Giwayen+Mata+Assignment

Actions Speak Louder WITH Words:  A Narrative Interpretation of Giwayen Mata’s “Putting It All Together” Dance 1. We will begin our analysis of narrative dance by engaging in a timed free-writing exercise. As you ponder Giwayen Mata’s performance, please **include your thoughts** concerning the question, “What did I just witness (?)” **on a spare sheet of paper**; this prompt entails no “right” answers, only a “write” answer—which you will spend exactly two minutes preparing. After tapering your thoughts, please **respond (in free-writing)** on the same sheet of paper to the query “What plot did Giwayen Mata ‘tell’ (?)” for at least one minute.
 * A Directed Study, Part One (In-class):**

2**. Pair up** with one of your peers and share your free-writing reflections. As you discuss your opinions, please **offer a short interpretation** of the film-clip’s plot (comprising approximately 150 to 200 words) by **answering the following questions**:

A. What plot do you believe “Putting It All Together” wishes to communicate?

B. How does the Giwayen Mata dance team express their plot’s action and drama (i.e. story scenes) through bodily movement?

C. When and why do the dancers shift their positions on stage throughout the dance? How do these movement //transitions// create—or propagate—conflict between the on-stage characters?

D. How does the final dance “scene,” resolve the “Putting It All Together” plot’s conflicts?

3. After both of you have completed your analysis, please store your commentary in your class binder. Your written thoughts may prove helpful over the next week as you continue our plot study outside of class.


 * A Directed Study, Part Two (Out-of-Class):**

1. As an individual, you shall prepare a **two- to three-page** (500- to 750-word) **narrative** account of Giwayen Mata’s “Putting It All Together” dance, portraying the performance’s plot-conflict, -crisis, and -resolution through the written word. Thus, I would encourage you to tell a (plot-driven) story with the dancers’ movements; you may select any appropriate storyline for your fiction, from the concrete (i.e. “The Family Reunion”) to the abstract (i.e. “TheArrival of Spring”). However, your piece should include **an introduction to the dance’s characters** (explaining who the performers represent), **a preview of their opening conflict** (revealing what the characters will seek to accomplish in the tale), **a narration of each scene’s dramatic action and progression** (narrating what the characters will do in each scene to further their goals), **and a depiction of your plot’s resolution** (narrating what reward or punishment the characters receive from their actions).

2. As you prepare your tale, I would encourage you to review the elements if written plot by reading chapter seven--"The Tower and the Net: Story Form, Plot, and Structure"--of Janet Burroway and Elizabeth Stuckey-French's //Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft //(259-276). Furthermore, you may also wish to study Roger Abrahams's anthology //African Folktales //for additional information regarding a variety of indigenous African narrative devices and plots.

3. Please submit your narrative to me via hard-copy **one week from today** (**by** **next Monday**). You may also wish to pique my interest by enlivening your text with an exciting, meaningful title and a careful, creative application of literary page-format (i.e. type-font, marginsize, word placement, etc.).


 * Show Your Creativity **** ! **

4. Remember to include your name and class period on your narrative’s front page. **Good luck, fellow storytellers !**