Semiotics and DeconstructionPER005-2 Dancing Cultures

… so where were we…?

Who?Ferdinand de Saussure

Tree

Who?Charles Peirce

• Expanded on the definition of a sign – three different and distinct relationships between the signifier and signified.

• ICONIC SIGN: Signifier represents or resembles the signified

• INDEXICAL SIGN: Signifier has a causal relationship to the signified

• SYMBOLIC SIGN: Signifier has a conventional/arbitrary relationship to the signified

Who?First order signification/denotation

“Red rose-ness”

Iconic

Signifier

Signified

“Red rose-ness”

Signifier

Second ordersignification/connotation

“Romance”

Signified

Indexical/symbolic

Roland Barthes

Another idea…

Roland Barthes identified two types of second order signification:

Connotational Conjunction: when sign systems work together to generate a mythologically dominant meaning – female ballerina dressed in a white tutu viewed as swan

Connotational Disjunction: when sign systems work in opposition to generate a critical meaning – male dancer dressed in feathers viewed as a swan

Who?

The Nexus of the Four Strands

Performer Movement

Sound Space

Rudolf Laban

Who?Claude Levi-Strauss

• Structural Analysis

• Diachronic – Temporally specific

• Synchronic – Of or relating to the study of phenomena, or of events of a particular time, without reference to their historical context.

Who?Jacques Derrida

• Deconstruction

• Describes binary opposition as “a violent hierarchy. One of the two terms controls the other (axiologically, logically, etc.) holds the superior position. To deconstruct the opposition is first… to overthrow [renverser] the hierarchy.”

The Western Film

• Will Wright – ‘The Structure of Myth and the Structure of the Western Film’

1. The hero enters a social group.2. The hero is unknown to the society.3. The hero is revealed to have an exceptional ability.4. The society recognizes a difference between themselves and the

hero; the hero is given a special status.5. The society does not completely accept the hero.6. There is a conflict of interests between the villains and the society.7. The villains are stronger than the society; the society is weak.8. There is a strong friendship or respect between the hero and a villain.9. The villains threaten the society.10.The hero avoids involvement in the conflict.11. The villains endanger a friend of the hero.12.The hero fights the villains.13.The hero defeats the villains.14.The society is safe.15.The society accepts the hero.16.The hero loses or gives up his special status.

The Western Film

Inside/ Outside Good/ Bad Strong/ Weak Wilderness/ Civilisation

1

2 3

4

5 6 7

8 9

10 11

12 13 14

15 16

Deconstruction and Postmodernism• Tool for Analysis

• Mind/Body

• Culture/Nature

• Man/Woman

• White/Black

• Able/Disabled

• Postmodern Performance

• JUXTAPOSITION - an act or instance of placing two things close together or side by side. This is often done in order to highlight contrast and incongruity

Tasks and Reading

• Watch Swan Lake (as much/little as you like!)

• Come with a synopsis of the original Swan Lake (Petipa) and Bourne’s Swan Lake

• Watch the William Forsythe playlist on lines

• Reading – optional, as reminder.