Mass choreography in modern Olympic ceremonies. The emergence of a choreographic line between the period 1984 and 2016

Abstract

There are countless large-scale sporting events that have introduced inaugural ceremonies, but among them the Olympic event continues to retain its uniqueness. Although, over the years, each Olympic ceremony has preserved and implemented its protocol aspect, the artistic component has played a fundamental role in the characterisation of the event. The use of the mass has been continuously present within the ceremonies since the 1970s. However, from the 1984 Los Angeles edition onwards, it is possible to identify the development of a new way of organising the mass that distances itself from the previous, gymnastic exercises. It is at this point that the professional choreographer Judy Chabola begins to define and develop a methodology for mass management in large spaces. The aim of this research is to identify the correlation between Chabola and the choreographers Doug Jack and Bryn Walters, who produced multiple mass choreographies for the Olympic Games in Europe and America in the period from the late 1990s to 2016. In order to understand their characteristics and possible mutual influence regarding their method and working style, it was decided to undertake a historiographical review. A timeline was created and the main changes that characterised the choreographies of the choreographers under analysis were identified. This approach was supplemented by interviews with the professionals involved and video and photographic material from their personal archives. The research made use of observational methods and a case study was undertaken which analysed three mass choreographies creating an analysis protocol, two by Doug Jack and one by Bryn Walters. The analysis of the data shows that the professional relationships between the choreographers involved were manifold. Although different styles were found, the method used by both choreographers appears to continue in line with Judy Chabola's legacy, albeit with advances related to experience and renewed choreographic writing with the use of software. The line of study drawn has been able to highlight the underground work of those mass choreographers who have created a kind of continuity between the past and the present of the Olympic ceremonies. They are linked by the creation of artistic productions with high levels of emotional involvement that have given rise to artistic performances typical of the visual arts, without losing the human aspect that mass choreographies represent.