How the arts relate Essay

The arts are inter-related because they rely and complement one another. It will be absurd for any of the arts to stand alone. They are all inextricably linked- for example, can anyone dance without music? The simple answer to this is â€Å"no. † Music gives direction to dance. In other words, music inspires the movement involved in dance. The dance steps are in line with the rhythm of the music. Dance is performed in theatres before live audiences or recorded on film so that the people who are not present can view the performance later. Theatre is a special face to face type of communication with a limited audience. However, when productions in the theatre are placed on film, the audience is broadened. Relationship between dance and music Dance involves a lot of body movement. Much of this body movement in dance involves the use of various parts of the human body. These various body movements need to be properly done in order to have an effect on a theatrical audience. Highlights this point when they write that, The dramatic effectiveness of a dance, however, invariably depends on myriad factors-movement dynamics of body parts and torso, movement in space, location on stage, direction of focus, use of weight, muscle tension, and so on (2). As a performance, dance is often creative and novel. When dance fulfils these attributes, it sparks interest in the minds of the audience. These audiences can either be at home or live. Live performances are often held in theatres while recordings on film extend the experience to people who were not present at the time. Dance is often directed by choreographers, while music is written by composers. Over the years, the work of these two groups (choreographers and composers) has been studies in order to unearth the innate relationships between the two. In their analysis of choreographers and composers, Joseph B. Rovan, Robert Wechsler and Frieder Weiss find that, In the past, traditional models of collaboration between composers and choreographers have subjugated either dance or music, or sidestepped the question altogether by removing all correlation between movement and sound. †¦one that avoids this conflict entirely by making the work of choreographer and composer interdependent rather than dependent; fused instead of segregated (5). The fusion between dance and music which Joseph B. Rovan, Robert Wechsler and Frieder Weiss state above is also reiterated in computer animations. In the real world music and dance are complimentary. Thus in animations as well, these two forms of art stick together. It is absurd to hear of someone who dances amidst silence, instead of taking step and making body movements according to music playing in the background. Takaaki Shiratori, Atsushi Nakazawa and Katsushi Ikeuchi present an amazing analogy of the relationship between music and dance when they write that, The ability to dance to music is a natural born skill for a human. Everyone has experienced a desire to move their bodies while listening to a rhythmic song. Hip-hop dancers can simultaneously compose a dance motion to the musical sounds they are listening to†¦. Considering this ability, we are led to believe that dance motion has strong connections with music, (1). Naturally, music moves people to dance. It is often difficult to ignore music especially when it is interesting. Over the years and across many cultures in the world dance steps have evolved according to various types of music. In many places dance schools are set up and certain pieces of music and dance steps have become very popular across the world. Relationship between theatre and film The similarities and differences between theatre and film have been a subject among scholars for a while. According to Susan Sontag, there was a need to ensure, †¦the maintaining and clarifying of barriers between the arts (256). Toward this end Susan Sontag embarked on the task of unearthing the relationship between theatre and film. In a bid to accomplish this task, she raised questions which were meant to challenge, unbridgeable division, even opposition between the two arts (249). However, it is important to note that Susan Sontag was limited by the realities that were present when she undertook the study. A lot has changed since then. Agreed, theatre and film have a lot of similarities and differences but they often go together in many ways. For example, in marketing of artistic productions, theatre box office sales are an important source of revenue. Apart from this source, sales of recorded copies of the production too bring in a lot of money. This analogy raises the question whether there can be a struggle between theatres and film for audiences? In truth there can be a struggle especially when managers and producers do not manage the two effectively. Usually, in marketing, theatre and film complement each other. In theatre, the performance is live, thus there is an intimacy between the performance and the audience. However, in film, the performance is recorded, thus there is no direct connection with the audience. With film, producers are able to include certain effects which may not be possible on a theatrical stage. While live performance in theatres has its advantages, recorded performances too are beneficial in various ways. In this way both theatre and film are complementary. The complementary nature of theatre and film is highlighted when Ralph Hammerthaler talks about the concept of the â€Å"theatre movie. † He writes that, â€Å"If there is a trend in the theatre of the 1990s, then it is the trend to the theatre movie. † According to him the concept of theatre film encourages the incorporation of various forms of art into film such as music films, filmed plays, etc. Apart from the fact that theatre is a recorded performance, it uses a lot of devices and techniques that are used in film production such as sound track, rhythm, fade overs, clips, etc. The relationship between dance, music film and theatre Music is inevitable in film and theatre because it is often used as sound track. Sound tracks have special significance in film and theatrical productions because they heighten the mood. Depending on the sound track used, the audience can feel a sense of shame, fear, pity or suspense. Furthermore, Simon Frith adds that music structures time in film productions. Music performs the same function in theatre as well. Dance on the other hand is often accompanied by music and performed on stage or recorded for a wider audience. Conclusion The arts are inextricably related- each plays an important part in order to yield a wholesome result. Due to this reason, none of the arts can stand alone. It will be absurd to dance without music and where will music and drama be performed if not in a theatre? Furthermore, what happens when other people besides the audiences in theatres are interested in viewing a production? They definitely join the larger body of audiences by viewing the production on film.