What sort of stimulus should I use...any suggestions (1 Viewer)

[Jazzerina]

Ok...so I am only in year 10, but I have to do a compostition this year and I really don't know what to use as my stimulus. All my friends already know what they are doing but I don't have a clue.

Does anyone have some simple, fun and interesting ideas. So far all I have thought of is:

-Leaving
-Mental Illnesses ( a bit drab i think)
-A song from high school musical (breaking free i think its called)

These aren't that great so please help. I know this post isn't as important as a HSC question but its really important to me so yeh...

 

[Bunny04]

Hey,

Year 10's always a good time to start ^.-

Like it's been said in numerous posts already, try and stick with something like an 'object'. Don't have a subject that's 'huge'. It makes it alot harder for yourself, and sometimes the examiner, to actually see what you're doing.
The stimulus 'Leaving' and 'Mental Illnesses' are indeed a little broad. You'll need to narrow it down to a specific. Afterall, most comps have a max time limit of 2 - 3 minutes. (heck. I can't even remember now. I think mine went for 2.14 or 2.54 crikey lol).
A stimulus is something that you can EASILY show through your movments. Try and focus on something you could, or someone else- who's never heard of your composition before could see.
Imagine your examiner not being a teacher or someone from your school, but a total stranger. Would they be able to pick it out? Like charades. Think of something that you could show very clearly.

'Mental Illness' - Firstly, it's a stimulus, BUT you've got to think how you could act it out. Being a very very broad term it could really be alot easier to narrow it down, then again. I'd stick with 'objects' rather than 'feelings' 'emotions' or 'thoughts'.
With the Song - Becareful. You don't really want to be dealing with 'words' and lyrics. Or something that's already been done. The movie 'High School Musical' is a movie afterall, and you've got to be extremley carefull with not copying any movements or patches from it.
Watch that.

When you're in year 12, you'll be expected to have a stimulus/concept- that's an object, or something that you can 'DO' or 'touch'.
So, best bet- start thinking about what you might do in your senior years, and go with that.

Eeep, sorry if this didn't help too much. I don't know how to explain it very well lol xD I know what I want to say, but typing it out.. Alot harder xD

 

[beksta]

There are 5 main types of stimulus and basically they revolve around the 5 senses.
Some suggestions of stimuli can be a painting, scultpure, an item you touch (ie jelly), a piece of music that is dramatically unusal or different, pick a simple poem.... there are so many things... try and pick something that you are interested in and that way your work will come so much easier.

pick an animal and do a study of how they move...


The rule always is, simple is better..

 

[Jazzerina]

Thanks heaps...I just thought that maybe I could use Bollywood...I have this awesome song that I found and I thought maybe I could take movements used in Indian dancing and put them into a contemporary dance...is that any good?

I'm so excited because we were told that we needed ten people to do dance next year in order to run the class and at first we only had three people and now we have nine so they are considering running the class plus we have a few more people interested...yay...dance is the best subject ever!!!

 

[Bunny04]

Heh. Ten People? Awww. We only had 3 people in my year 11-12 class ^.^ It was neat. xD
Remember, not to copy other peoples dances.
So, taking 'Indian' movments and stuff, could be considered plagerism if used too much. Then again you've got to start somewhere.

 

[Jazzerina]

I meant like studying an Indian dance and using some inspiration such as basic hand movements not copying or anything...

 

[viva_la_emma]

bro your talkin about an intent. not a stimulus. a stimulus is something you get your intent from

dont do high school musical thats a horriblew idea

so is mental illnesses
and leaving


find something with specific characteristics that you can put into a work as the girl sed before. like an object....

 

[Jazzerina]

Hey thanks for the helpful advice from some and no thanks the not so helpful (and very rude) advice. My teacher helped us choose our stimulus and my friend and I chose a poem about an eclipse. During the dance we intend to show the moon and the sun, shadowing and their dance through the sky before they meet. I hope it turns out good.

And i am so very sorry to viva_la_emma that I have not had much experience in composing dancs for school and that I don't really know anything. I thought my ideas were fairly good and so did my teacher. She explained in a much nicer way why they wouldn't work and didn;t just tell me they were horrible. I was very offended by your remarks.

Thanks to everyone else for helping me out and explaining things to me, i understand now and will defintley be prepared for yr 12!