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TEACHER’S GUIDE
Our Education Programs advance the understanding of dance as an art form. As an all-male company, we
provide a unique perspective that encourages meaningful dialogues about the male role in dance, gender
roles in today’s society, and stereotypes - in a stimulating, positive and encouraging learning environment.
Choreography by RANDY JAMES
Music by WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Costumes by ABRAHAM CRUZ
Lighting and Scenic Design by JOHN LASITER
Lucy and Mr. Tumnus
Dancing Literature
C. S. Lewis’ beloved novel comes to life through dance!
Choreographed by Randy James in 2016, the work features dancers from 10 Hairy Legs, his all male dance company,
plus invited female guests. Years ago, Mr. James asked his eight year old goddaughter for a story idea to tell through
dance. She suggested The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Coincidentally, Lewis originally wrote the novel for his own
goddaughter, and dedicated it to her. In this classic story, young Lucy and her brother Edmund discover a magic door in
a wardrobe that leads to Narnia, an enchanted world of mythical creatures and talking animals. Lucy meets characters
like forest nymphs, beavers, a friendly faun named Mr. Tumnus, and a royal lion. All join to battle the evil White Witch
whose spell turned Narnia into a land of forever winter for 100 years.
The White Witch
How the Story Unfolds through Dance
Character, relationships, and storyline are conveyed through a unique modern dance vocabulary.
In the opening scene, Lucy enters a mysterious forest. She is followed by her brother, Edmond, who then wanders off
to explore by himself. Lucy is startled by the sight of a faun, Mr.Tumnus. They both study each other with curiosity that
soon develops into a playful game. She agrees to let him blindfold her, and in a gentle duet, he leads her through his
enchanted world. They come upon nymphs who invite Lucy to dance with them, surrounding her until she surrenders
into a swoon. Feeling guilty, Mr. Tumnus chases the nymphs away and he and Lucy again disappear into the forest
together. Meanwhile, Edmond is still wandering alone, unknowingly stalked by The Wolf, who eventually corners him as
prey for The White Witch. She bewitches Edmond to lure his sister Lucy into her net. He soon finds Lucy and Mr. Tumnus
frolicking with a family of beavers. Edmond pretends to join in the fun, but then reports back to The White Witch, as the
others journey on to find The Lion, the true king of Narnia. This sets the scene for Lucy and her friends to join with The
Lion to battle The White Witch, her wolf, evil birds and a giant to free Edmond and Narnia from her evil spell.
The Creative Artists
Dance is a collaborative art form where areas of expertise combine to create
the magic of dance on stage with the full production values of a theatrical event.
Choreographer
is the artist who
conceives the dance
idea, and chooses
the style of the
dance, the musical
accompaniment,
and creates the steps
to communicate
their idea or theme.
The choreographer
makes all the final
artistic decisions in
directing the creative
team of dancers and
designers.
Composer
creates or writes
original music; a
musical score can
be chosen by the
choreographer to
accompany a dance
piece, or sometimes
composer and
choreographer
collaborate to create
an original score for a
specific dance.
Set Designer
creates the scenery
and sets for the stage
environment to help
communicate the
theme and storyline
of the dance. Scenery
can also include
cloth or painted
backdrops or flats,
or a cyclorama, the
white screen at the
back of the stage
creatively lit by the
lighting designer.
Costume Designer
creates and
executes costume
ideas that enhance
understanding of the
choreography and
characters. Dance
costumes must also
allow freedom to
perform a wide range
of movement.
Lighting Designer
creates an
environment of
light and shadow
and color that helps
illuminate, enhance
and interpret the
theme, mood and
storyline.
Dancer
interprets and
performs the
choreography,
combining both
their technical and
expressive artistry.
Modern Dance is both a 20th century tradition
and a contemporary art form, where the
choreographer and dancers invent original
movement to express their idea or theme.
The Elements of Dance
are the building blocks of movement
that choreographers manipulate to
create steps and phrases:
Time
Shape
the duration, tempo and
rhythm of movement.
the form or design the
dancer’s body takes in
space; for example, shapes
can be straight, angular,
curved, symmetrical, or
asymmetrical.
Energy
the quality of a
movement such as how
a dancer uses strength
or lightness; energy
can be described by
many adjectives, such
as carefree, heavy, free,
bound or powerful.
The Battle for Narnia
Space
the use of the stage area,
and a dancer’s or a group
of dancers use of pathways
and patterns.
Choreographic Structure
Dance tells a story through movement that reveals character,
and through staging choices that reveal relationships and storyline:
Solo – a dance or section of a dance performed by one dancer
Duet – a dance performed by two people
Ensemble – a group of dancers
Unison – when dancers perform the same steps in the same rhythm simultaneously
Narrative Dance – tells a story through movement
Abstract Dance – uses choreography to convey the essence of a mood or theme, without being literal to a narrative.
The Heroes of Narnia
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Before the Performance Activities enhance
student enjoyment of the live performance and
understanding of dance as an art form.
