Using a Mirror and Frame as a Dance Prop for Kairos 2019

A mirror is a very interesting prop. I have always been fascinated by the multiple uses of a mirror as a dance prop. It is used not just as a fancy prop to attract the audience. A mirror is a reflection of the physical self. For a simple act, the use of a mirror is to show a character getting ready for a meeting. A mirror can also be used for monologues for a character’s self-reflection. A mirror sometimes reveals the hidden insecurities of a dancer/actor. A mirror can also become a division between the two worlds – real and fake.

Various factors can affect the way a mirror is placed on stage. The different architecture of the stage, the different expenses of the dance company, and the different material available, changes how a choreographer uses and sets up a mirror.

I had the opportunity of using mirror as a prop before lockdown i.e. in October 2019. I had a big challenge in front of me when I had to work for a church youth group who could not afford a large mirror. We were working on 2 stories. One was a Bible story of Abram and the sacrifice of Issac. And another short story was written by a student of the youth group. It was the second short story that required all our creative juices of a writer to flow. The story idea was to project the protagonist’s confrontation with her hypocritical nature, asking God for forgiveness of sins, and finally starting a new spiritual life. To expose her character in differnet situations, we decided to use a mirror – a full length mirror. Since we didn’t had the budget, we decided on using the next best thing i.e. A LARGE WOODEN FRAME.

The wooden frame needed to be lightweight and should have tiny wheels so that it becomes easier to move during the choreography. The frame has to be bigger so that the audience could see it clearly but at the same time should have enough length to balance on the tiny wheels.

The choreography seemed to become more complicated with the frame replacing the mirror. The students of the youth group were excited to perform and ready to experiment. While the students were warming up and stretching for the daily class, I was observing each body and it’s potential. Afterall, when a dance teacher thinks of experimenting with the choreography, the dancers bodies and mind should be capable of understanding and executing the complex choreography as accurately as possible. Otherwise the symbolism of the dance prop will get lost and the audience will be confused. I also had to work a lot with the girl who was playing the lead role. She was a bit underconfident about her acting skills.

The storyline was to show the protagonist in 3 life situations represented by 3 frames. So the 3 frames became – the church door, the club door, and the door of her house. The protagonist’s heart is not in church prayer but is diverted somewhere else. She goes clubbing and drinking with friends. She reaches home drunk and refuses to sit with the family during dinner. Gets angry at everyone. Later as the protagonist goes through a mental breakdown, the 3 wooden frames shift positions to become 3 mirrors. The way I had thought of using the FRAME like a mirror is by having 3 dancers dancing as reflection of the protagonist. I had thought of incorporating the 3 wooden frames in the complete choreography.

The plan was that the protagonist was standing in front of the mirror looking at her reflection when suddenly the reflection comes alive and starts acting like the Satan was inside her. The protagonist becomes frightenend recognising the confusion and blunt representation of her inner dark thoughts. She screams and cries for help. She becomes so devastated that finding herself alone, she asks God for forgiveness of her sins and to renew her life. God listens to her, picks her up, baptizes her, and shows her the right path to follow. The girl makes peace with each 3 situations in her life. The 3 frames are still in the same place but the dancers have changed. She goes to the first frame where she is shown singing hyms with the church group. She moves to the second frame that shows her saying no to drugs and alcohol, and the third frame shows her happy reunion with her family.

As the dancing continues, the 3 frames are moved to the back in center lined one after another. The entire group comes together into one complete dancing part singing the happy songs of praise. Before ending, the whole group makes a line and pass through the frame like a symbol of steping into a new life. The entire group comes into a horizontal line in front of the stage, kneels, and slowly raises the arms towards the light of the God.

This is the first time that I have described the structure of my choreography in words. It seems impossible and complex. But the dancers and actors executed the choreography beautifully. The last bit of using the frame as stepping out into a renewed life was unexpected for the audience. And it drew huge applause. The entire time, the audience was attentively watching the story unfold. And I could sense that by the way the audience was silently watching the whole act. This is a wonderful opportunity for a choreographer who is also handling the stage light during a performance. I could sense the vibe and impact that the performance made on everyone. The applause felt like shower of blessings. Praise the Lord!

More pictures coming soon.