Metamorphosis 2012 - Diana and Actaeon dance and costume analysis

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/metamorphosis-titian-2012-ballets

 

 

This part begins at 6:44s. This shows the confrontation of Diana and Actaeon, throughout this section it is clear that there is a lot of tension and it is a dramatic piece, this is shown through the colours of the set and costumes as well as the energetic and sharp, forceful movements. The costume and set have very vivid and flat colours to make them more bold. The costumes are reflective of this for each different character, but keep to the same colour scheme as the backdrop. The very vivid red colour of Diana's costume and hair reflect the anger in which Actaeon has made her and with the gold on her costume represents the lightening-feel and the gold of her crown seen in the painting.


The use of diaganols and separation of people gives the audience a sense of division and status, Actaeon is on the downstage left, looking upstage to Diana who is surrounded by nymphs. This is most likely suggesting that the Actaeon is the more dominant one at this point because he does not seem to be hiding and is on the left which is how we read. However it could also suggest that Diana is the more dominant one due to the levels used by Diana being upstage rather than downstage. Diana moves her way forward with the body-language as if she is in charge and telling the nymphs not to get involved.

 As the confrontation starts the nymphs cower away, as to not be involved between this. Diana shows her agression at 7:10s by forcefully pushing Actaeon by holding his wrists together so that he cannot escape which causing her to bend forward and keeping eye-contact shows the focus of how angry Diana is.

Whenever Actaeon lifts Diana, there is no eye contact, and she looks away or above from him, which makes it hard to establish an emotional connection between these characters and shows that there is tension between them. The lifts that are performed are not traditional pas de deux moves, and involve alot of holidng the torso of the female dancer whilst she kicks her legs in the air, these lifts show that the characters are not in an much harmony or gracefulness as if it was a love-duet.