Watch a brief documentary about creating
the dance by State of the Arts NJ:
Dancing the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
youtube.com/watch?v=2oZmUimjnes
The Dancer in You Finding a Personal Gesture
Gestures are common body actions used in dance
and everyday life to communicate, like waving
hello or nodding yes or no. Have your students
create a personal ID gesture that captures their own
personality or mood. Combine students’ gestures in a
sequence to create an instant choreography.
Ask them during the live performance to note the
different identifying gestures of the various characters.
What do these gestures reveal about the characters?
What is a “classic”?
C. S. Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” is considered a classic of fantasy literature.
First published in 1950, it has since inspired other interpretations, adapted for television,
stage productions and popular movies.
• Discuss what makes a work of art a classic?
What other classic literature do they know through reading, or films or plays?
• Have students research classical composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
He began composing and performing for European royalty at the age of 5!
Audience Etiquette
Discuss behavior expectations at a live performance, such as not talking or whispering during the performance, and
other behavior like the use of electronic equipment that can distract from audience enjoyment and concentration.
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
After the Performance Activities
Promote arts literacy, expand student critical thinking skills, and learning across the curriculum.
Responding to the performance through writing or discussion:
• Why did the choreographer choose not to include the wardrobe in the dance’s storyline?
• How did Mozart’s classical musical score contribute to the dance performance?
• How did the production elements of costume, lighting and set design contribute?
• Ask the students to describe a specific moment that was personally memorable to them, and why? Have them describe
the movement choices; include how the production elements of set or lighting or music contributed to the moment.
• Do they have a new understanding of modern dance? How does it differ from classical ballet or jazz dance?
• Discuss how dancers are both artists and athletes.
• Ask the students what surprised them about the live performance, and why?
Lucy and The Lion
All Activities are aligned to the NJ Department of Education
Core Curriculum Content Standards
NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards in Visual &Performing Arts:
Standard 1.1 The Creative Process: All students will demonstrate an understanding of
the elements and principles that govern the creation of works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
Standard 1.2 History of the Arts and Culture: All students will understand the role, development,
and influence of the arts throughout history and across cultures.
Standard 1.3 Performing: All students will synthesize skills, media, methods, and technologies that
are appropriate to creating, performing, and/or presenting works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
Standard 1.4 Aesthetic Responses & Critique Methodologies: All students will demonstrate and apply an
understanding of arts philosophies, judgment, and analysis to works of art in dance, music, theatre, and visual art.
National Standards For Dance Education
Standard 1 - Identifying and demonstrating movement elements and skills in performing dance.
Standard 2 - Understanding choreographic principles, processes and structures
Standard 3 - Understanding dance as a way to create and communicate meaning
Standard 4 - Applying and demonstrating critical and creating thinking skills in dance
Standard 5 - Demonstrating and understanding dance in various cultures and historical periods
Standard 6 - Making connections between dance and healthful living
Standard 7 - Making connections between dance and other disciplines
For Teachers:
How do the Dance Standards overlap with your CCCS in English, Humanities, Science, or History?
Other Resources
The Musical Score by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The score is comprised of the following Mozart works: Serenade #9 in D. Major, I. 328 “Posthorn;” Concertante: Andanta
grazioso Rondeau: Allegra ma non troppo; Concerto for Flute, Harp & Orchestra in C Major, K. 299 Andantino; Symphony
#488 in G Minor, K 558 Andante; Clarinet Concerto in A major KU 622 Rondo - Allegro; Adagio & Fugue in C Minor K.
546 Fugue; Symphony No. 32 in G Major, K 318 Allegro Spirtoso; Masonic Funeral Music KU. 477 (479a); Adagio & Fugue
in C minor, KU 546 Adagio; La Betulla liberata, KU. 118/74C No. 9 Coro; Davide penitente KU 469 No. 7 Coro; Davide
penitente KU. 469 No. 2 Coro.
The 10HL Official Website: 10hl.org
YouTube/State of the Arts NJ Documentary: Dancing the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe - You Tube
Physics and the Art of Dance: Understanding Movement
amazon.com/Physics-Art-Dance-Understanding-Movement/dp/0195341015
C.S. Lewis - The Official WebSite
youtube.com/watch?v=2oZmUimjnes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
is the best known of seven novels in The Chronicles of Narnia (1950–1956)
Confronting Reality by Reading Fantasy.
theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/08/going-home-with-cs-lewis/375560/ Author Lev Grossman says C.S.
Lewis taught him that in fiction, stepping into magical realms means encountering earthly concerns in transfigured form.
BBC’s The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe HD
youtube.com/watch?v=6Fft9DLIp7E
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia - Audiobook
amazon.com/Lion-Witch-Wardrobe-Chronicles-Narnia/dp/B0009NS97Y
The Artists
The Choreographer
Randy James, Founding Artistic Director of 10 Hairy Legs, has made a significant impact in the field of dance for more
than three decades locally, regionally, nationally and internationally as a highly regarded dancer, choreographer, teacher,
guest lecturer, panelist and staunch advocate of the arts. His impact in the field led The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
to cite him as “The Patron Saint of New Jersey Dance” in 2010. As a choreographer, James has created more than 40
works on his own companies and on 16 other professional companies throughout the United States, garnering positive
reviews from The New York Times and The Village Voice. The New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State
honored him three times with Choreography Fellowships in 1995, 2002 and 2014 in recognition of his artistic excellence
and named him “Distinguished Teaching Artist.” As an Associate Professor of Dance, James has been a member of the
dance faculty at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, since 1998.
