The Impact of Backdrop

The Impact of Backdrop
_____On September 15, 2010, I realized how powerful the impact of backdrop could be while attending BYU’s “World of Dance.” During the production, I noticed that there was a different backdrop for every dance number. In particular, the dances “Calusarii”, “High on the Mountain Top”, and “Tango Sabroso” utilized backdrop as a device to set up a scene and more clearly tell a story. Without the use of backdrop during these dances, I would have been bored out of my mind and would not have been connected to each scene. In fact, I once attended a dance concert in my community that used no backdrop at all, which only confused me throughout the production. Because of the proper use of backdrop in “World of Dance”, I was able to have a very fun experience, able to appreciate the art of dancing, able to find the dancers and their surroundings very interesting.
_____As the first dance during the production, “Calusarii” caught my attention with its unique backdrop. Before the music even started, the audience was able to visualize a backdrop containing a full moon and a dark sky. The backdrop introduced the setting, helping the audience realize that the dance would take place at night under the full moon, which is very important in the form of folk dance. Even more impactful was the eerie and mysterious mood that the backdrop provided for the dance. If the backdrop had not been present, I would have only seen bells on dancers’ feet and heard a strange language that I didn’t understand; I would have been utterly confused. Because of the backdrop, I was given a wonderful story told through dance.
_____As well as “Calusarii”, “High on the Mountain Top” was an incredible dance that utilized backdrop effectively. In the beginning of the dance, the backdrop was a beautiful sky, representing the glory of God. As the dance continued, the backdrop moved as if the dancers were flying, symbolizing their journey toward Zion. During the climax of the music, the instrumental implied that the lyrics would be “On Zion’s mount behold it stands.” At this powerful moment, the backdrop changed into a strong mountain with the same sky behind, revealing to the audience that the dancer’s had reached Zion within the scene. Through the use of backdrop, the dance was able to show greater symbolism and help the audience more clearly understand the story structure of the dance.
_____Besides “Calusarii” and “High on the Mountain Top”, “Tango Sabroso” utilized backdrop to intensify the emotion of the dance and further explain the story. Throughout the dance, the backdrop remained a constant pattern of flame. The dancers were all dressed in red, but the intensity of the backdrop flames reflected the passion of the fiery scene. Without the backdrop, the audience probably could have still understood that the dance was about fire and sparks; however, the emotional connection that the backdrop added created a more powerful scene. Because of backdrop, the dance was able to “jump out” at the audience and keep their attention the entire dance.
_____At BYU’s “World of Dance”, backdrop was a powerful technique utilized to strengthen the emotional connection of each piece while also clarifying the message of each individual story. As prime examples, the dances “Calusarii”, “High on the Mountain Top”, and “Tango Sabroso” fully used backdrop to make their scenes more impactful than they would have been without. As an audience member, I fully appreciated the use of backdrop and realized that it adds a dimension to dance that draws attention and gives understanding.