Approaches to Cinema - German Expressionism Essay

Approaches to Cinema - German Expressionism - Essay Example The essay "Approaches to Cinema - German Expressionism" investigates German expressionism and films of this style. To begin with, it may be particularly important to engage Metropolis in the discussion. Thus, the beginning of the previous century was a time in history when the human society grew more and more different and stratified. Revolution in the Russian Empire showed that there is a big group of people, the working class, who is in perpetual conflict with the wealthy class that oppresses them. All this was heavily influenced by the view of Karl Marx. The movie Metropolis takes the division between the two classes to a new extreme: on the one hand it, shows people living in paradise who know little about what lays under their city– the true hell on earth. The directors were able to show that the two worlds are dramatically different in every aspect: space, light, action and many others. This might be interpreted as a fear of the ultimate stratification of classes. Anothe r popular concern in Germany in the beginning of the twentieth century focused on the possibility that machines might take up the place of man. Metropolis highlights this theme very distinctly: it is shown that a man can invent a machine and cover it with human form and no one will be able to tell the difference. In spite of the fact that the process of copying the appearance is not properly explained in the money and looks to fantastic, the outcome is more than realistic: people listen to the robotic Maria and choose her as a leader.

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 27

Case Study Example According to the patient’s history and physical report, she experiences â€Å"severe, short-distance, lifestyle limiting right lower extremity claudication,† which is the reason why she is being admitted to the hospital. The patient typically develops paresthesias as well as complete numbness to her right foot after walking for more than 20 yards. However, if she walks for an approximation of 20 yards, she experiences pain in her right calf, which goes away after she gets some rest. From these considerations, it is possible to determine that she meets the criteria for admission based on the severity of her illness, since she experiences an acute loss of the ability to move a body part as set out in the hospital’s admission criteria. On the other hand, the plan set is for the patient to undergo operative intervention, whose intention is to repair the injury in the femoral artery. This was after tests were conducted, thereby revealing evidence of a mild narrowing o f the artery, presumably due to the previous catheterization. It is possible to determine that the patient meets the admission criteria based on the intensity of service, given that the plan is to operate on her within 24 hours, once the operating room is free. On the other hand, palpable pulses are not present in the patient’s right lower extremity. This factor meets the intensity of service requirements outlined in the admission criteria, which establishes that the patient meets the criteria for admission to the hospital.

Energy Conservation Essay Example for Free

Energy Conservation Essay Energy conservation is the reduction of quantity of energy used. Energy conservation supports the eco friendly lifestyle by providing energy, which saves your money and at the same time saves the earth. When you decrease the amount of energy you use you automatically make efforts to reduce increasing global warming. Source of Energy Conservation: Solar Energy: Solar power uses the suns energy and light to provide heat, light, and electricity for homes. It is the primary source of all energy forms on the earth. It is one such energy which helps in maintaining the ecological balance through the process of photosynthesis and green house effect. We have been using sun to dry clothes and boil food for generations. But now number of techno powers which have been developed to make full use of solar energy such as: Photovoltaic systems : By these systems the electricity could be produced directly from the sunlight. Solar Process Space heating and cooling : It is the commercial and industrial use of suns heat. Solar Hot Water : The process to heat water with the solar energy. Solar Power plants : Producing electricity bu using the suns heat. Passive Solar heating and daylighting : Use solar energy to heat buildings. Wind energy : Wind energy is often used to generate the mechanical power or the electricity. In the country like India, wind energy holds the great importance because of large hilly, coastal and desert areas. In the rural areas it is used to pump water and grind grain. The benefit of wind energy is that it is fully pollution free and is eco friendly too. It costs low and the generation of power is continuous. It is the most effective way to conserve the energy and prevent the environment. Geothermal Energy : Geothermal energy is used in the form of thermal energy, electrical energy, nuclear energy, mechanical energy, chemical energy and light energy. It uses heat energy from beneath the surface of the earth. It was first used to produce electricity in the Itlay in 1903. Geothermal energy has the major environment benefit as it prevents air pollution. It is particularly important in the inland nations such as Indian Oceans and the pacific regions. Energy generation from geothermal sources is only possible in few places under unique geographic conditions. Wave energy : Ocean waves contain large amount of energy, which can be extracted through Ocean winds, Ocean currents, Ocean Geothermal etc. if the barrage is built across the river, electricity can be obtained by by the flow of water through turbines as the tide rise and falls. Hydroelectric energy : Another renewable source of energy is the hydroelectric energy, which is produced from fast flowing water. The process is pollution free. The movement of water spins the turbines which in turn generate electricity. Biomass energy : Biomass is the plant and animal waste which is used as the energy. Biomass energy like manure from livestock, plant waste etc can be used to generate electricity, fuel, light, and heat. We get biomass energy directly from plants and indirectly from the animal waste.

