and personal reflection presented on project blog. Through the costume I produce I would particularly like to reflect the costumes worn in Edgar Degas paintings they are so subtle particularly like the use of flowers to decorate the bodice and classical tutu. So, I will use very similar colours and decoration on my costume.

I have chosen to undertake my work because I want to contextualise my understanding of ballet so that I will have a passion for the art form. I also want to develop my sewing skills that that I become quicker and neater at sewing, for in the industry I will have to produce more costumes in the time that we have to produce one. 

Aims:

A1       To provide opportunities for self-initiated, autonomous learning

            and develop the ability to plan time and work independently

A2       To provide opportunity to study the contextual development of costume and performance design

A3       To further develop the creative, intellectual and practical applications of research and contextualisation within a self initiated environment

A4       To propose, develop and evaluate professional aspirations through professional development planning

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this unit you will be able to:

LO1     Identify and define the context for the development of your own work towards professional aspirations

LO2     Demonstrate an understanding of the development of Costume with performance design

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LO3     Have developed the creative, intellectual and practical applications of research and contextualisation

LO4    Consolidate and demonstrate professional aspirations and planning                     

Assessment Requirements:

A body of work consisting of 1 ballet bodice and romantic tutu, decoration samples, and a collection of female Ballet sleeves samples plus evidence of contextual studies and personal reflection presented on project blog. Under pinned by personal development planning (in your blog journal) and a final written evaluation (750 words) evidenced in your Blog 100%

Each assessment requirement must be passed at a minimum grade of 40% to successfully complete the unit

Assessment Criteria (specific criteria related to the learning outcomes and linked to the statement of generic assessment criteria matrix):           

           

1. Evidence of knowledge of contextual and theoretical issues – The level to which you have considered the context of your project and evidenced that to your body of work (LO1, LO2)

2. Evidence of understanding through synthesis and development – The application and extend to which research has informed decision-making and project development together with the appropriate management of time (LO2, LO3, LO4)

3. Evidence of evaluation and reflection – The extent to which you have reflected on the progress of your project and used it to inform personal development planning (LO4)

4. Evidence of realisation through the communication of ideas - The presentation of your work and the level to which specialist knowledge has been applied, communicated and evidenced (LO3, LO4)

Reference Material

This will vary according to the needs of the individual project.  You will define Reference Material through personal investigation and consultation with staff and list it in your Learning Agreement.

Andreerskaya, G. (1999). The Great History of Russian Ballet. Temporis.

Cooper, B. (2002). The Royal Ballet – In House. London: Oberon Books Ltd. 

Paskevska, A. (1993). Both Sides of the Mirror and the Science and Art of Ballet. New Jersey: Princeton Book Company.

Purvis, A. and Rand, P. and Winestein, A. (2009). The Ballet Russes and the Art of Design. New York: The Monacelli Press.

Roboz, Z. (1980). British Ballet Today. London: Davis-Potyner.

STUDENT……Naomi Williams……DATE…19/03/12……………..

TUTOR…………………………………………..DATE………………..

Review of Swan Lake Performed by Moscow Ballet

I enjoyed production to a certain extent I felt that it did have that magically other worldly feel to the production the scene with the swans by the lake side was particularly beautiful. Before the scene started they dropped down a gauze backdrop so that when they lit the stage behind you could make out the shapes of swans. The gauze backdrop was lifted to reveal this magical lake side with the moonlit shimmering through the mist.

The costumes of the swans themselves where very delicate and floaty to create that appearance of feathers however, I feel perhaps if they had used to romantic tutu it would have created more delicate movements depicting the gracefulness of the swan.

I felt that the choice of putting the Prince into the black tunic and the attendant into white when we were first introduced to their characters was a little confusing, for we associate black with evil. So, at first I thought that the attendant was the Prince. I felt that overall there was so cohesive colour scheme it was a mixture of pastels and bright colours so it looked a bit messy.  I quite liked the velvet bodice of the black swan. The purple used for Rothbart’s cape was too harsher contrast to the other colours his whole costume should have been more menacing. I did not shiver to my core by his presences.

I did feel that the whole play lacked passion you could not feel any fear from Odette when she first meets the Prince and then when they fall in love there was no real longing to be in one another’s arms.

The fool was an excellent dancer he had so much energy he was a pleasure to watch.

It was a shame that the music was not live because it gives such a different quality to the whole production.

Overall I feel that it was an okay interpretation however, compared to other productions I have seen of Swan Lake it did not sweep me into this magical world where maidens can be turned into swans and turn back into princesses when they find true love.