Blog post 7 - Practitioner study 2

 Practitioner Study 2 

The next piece of work I will be evaluating is The Apartment by Mats Ek. This piece is a duet between a man and a woman. The piece's movement style has the similar quirkiness of the first piece I analysed, ‘smoke’. The woman and the man often do very simple movements yet they are quite strange, peculiar and often not “dance” like. For example, there is a moment when the woman hops around the man on the ground (see video 1). This movement is quite animal-like and almost shows a sign of perhaps “neediness” and reverting back to a “clingy” animal-like state within the relationship. However, I think this technique of using “normal” and ordinary movement really benefits the piece because it helps create the sense of normal living and daily life. Additionally, it almost looks like a very dependant relationship as they are using each other a lot throughout the piece (See video 2). They alternate between leaning and moving towards and away from each other and alternate who 'uses' who as shown in video 2. They seem to both compete for the most dominant because they take it in turns to lead each other around the stage and almost “tell” each other what to do. Additionally, when they separate, they are weaker and lack energy (see photo 1 ). Nevertheless, when they dance together and synchronise, they are more powerful and strong (see video 3). Perhaps this implies that when they agree and aren’t trying to fight for “power” and are cooperating, their relationship can be more stable and secure.  

Video 1 (Alela Jopling, 2014)

Photo 1 (Ray, 2012)

Video 2 (Alela Jopling, 2014)

Video 3

At one point the man does a step with his feet where he inverts and then turns them out (see video 4). Surprisingly, I have already used this in my piece (video 5) without seeing this piece of work by Mats Ek first. This encourages me and reassures me that I was working in a similar style to Mats Ek and that my ideas were along the same lines as his. 

Video 4 (Alela Jopling, 2014)

Video 5

Mats Ek intentions for this piece is to represent the life of an ‘apartment’ and to show that it’s ‘the place where we spend our lives, in close proximity to ourselves and others’ (Mats Ek: Appartement, 2012). However, simultaneously apartment means ‘“separation” and isolation’ (Mats Ek: Appartement, 2012). Therefore, Ek’s intentions with this piece could have varied but I believe he may have wanted to show the audience the variety of struggles people go through when living together and to demonstrate what lives in-between walls that people may not see. He exposed living within four walls and showed the realities of just 'living', to remind the audience that people all face hardships and struggles as well as triumphs and success. 

I see a lot of similarities between this piece and and ‘smoke’ by Mast Ek. They both include the quirky movements I have previously talked about. The obvious difference is that one is a solo piece and one a partnering duet. I feel during the duet, Ek’s has truly been able to make the most out of using two people by using a mixture of partnering work, in sync and contrasting movement. He has been able to portray many emotions throughout both of his pieces and convey a strong feeling towards the audience, whether it be through a screen or in person. 

Bibliography 

ALELA JOPLING
The Apartment' by Mats Ek — Bolshoi Theatre, February 2013
(Alela Jopling, 2014)
Alela Jopling, 2014. The Apartment' By Mats Ek — Bolshoi Theatre, February 2013. [Video] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eN9GwOKj-c> [Accessed 11 January 2021].

MATS EK: APPARTEMENT
(Mats Ek: Appartement, 2012)
Artfilms.com.au. 2012. Mats Ek: Appartement. [online] 
Available at: <https://www.artfilms.com.au/item/mats-ek-appartement> [Accessed 10 January 2021].

RAY, A.
Alice Renavand et Nicolas Le Riche dans Appartement
(Ray, 2012)
Ray, A., 2012. Alice Renavand et Nicolas Le Riche dans Appartement. [image] Available at: <https://www.google.com/search?q=mats+ek+appartement&client=safari&rls=en&sxsrf=ALeKk02U5xJVrRtPocJAMQQ07V_PUBYoig:1612471889729&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi45MnxjdHuAhVOj54KHeA-BL8Q_AUoAXoECAQQAw&biw=1394&bih=677#imgrc=pK0WsvZGyVWMDM> [Accessed 20 December 2020]