Romeo And Juliet Dance Essay

From the Pages to the Stage Since the beginning of time, man has had a desire to tell stories. Many of these stories have been told through literature, as well as dance. Dance is a way to express personal emotions through movements of the human body. Examples of three popular literature pieces that have been adapted into dance pieces include Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake. Even though dance and literature are two different art mediums, they can still portray the same message and emotions, as is illustrated in classical pieces of literature which have been the inspiration for many ballets. Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet has been brought to life through several different versions of dance performances. Romeo and Juliet is the story of

Love is portrayed through the dance duets performed by Romeo and Juliet. When Romeo and Juliet first encounter each other, the greeting consists of a stylized bow before they begin dancing. This specific dance scene, as well as other pas de duex, meaning step of two, encompass many other elements of couple dances such as the palms held to each other’s palms, lifts, spins, and interlocking arms and hands (Scherr). Even when there is not an abundance of dancing occurring, the same emotion can be conveyed, such as in the bedroom scene. “At one point, they sit side by side on the bed’s edge and slowly lean back until they are flopped out on the mattress, where they curl on their sides and gaze at each other” (Scherr). Not only is love rendered into dance, the tragedy and violence of Shakespeare’s play is created as well. In relation to the battle of Mercutio and Tybalt, moments before the fight unleashes, “the townspeople rush, twirling, onto the stage, with one trio close on the heels of another. Collision feels inevitable” (Scherr). The dances which possess tension and chaos of the battle may be choreographed to include sharp, precise motions, strong, upright posture, or quick foot movements. The choreography of the dances is the most essential element of a production to create the action of a literature