Political Oppression In Christopher Bruce's Ghost Dances

Christopher Bruce, a famous contemporary choreographer, is known for his human rights themes in his dances, which emerge naturally as a reflection of his own concerns. ‘Ghost Dances’, one of his most well-known pieces, is a response to the political oppression in South America, specifically the reign of Chilean dictator Pinochet. Bruce said of his dance that; “I made this ballet for the innocent people of South America, who from the time of the Spanish Conquests have been continuously devastated by political oppression… I want people to be moved and feel something for these people. They may not be able to do much, but public opinion in the end means something, and that is a way that I, as an artist, can do my bit for humanity.” (Programme Notes, 1981) Christopher Bruce achieved his aim through “Ghost Dances” by moving and affecting the audiences, changing and altering public opinion. His research into the South American political oppressions enables him to effectively portray the devastation surrounding the issue and the culture it occurs in.
“Ghost Dances” is inspired by Augusto

The sequence starts with a woman who is part of the Dead searching frantically for something, shown through her facing the audience and bringing her hands towards them, then breaking down sorrowfully. A man from the Dead then joins her and they embrace, performing a series of lifts. This symbolises the bond between the characters and the emotional connection they share. The dance then turns into hiding and ducking movements as the couple tries to escape from an unseen force. Accompanied again by the dripping sound, the Dead perform reaching, circular movements, as if attempting to escape. The woman performs her movements with a sense of sorrow, focussed on the man, as if she knows he is going to be