The Apple Inc After Steve Jobs Commerce Essay

The Apple Inc After Steve Jobs Commerce Essay The purpose of this assignment and the selection of Steve Jobs case study draw in many features of leadership theories and works connected with Jobs Apple or his business activity. His leadership tells again one further thing that sometimes successful leaders may divide into two camps the whole world : some adore the leader and others cannot stand him. This sensation is not so unusual as example of Margaret Thatchers political leadership and many military leaders over the centuries. Apples success made Steve Jobs a successful leader and the main thing is Jobs personal creation is Apple. During his time there were Bill Gates and Michael Dell who were fabulously successful in different parts of the IT business, but Jobs Apple was among the three brands, always the most inventive, the idiosyncratic, maybe even the imperturbable brand. By this time, many of us already learned, heard, read and watched about Steve Jobs many contributions to the society, his achievements on many accounts. Consumers passions about Steve Jobs and the Apple are rare in the business world. In Soho I was passing by an Apple store not long ago and found flowers and hundreds of post it notes from so many expressing gratitude to Steve Jobs. As Mr. Walter Isaacson, his biographer and others have pointed out that however, Steve Jobs was beyond perfection.   Anyway, his leadership and management style, in particular is my main concern.   Most of us by this time know that Steve Jobs could be egotistical, autocratic, and harsh.   Yet he was a great leader. So, this overturns some management writers claims and thoughts todays business leaders need to be nice, kind, humble (Level 5 leadership), and practice servant leadership? I think the contradiction about leadership can be clarified by two sets of aspects. One we need to recognize the situational leadership. In some circumstances one style could work properly but that might not work in some others at all. Ambiguity or the surprise matter always there while claims being made about the behaviour and the characteristics of the universal leadership. Woking overseas and leading cross functional global teams definitely recognize leadership needs to be adapted culture specific. Mr. Jobs leadership not mentioning his genius activities was a key part in the success of Apple. If he had used another style, might not be able to achieve the glorious success at Apple. The other one is apart from arrogance style of Mr. Jobs he had some great executive leaders qualities visionary, risk taker, emotional stability, openness to experience, and highly focused, committed or persistent, passionate and positive attitude. Not only he dived into his vision, he made sure companys everyone brought into that created for the company a higher purpose which excited really the company employees. His products and passions of course were legendary in Apple. He established trust among company members not as a founder but in marketing and product design. Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Issues Section # 2 Leadership Organisational Behaviour Issues To understand the attached case studys key aspect module Organisational Behaviour, I have done a detailed research on Apple Inc. policies, leadership strategies etc. Balanced Scorecard Institute defined the balanced scorecard which is a management and planning system used to bring into line business activities to the vision and the organisations strategy, communications (internal external) improvement, and against strategic goals monitor organisational performance. Most organisations, to bring effective changes use the balanced scorecard. But APPLE INC. doesnt implement the scorecard for operating changes but uses for long term performance. It focuses on various categories of measurement in the following order Financial Perspective Shareholder Value Customer Perspective Market share and customer satisfaction Internal Process Perspective Core Competencies The Innovation and Improvement Perspective The three wide-ranging Organisational Behaviour aspects have been taken i.e. Leadership, Motivation, and Change Management to identify whether Apple Inc. is following a good strategy or any possibility of improvement or any requirement of complete change. Especially the focus is more or less orbited around the Apple Inc.s CEO Steve Jobs throughout the report and the way he be able to manage and motivate the Apple Inc.s employees Leadership Through the case study and because of Steve Jobs I deeply researched and found on crisis moment Apple called him and simply Steve Jobs turned the things around and took the organisation at top level, honestly I got charmed by this man. His leadership styles sets for everyone example, he is visionary and transformational leaders role model. For example the price of Apple share 2% fell on Steve Jobs illness rumour in 2008. Because of some power struggles internally, Apple forced Steve to leave his job in 1985 and after that nearly one decade Apple was in serious crisis. In 1996 financial losses was reaching $81600000 and in 1997 it was $1 billion and instead of $70 per share (1991) it became $14 per share. In 1997 March issue Fortune Magazine described Apple as Silicon Valleys paragon of dysfunctional