Ice/Ice-X (Theater class) - Essay Example

For specificity, the performances addressed themes like gender identity, the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan after the post 9/11 war and the need for peace, among others. In regard to family, there was a performance addressing the readiness of individuals for birth or the beginning of life. The directors were right to address this wide range of issues affecting society. This is because; with the year ending, it is important for people to reflect upon the progress that has been attained at all fronts, be it social, political or even economic.

Closing the annual performance with the theme of birth was also a positive decision. The performances sought to make people contemplate on starting a new year with renewed zeal, and also showed the audience that they still have time to implement the values learnt. Discussion The opening performance was a Native American dance, as could be discerned from the dancers’ attire comprising of bright head dresses and sisal skirts. The dancers performed to the rhythmic beat of a drum, occasionally making high-pitched noises or screams.

These hollers were primarily used by Native Americans in their ceremonial dances thus effectively bringing out the originality of the performance. The dance was not only vibrant, but captivating as well, with moves marked by abrupt yet rhythm coordinated transitions. The first performance was befitting as a way of paving way for the others. This is because the dance was lively and it set the mood for further entertainment. It was also symbolic of America’s beginning and made one anticipate for the subsequent performances, to learn how far the country had come and its potential for further improvement.

In the second performance, the dancers commenced by reciting a poem once used in a speech by Mandela. The poem focused on people’s fear, stating that it is rooted not in inadequacy but in their power and concerns on how to retain it. The verse also addressed issues of liberation and people’s responsibility to liberate and empower others. Narrating this poem served as a tribute to Mandela, the African who campaigned against apartheid. It was also a suitable introduction to the themes of political, racial, gender and sex equality, which were the principal focus of this second performance.

The sound in this performance was devoid of joy and vibrancy, unlike the preceding one. Instead, there was sad-sounding occasional music from a flute and then the piano. This was effective since it made the audience focus more on the message conveyed. The performance incorporated soliloquies, that is, dramatic speeches meant to give the audience an illusion of the performers’ unspoken reflections. These were delivered by individual members of the ensemble as others continued to dance, gesticulate and move around the theater.

As the performance progressed, it became apparent that music and drama can be highly effective tools of communication. For instance, the dancers formally began the dance by blindfolding themselves and occasionally bowing as though in prayer. This perhaps served to show the submissive nature of humans and their inclination to follow instructions blindly. This was further accentuated by the performers’ tendency to kneel down and follow the choreographer’s direction to move up, left right and down again.

The dancers also moved around the stage in a seemingly confused manner colliding into each other. This showed how ineffective people can