"I'm Gonna Shake and Shimmy" or may be not:choreographing Hairspray – a Practice as Research project. Issue 1 (2nd January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lidbury, Clare
• Is Part Of: Research in dance education. Volume 21:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 17
• Publication Date: 2020-01-02
• Subjects: Kurt Jooss -- Sigurd Leeder -- The Jooss-Leeder Method -- Hairspray, the Musical; Dance -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 792.8071
• DOI: 10.1080/14647893.2019.1620718
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1464-7893

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Using practice as research as my methodology I examine whether it is possible to choreograph Hairspray - the Musical while staying true to the movement principles developed by Kurt Jooss and Sigurd Leeder in the Jooss-Leeder Method. In discussing the process and the product I explore also the difficulties in choreographing for, and teaching the dances to, a cast of 15–18-year-olds in a school where there is no dance in the curriculum at this level. I conclude that selected Jooss-Leeder movement principles provide a useful framework for choreographing the musical numbers, that Leeder's organic teaching process is effective for these novice dancers and that a lack of dance experience does not preclude a successful production.