management. (Woods, 1997). Later Apple appointed Steve Jobs as the CEO and everything started changing even Apple is much ahead than rivals HP, Dell, Microsoft etc. and posited or ranked sixth in the list of reputable companies. In spite of his all achievements, Steve always been encircled with arguments. Beside the concern of the products of Apple, he is looked up as a business idol. Transformation leadership consists of charisma, motivation (inspirational), stimulation (intellectual) and consideration (individual). Everybody knows that Steve Jobs had these all qualities except the last one consideration (individual). He had a perfection achieving phenomenal hunger and acted as a one man army to reformed computing system. From his past as well as the past of Apple we can see his greatness. Todays the digital image of the society is enhanced by the Apple i.e. Steve Jobs. During 1985 to 1997, successfully he transformed Pixar into a successful speculation. Only lack was Steve Jobs liked secrecy. Apple builds trust but never talked about their forthcoming products. They always talked about their achieved things and this behaviour effects a lot to the Apple Inc. employees. His arrogant and top-down approach is not going to work according to William C. Taylor (Harvard Business Review, 2009) With an excellent speech ability and superb fascinating influence over the audience and his employees, Steve Jobs is a very powerful charismatic leader. He made his employees enthusiastic by the charismatic power and convinced customers to buy Apples products. Apart from his charismatic power he is also known as devious, rude and corrupt. He did not respect individual, employees scared him, though its perfection quest but still shows his consideration for individual is low to some extent. He made his employees better but not to be easy on them. Survey in 2008 shows that employees were not enough satisfied with their bonus and compensation level but they had towards the products and the policies of the company full passion. Steve Jobs tremendous qualities of charismatic power, Apple outperformed others primarily in the business market. Though charismatic leadership power matched with him but his individual consideration does not go with him. In this respect my doubt goes whether Steve Jobs is a charismatic leader or a personalised leader more. Motivation The purpose and direction of behave is the psychological process which is referred by the Motivation. An organisation will be benefitted if the employees are motivated by effective productivity though its a very complex task as motivation keeps on changing. In 2010, Glassdoor results show clearly that Apples employees are respectful to their boss and are motivated. A few years before and the present Apple if compare, anyone can easily realise that Jobs was outstanding to get his employees commitment properly that proved Apples employees motivation. When excellence expected then employees need not be told anything said by Steve Jobs in 1989, initially needs to coach them. The motivation model of the Maslows hierarchy of needs (1943) describes that the needs can be classified into these stages (including last need being basic need most). SELF ACTUALISATION Doing what best you can do ESTEEM NEEDS Self-respect and respect from others BELONGING Acceptance and being part of something SAFETY NEEDS Physical and Psychological security PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS Hunger, Thirst, Rest etc. Esteem , Belonging and Self Actualisation needs are as highlighted is that according to me, these are the underperformances in the Apples motivation level for employees. Apple never put hard gear on the employees motivation as they never knew what company coming up with next. They are restricted to go from one department to another by using electronic badges as terrorists. Jobs kept software and hardware department separate and set in different buildings. Steve Jobs always looking for perfection, a notorious manager, instead of motivate he used his stick. This definitely is not followed the Maslows hierarchy of needs. Steve Jobs was an autocratic as he wanted people to listen to him. Though innovation is part of the involvement of the employees but this theory had a doubt on Apples innovation. Definitely it conflicts with the Self Actualisation Stage of Maslows hierarchy. In 2006, Roderick Kramer wrote for Harvard Business Review, a certain degree of forcefulness might prove to be useful when it comes to handling intractable problems. So, Steve jobs always worked on his own way and delivered fabulous results does not mean that his ways is the right way. Because its not about Steve Jobs, its the question about Apple Inc. So, therefore the way Jobs worked is not the right way. According to an insider Steve was acute with his employees, made them cry but also most of time he was right. His viewpoint was exceptional and he had no asshole rule, he was tyrant in his workplace but if employees not fully pleased then things not going to work same way in future. Change Management The development of an organisation depends on Change Management, a set of behavioural science-based theories, values and strategies. It is not an easy job. W Pasmore in 2010 said that many leaders failed to make operating and critical changes to led the organisation. Apple