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Non-choreography and non-rehearsals

In this section you will learn about how dance itself is employed in these musicals. This section will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Activity 4.1

First, listen to the podcast (1:32 mins) about Feuer's explanations of dance illusions in Hollywood musicals and answer the question below.

Download mp3 (audio file)

Download Transcription (Word file)

1

What does Feuer mean by 'non-choreography' and 'non-rehearsal'?

The concepts refer to a way of dancing that looks natural and easy. The impression is one of ease and spontaneity rather than labour and planning.Check your answer

Activity 4.2

Look at this clip from It's Always Fairweather. As you are watching, try to think about how this might illustrate Feuer's ideas about 'non-choreography' and 'non-rehearsals'. Annotate your thoughts in the box below.

Watch the clip: It's Always Fairweather (4:12 mins) (opens in a new window)

2

How convinced are you that this sequence underplays the choreography at work?

In this sequence there are a number of common gestures such as halting hands to stop a taxi, holding each other by the shoulders while walking, running actions.Check your answer