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Final Major Project:

the thousand-and-second dance of scheherazade

by edgar allan poe 

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Scheherazade begins the dance being equal to the King, manipulating and seducing him through her stories. She uses metaphorical language, using powerful imagery of nature and describes fantastical creatures. As her story unfolds, the King becomes suspicious of her and she realises that her fate - her death - is nearing. Scheherazade becomes weaker and deteriorates. The King becomes more powerful and dominant over her and he puts her to death.

This project was based on the Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade by Edgar Allen Poe. Through research, experimentation and design, I made two headpieces and two costumes. 

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The original narrative involves a King who discovers that his wife was unfaithful and subsequently kills her for infidelity. His deep mistrust of women lead him to vow to marry a new woman each night before executing her the next morning. However, Scheherazade, his grand vizier’s daughter comes up with a plot to end this pattern.

She marries King Shahrayer, despite her father’s disapproval, and tells him a story each night, never finishing it, so the king will be eager to hear the rest the following night. This routine is repeated for 1001 nights.

 This story begins on the thousand and second night after her wedding.

The King interrupts the story, believing that it is nonsense. He complains that this marriage has lasted too long and orders that Scheherazade is put to death.

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Two dancers and a videographer were sourced to create a filmed dance in order to portray this narrative; the main focus being on the fragility of life and the juxtaposition of death.

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The main part of the story is the storytelling by Scheherazade. she uses powerful natural imagery and refers to humans as 'man-animals'. This led me to create a human form - the body but with animal heads. These animals are based on the Arabian leopard because they are powerful, distinct, high status and there is something dangerous and sinister in their eyes.​

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the photoshoot

Photoshoot in The Hill Garden and Pergola, Hampstead Heath: Models - Sorcha Maguire and Lora Parry

                                   Photoshoot in the Studio: Model - Leanna Kirkup

                                                Photographer - Max Glatzhofer.

the rehearsals

The Thousand-and-Second Dance of Scheherazade (2018), Photoshoot during dance rehearsal.

Dancers - Holly Mitchell and Patryk Zamoy Zamojski.

the making process

The headpieces were created through the process of sculpting in clay, a silicone mold (two-piece mold) which was then casted out in fibreglass. These halves were vacuum formed which made the headpieces much lighter in weight.

The two sides of each headpiece were then attached together using car body filler.

After sanding the joint, ears were sculpted out of clay and then casted in latex. Once dry these were attached and filled to achieve a flat surface. 

 

The headpieces were painted and later flocked to create fur. The glass eyes were glued in from the back and the horns were attached from the inside with car body filler. To create the whiskers, small holes were drilled into the headpieces and peacock feathers were inserted and glued in. Lichen was glued on the  Scheherazade headpiece to portray the concept that she is decaying and nearing her death. Faux ivy was attached to King Shahrayer's headpiece to convey his vitality.

Cranks inside the headpieces allowed the dancers and models in the photoshoots to adjust the size accordingly. 

 

The costumes encompassed two leopard morphsuits as the base with two contrasting outfits on top - Scheherazade's being the colours of decay - a brown and golden colour skirt with roots, lichen and fungus on and a pale tulle sash with fungus growths. King Shahrayer's costume consists of a vibrant cloak covered in ivy portraying his vitality, but also symbolises Scheherazade's fate is in his hands just as ivy can kill everything in it's path. He wears a fingerknitted necklace around his neck made from twine and faux flowers.

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