like many other big companies gained mastery in this matter. Not only Apple Inc. comes up with new and innovative technology but also the implementation of the financial figures of them vastly accepted all over the world. Steve Jobs has many reasons to be successful in change management and out of those understanding and anticipation of customers requirement most. Change Management helps an organisation to take from one level to the next level by treating Employees as Focus Group. Steve doesnt rely on focus groups, instead he is a steady believer that customers themselves dont know their requirement. Without asking them he has a strong understanding ability and can anticipate his customers call. So he treats as focus group his own employees and without any customer intervention makes the decision. By giving such huge importance to the employees, the employees themselves feel a part of the change. Thus he gains the employee loyalty very easily. The products like iPod, iPhone, and iTunes are great examples that prove his expertise in understanding the customer needs. Every individual thinks own way differently and has got own different insights and assertiveness in life. So, therefore, its not possible to get 100% support from all the employees. Rather, to accept and adapt to change, they need to be motivated and inspired enough. Jobs chooses team members by selecting multiplier factor of excellence. He believes that the extraordinary designers, engineers and managers are not only better than the good ones by 10 or 20 % but 10 times better. He feels that outstanding products come from their contributions. Eliminating Fear of Change: Over time, Steves leadership has made the organisations mantra, together with its distribution and channel partners. While iTunes launch, people thought it might change the entire music industry. With the charismatic ability Jobs eliminated the fear of change, and they achieved their 100% contribution and iTunes in the music industry made a revolution. Managing Changes in Distribution Strategy: the whole distribution strategy might be disrupted at time by the innovation and Apple faced the problem on their iPod launching time. They made good relation with big box stores like Wal Mart, Target etc. before introducing them in the consumer electronics industry. For distributing digital music iTunes also built a complete new distribution strategy successfully and thats the way Apple overcome the changing problem in distribution strategy. Analytical Framework and Evaluation Section # 3 Analytical Framework Evaluation Most business leaders expect to touch the level Steve Jobss did before he died in October 2011. He is the legendary visionary player one in a century. He is a dynamic and controversial leader and his success totally relied upon his innovation capabilities. During time the legacies left by many other protruding leaders become clear. However, we already by today have tremendous clarity of Jobss leadership. Because of the masterful biography of Walter Isaacson, we know that Jobs pursued former CEO of CNN and managing editor of  Time Isaacson, for five years (Jobss determination example in the book first among many), and then of course a much rarer incidence giving a free hand to him, promising: Its your book. I wont even read it. Certainly Steve Jobs was a wayward and ambitious leader, and his innovation, commercialization and services to the society through Apple Inc. changed the way of life styles of many of us and developed truthfully great ways for computing, publishing, movies, music, and mobile telephony industries. His way or style of leadership is complex, risky, committed and charismatic to convince customers and employees on his aspiration. Though he is greatest business executive of the era but he was critical, tyrant one. All too often he was the antithesis of the servant leader model popularized in the 1990s (the giving, caring organizational mentor who in many ways contrasted with the hero model of a century prior). Not only at Apple Inc. but at NeXT and at Pixar, he seeded powerful culture. He created a place where motivated people make great products. He had fascinating and perplexing leadership. Personally and professionally he fell in and out of love with people easily. Because of his great talent he created extraordinary skilful organisation but he missed many peoples potential contribution. In question of teamwork, he always challenged to do beyond the possible. So, a few strong people cope with this challenge to keep remain the pride but many others usually become frustrated. In a way this is a loss of encouragement and emotional effect as the theme comes up A players and B players. Then the misrepresenting habit of Steve Jobs in reality for fulfilling his purpose together with the intolerance, condemnation, and unfriendliness that often accompanied it. In one sense Steves version could create a compelling vision of what might be. Could observe his fostered cultures at his company Apple Inc. even though he was not with Apple for 10 years but his underlying essence of the culture which he had established somehow stayed alive. But on another sense, Steve Jobss criticism, unfriendliness and arrogance could be extremely estranging, which actually shattered his credibility, particularly the way he used it to