RISE . CONTEMPORARY DANCE CONCEPT
BRIEF
To create a dynamic set for an original contemporary dance performance inspired by an excerpt from the Maya Angelou Poem, 'Still I Rise’. The stage must effectively communicate the transition between themes of fear and freedom and serve as a visual representation of Maya Angelou's timeless message of resilience and empowerment providing an interactive space for the dancers to perform drawing the audience into the story without distracting from the performance.
DESIGN | 3D MODEL | RENDERS
THE APPROACH
The set design aims to encapsulate the transformative journey depicted in the poem, transitioning from darkness and oppression to illumination and empowerment. Through a combination of dynamic set elements, lighting, and projection, the stage becomes a canvas for the dancers to embody the themes of resilience, liberation, and triumph over adversity. Lighting and projection play a key role in the design with an animated backdrop of a thunderous storm and dim, cool light creating a sense of foreboding and oppression in the first half juxtaposed with the slow comforting progression of the sunrise and warm golden hues flooding the stage evoking a feeling of hope and renewal.
The set includes a main stage and two satelite stages which further speak to the themes of a fractured soul it incorporates versatile and transformative elements that reflect the journey of rising above adversity. The fractured architectural elements reminiscent of city ruins symbolise the obstacles faced by the performers and are used to drive the narrative.
