Dancer on Stage

Macke has used clever techniques to add a sense of movement to this scene of a dancer and the orchestra in the theatre ‘pit’. The musicians at the bottom of the piece all lean to their left, obviously heavily involved in their playing. The emphasis on how passionately the musicians are playing helps to remind us that we are not seeing a dancer in a frozen pose, rather the artist has captured a snapshot of her mid-dance. The violinist in the centre makes eye contact with us, involving us further in the piece. The colours Macke has used for the ‘stage’ are pastel, which contrasts with the bright red of the dancer’s underskirt and shoes. This directs our attention to her legs, reminding us again of her movement. A single vase with flower sits to the right of the dancer on the stage; is this a ‘prop’? What kind of performance are we watching?