terminate a hopeful impression or a determination as a piece of crap. The way Apple Inc. worked on last decade was a way to sink a company. It successfully did everything because of Jobs extraordinary talent at foreseeing and providing revolutionary products and services. His ability to originate for his customers in a way few leaders had done before obliged as a liniment to his bad-tempered personal style. There will be really few countable top leaders who pay much attention on design detail and other things of products as Jobs did. Without counting cost efficiency or sales volume or even the profit, Steve Jobs always measured the consumer appeal, functionality and simplicity of products. That attention was the vital part of his organisation Apple Inc.s strategic and marketing capabilities. Steve Jobs was alike Walt Disney and Edwin Land an entrepreneurial leader in these respects and he admired both of them. Jobs without any hesitation always declared that without showing what they want, customers do not know their requirements. Indeed, not infallible but he remarkably was able to develop products that consumers would buy and enjoy, as well as the self-reliance, audacity, and ambition to bring them to life. According to Isaacson, a blue collar mechanic and his adoptive father Jobs genius for imaginative leaps [that] were instinctive, unexpected, and at times magical Time goes on and Steve Jobs became a better leader of people. Though he never liked to live on his own shortcomings, Isaacson in 2007 quotes a statement revealing a somewhat unenthusiastic, even concealed sense of an imperative flaw. Because Steve Jobs and Woz were not good enough in making partnership with people but based on doing the whole banana they started the company, he said of Apples design philosophy. Only God knows if he could have some more time, he might be able to less the gap difference between his leadership DNA and the Apple Inc.s one. Conclusion and Recommendations Section # 4 Conclusion Recommendations If consider the Apple Inc. financial results then people might remark that most of the things in the company are going quite well. But the above entire analysis explains that a lot of loopholes are inside the functions of Apple Inc. which have need of a subterranean thought. All over the world millions of people were considering Steve Jobs as an idol but side by side his attitudes, arrogance or behaviours questions straightway whether he can be symbol as a transformational leader truly or should level him as a personalised leader. Definitely if someone think that Apples innovative products are a result of employee involvement and motivation then the idea is totally wrong. After getting the critical analysis of the motivation levels according to the Maslows Hierarchy of Needs help, it could be easily explainable that the sequentially described top three needs levels go uncertain in Apple employees case. But there is no doubt on the question that Apple has mastered in the concept of ch ange. Whether it is about training the employees for change or it is about managing the changes in distribution strategy, Apple has successfully managed changes both within as well as outside the organisation. My recommendations to the company, particularly to Steve Jobs, are: No wonder apple has no match in its innovation. But things can further improve provided that employees are given more freedom to express their thoughts. Moreover, if instead of Stick, Jobs can manage with some positive motivation, it can do wonders for the company as far as employee loyalty is concerned. Steve Jobs, undoubtedly, is a fantastic charismatic leader. The analysis in the report clearly shows that the charisma of Steve Jobs has single handed taken the company to such heights. But Apple needs to think beyond Steve Jobs. The company should start focussing more on its future, for which it is really important that the other members of the organisation also start scratching their heads and reduce their dependency on one man. According to The June 11, 2012 issue of  Fortune, at present the employees of Apple Inc. seems more than satisfied with Mr. Cook who often sits down with the Apple employees randomly at lunchtime whereas typically Jobs dined with his design chief. Employees used to loved, admired and feared Jobs but the way Cook treating his employees is the way employees expect to interact with their CEO. According to a University of Iowa study one statement easily can be perceived for Apple Inc. that no co-worker or colleague would be supportive or friendly with an abusive or critical boss like Steve Jobs, they will tolerate the behaviour of the boss as long as he is productive. At present all over in North America, current and aspiring executives either quoting what Steve Jobs said, but would urge others by criticizing them by the caution that Steve Jobs wouldnt do that. One thing is for sure, bringing up the next generation of leaders to emulate Steve Jobs leadership style will take our organizations, if not our society, backwards. Interestingly, Jobs may not be the incarnation of an effective leader in a way, he was far from being a conventional text-book example. Nevertheless, his captivation, self-confidence and thirst for work outshine all his imperfections, making him one of most successful CEOs of the decade.