The Costume Designer
Abraham Cruz has spent the last decade designing dresses and sportswear for major fashion houses, where he learned
the business of fashion and the mindset of women who find their own self-expression through dress. He was formally
trained as an artist at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art where he earned a Bachelor of Fine
Arts degree. In the summer of 2012, Abraham launched Isaac Cruz, a New York-based womenswear label. Abraham has
also worked on short films, including designing costumes for the Sundance-nominated film Babyland, and designing
dance costumes for a variety of performance pieces by Randy James Dance Works. Cruz designed the costumes for the
2016 World Premiere of Randy James’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
The Lighting and Scenic Designer
John Lasiter has created numerous scenic and lighting designs for Randy James most notably the critically acclaimed
sets and lighting designs for A View from the Hudson and Looking East. He has worked with choreographers James,
Licia Perea, Lee Connor, Irene Hultman, Nora Reynolds, Stephen Petronio, Shapiro & Smith and others. Other lighting
and scenic design credits include: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Ballet Memphis, Cincinnati Playhouse, Curtis Institute of
Music, George Street Playhouse, Goodspeed Musicals, Glimmerglass Opera and many others. On Broadway he designed
High starring Kathleen Turner. Mr. Lasiter holds a Fine Arts Degree from Rutgers University.
About 10 Hairy Legs
10 Hairy Legs is an all-male repertory dance company performing existing and newly commissioned works. We have
commissioned 12 works from choreographers Doug Varone, Doug Elkins, Tiffany Mills, Manuel Vignoulle, Julie Bour,
Megan Williams and founder Randy James. We have served more than 65,000 patrons, students, artists and educators
throughout the NY/NJ region, in NYC at New York Live Arts, The 92nd Street Y, Brooklyn Dance Festival, Modern Dance
at Bryant Park, Dixon Place, Gibney Dance, Joe’s Pub, West End Theatre, Fire Island for the DRA Benefit Week End, Dance
at Socrates, Koresh Come Together Festival; on tour to the Choregus Dance Festival in Tulsa, OK, Seattle, WA, The
Cayman Islands, New England; and Rhode Island; broadcast nationally and internationally on NJTV’s State of the Arts,
The Meredith Vieira Show and Nick Cannon’s Red Nose Dancathon, and in residence at the Kaatsbaan International
Dance Center. In November 2016 we will be the only American dance company appearing at the Ikapa Dance Festival
in Cape Town, SA. We provide a wide range of education programs for all ages focusing on the many facets of maleness
as expressed through dance, serving more than 6,500 students and educators each year.
“…since its formation in 2012, its rapid growth has been astonishing…The diversity of this programming is a treat for
audiences…this company has also become a welcome source of choreographic commissions.” – Robert Johnson, 2014.
In 2015 10 Hairy Legs launched 10 HL Projects, which includes women for specific productions outside of the all male
company. The first of these was a new full-length work based upon C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
choreographed by James that had its World Premiere at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in January 2016.
Our Artistic Collaborators are choreographers Julie Bour, Seàn Curran, David Dorfman, Dan Froot, Doug Elkins, Heidi
Latsky, Cleo Mack, Tiffany Mills, David Parker, Stephen Petronio, Claire Porter, Niv Sheinfeld and Oren Laor, Doug Varone,
Manuel Vignoulle, Christopher Williams and Megan Williams; musicians Tigger Benford, Sarah Biber, Jane Chung, Lachlan
Glen, Kyle Olson, Robert Maggio, Michael Wall, Dorian Wallace and Peter Whitehead; and designers Abraham Cruz, Oana
Botez, Cindy Capraro, Benjamin Heller, John Lasiter, Naomi Luppescu, Mary Kokie McNaugher, Dennis O’Leary-Gullo,
Lauren Parrish, Amanda Ringger, Amanda Shafran, Ken Tabatchnik and Olivier Theyskens. In addition to their work with
10 Hairy Legs, our company members are currently featured artists with The Bang Group, Stephen Petronio Company
and Zvi Dance, among others.
Leadership funding for the company has been provided by The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, New Music USA’s
Live Music for Dance Program, The Frank & Lydia Bergen Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The
O’Donnell Green Music & Dance Foundation, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Magyar Bank Foundation, Middlesex
County Cultural and Heritage Commission, with assistance provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Dept.
of State, the Rutgers Research Council and The Hyde & Watson Foundation.
This work received its World Premiere at
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center
on January 30, 2016 and was underwritten
in part by a Major Grant from
The Hyde and Watson Foundation
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Teacher’s Guide by Ruth Clark | Photography by Rachel Neville | Layout by John Agnesini
PO Box 4452
Highland Park, NJ 08904
732.991.5955
[email protected]
10HL.org