Everyone and No One: Jorge Luis Borges and Shakespeare Essay -- Literar

â€Å"I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities that I have visited, all my ancestors . . . Perhaps I would have liked to be my father, who wrote and had the decency of not publishing. Nothing, nothing, my friend; what I have told you: I am not sure of anything, I know nothing . . . Can you imagine that I do not even know the date of my death?† (â€Å"Borges-Quotations†) The work of Jorge Luis Borges has been the subject of much literary criticism and research. Scholars have spent entire lifetimes attempting to pinpoint the meaning of his works. The fact that many of them use the above quote to do so sums up the enigma of Borges; the quote most likely to be used to explain him cannot be authenticated. In seventy-four short stories, over one hundred sonnets and thousands of essays, reviews, lectures, literature introductions and notes, the quote found in many quote collections and in an abundance of papers on the author may not be his words at all. Far from this paradox disproving any theories on the themes and intentions of Borges, the very fact that writers continue quote to quote this passage illustrates his thoughts on memory, identity and authorship perfectly. Memory is malleable and transferrable. Memory is identity. Authorship is identity. Therefore, authorship is memory and is malleable and transferrable. There is no defining work from Borges defining these themes. Even to apply them to his fictions, one must absorb them all. The fictions of Borges are brief, many as short as three pages. One of these (at eight pages) was the last story he wrote, Shakespeare’s Memory. Published after his death in 1986, he touc... ...inberger. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1999. 463-472. Print. Paul M. Willenberg. â€Å"The Garden of Jorge Luis Borges.† Swarthmore University. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. â€Å"The Eccentric Borges: Two UCL Analyses.† University College London. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. Richard Burgin. Conversations with Jorge Luis Borges. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1969. 26-27. Print. .Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Version number. Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available). Medium of publication. Date of access. Lastname, First name. "Title of Essay." Title of Collection. Ed. Editor's Name(s). Place of Publication: Publisher, Year. Page range of entry. Medium of Publication. Whitman, Walt. "I Sing the Body Electric." Selected Poems. New York: Dover, 1991. 12-19. Print.

War and Propaganda: A Look at How the Two Have Been Inseparable Though Time :: Essays Papers

War and Propaganda: A Look at How the Two Have Been Inseparable Though Time There have been many wars that the Unites States has been a part of. Some were fought on American soil, others fought abroad. But through it all, there has always been a need for the public’s support. And what better way to get that support than by putting information out there for the public. Now of course this is biased information that it put forth in front of the general public; just enough to get people caring and thinking about the war, but not enough to keep them fully educated on the subject. Once people start knowing too much and researching, it becomes something that they either feel has too much support, or they take stands that the government does not want. The different media that is out there is geared towards the general public knowing the truth. But I pose the question that â€Å"what is the truth?† especially back in the old days? Who, but those who put the information out, knew what was really going on when it came to wars and the enemies? This is why I thought it might be interesting to look at the way the citizens were swayed towards believing certain things during the war. Why was there such a scare about the Japanese being in the United States during WWII? The propaganda that was out at the time was highly against the Japanese, even the Japanese Americans, calling them the enemy. While it is sad to know that these sentiments are true, it is important to remember the past and to learn from it. History of Propaganda Propaganda has been a human activity as far back as reliable recorded evidence exists. The writings of Romans like Livy are considered masterpieces of pro-Roman statist propaganda. The term itself originates with the Roman Catholic Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, the department of the pontifical administration charged with the spread of Catholicism and with the regulation of ecclesiastical affairs in non-Catholic countries (mission territory). The actual Latin stem propagand- conveys a sense of "that which ought to be spread". Propaganda techniques were first codified and applied in a scientific manner by journalist Walter Lippman and psychologist Edward Bernays (nephew of Sigmund Freud) early in the 20th century. During World War I, Lippman and Bernays were hired by the United States president Woodrow Wilson to sway popular opinion to enter the war on the side of Britain.

Ghost dances By Christopher Bruce Essay

Ghost dances was created in 1981. The performance was choreographed by Christopher Bruce. The piece explores the human rights of the people of chille and the depression that the lack of human rights caused. The inspiration of the dance came from a letter that Christopher received from a widow of a Chilean folk singer, who was murdered. Christopher felt sympathetic towards the letter, and after being asked to do a production for the Chilean Human Rights Committee, and was given a lot of South American music with which he fell in love with. The dance also explores the cross over from dying to either heaven or hell. It takes place in limbo where re-enactments of citizen’s lives are performed before crossing over. The dance uses traditional folk movement as well as other snippets of genres such as Contemporary and Ballet. Throughout the performance lighting is used to accompany the movement to create certain atmospheres , for example in the beginning the three skeletal dancers are using quite strong eerie movement which represents the awakening of them, the lighting is a light blue which reflects against the backcloth and creates a moonlight which complements the movements. In contrast to this, when the dead people enter the stage the lighting becomes less dark and gloomy and more uplifting and bright, which then allows the audience to differentiate between the characters, this is called semiotics. There are 3 different classes of people among the civilians, the upper class, middle class and lower class. You can establish this by the costumes they are wearing. For example the upper class are wearing suits and fancy dresses whereas the lower class are wearing torn and damaged clothes, this shows social status even after death. The dynamic content of Ghost dances is very varied, some movements are soft and floaty such as the trio between the three female dancers, and others are more striking and large for example when the skeletal dancers take hold of the civilians and control them, this could represent the taking of their souls and the crossing over. It also shows a disruption to their community and reflects the idea of murder and terrible things happening to the poorer, common people such as fathers taken away from their families and shot or thrown away in cells and tortured to death. When they all dance in unison it  shows a community like culture and everyday life. When the community is first introduced they all enter in a dream like state as to show that they are quite oblivious for what is about to happen, this draws in the attention of the audience straight away. The fact that the dance ends in the repetition of this shows that they have all moved on and the skeletal dancers repeat the beginning phrase to show the ending of it all and the possibility of it to start over with a new lot of civilians. To conclude Christopher used many aspects to put across his interpretation on the tragedies that were occurring in chille. One of the biggest was his use of movement and structure of the piece. The structure of the dance allowed the introduction of the different classes of people and the effect it had on them. The use of costume enabled the audience to see the full extent of the movement and the style of the dance. In my opinion I think the choreography led me to interpret the performance as a crossing over from one world to another and using the snippets of their lives to put across the horror and torture of the civilians. I found myself drawn into the performance and felt a connection to the meaning behind the movement. The structure and subject matter helped convey the meaning so that it was easy to follow but didn’t force me to interpret the dance in just one specific way, but allowed me to create a story and plot of my own.