Agnes deMille’s Rodeo and Images of Women on the Frontier

By Jael Goldstein
Description

Guiding Question: How does art shape our vision(s) of America?

Supporting Questions:

What makes Rodeo American?

How is art a primary source?

Big Idea: Art as History

Students will engage with various archival materials related to the creation, premiere, and subsequent performance of Agnes deMille’s Rodeo.  Through this engagement, they will consider how art (in this case, dance/choreography) is a primary source.  They will use primary source analysis strategies as the main way that they engage with and analyze both production photos and short video clips of the work.  Students will also hear from deMille directly (by way of primary archival sources) to learn more about how and why she created this seminal work.  Throughout, students will consider how Rodeo presents a particular vision of America, and how that vision relates to both historical and present realities.

Time

45 minutes

Objective
  • Students will explore dance as a type of primary source
  • Students will consider how choreographers engage with history and culture when creating work
  • Students will find evidence in deMille’s Rodeo to support/refute claims:
    • That Rodeo is a particularly American ballet
  • That Rodeo idealizes the Frontier

 

Prerequisites
  1. Basic historical knowledge of American history:  westward expansion/frontier
    1. Why did people migrate westward?  When did this happen?
    2. What was life like on the frontier?
  2. Basic historical knowledge of American history circa 1942 (when Rodeo premiered)
    1. WWII was happening; coming out of the Great Depression
    2. What were the roles of women in US society during this wartime period?  How does this compare/contrast with women in previous historical eras?
  3. Ideally, students have prior experience viewing dance and/or theater
    1. Noticing details in dancers’/actors’ movement choices (ability to describe movement - e.g., “the dancer jumped with a lot of energy” or “the actor moved cautiously)
    2. If students do not have this prior experience/knowledge, you can engage them in a few “practice rounds” guided by a clear thinking routine to help them get used to noticing details in movement.  Select a few short clips (which do not necessarily have to be from dance - anything with humans moving is fine).  As the students watch, have them jot down what they see, what they think, and what they wonder.  You can use a formal worksheet/graphic organizer, or have students take the notes free-form, based on whatever you think will best serve their learning needs.  You might first model this for students by sharing your own see, think, and wonder based on a clip that you view together.

 

Materials

 

Procedures

Warm Up/Hook:

  • Show students one of these two images (studio shot of deMille performing as the Cowgirl in Rodeo)
    • Have students analyze the image using the Library of Congress’s TPS analysis tool for photographs and prints
    • Students first analyze individually, then group up with a partner (or in a trio) to share their observations, reflections, and questions.
    • ***If short on time or otherwise needing to condense the lesson, students can fill out the analysis tool in partners/trios - skip the individual analysis step
  • Students share out - make a full-class poster/chart capturing students’ observations, reflections, and questions. 
    • Keep this chart posted in a prominent place throughout the lesson so that it can be added to as students continue to explore and discuss.

Mini-Lesson:

Provide historical information/background about Agnes deMille and what lead to the creation of Rodeo

Viewing performance clips (videos):

  • Present-day performance clips: 3 clips from 2022 performance by Ballet West on this webpage
  • Students fill out a graphic organizer - what they notice; what they think is happening/what they interpret based on their noticings.  There will be a separate section for each of these 3 clips.
  • First, show the clip Opening of “Rodeo.”
  • Second, show the clip “Buckaroo Holiday” from Rodeo
  • Third, show the clip Beginning of “Hoedown.”
  • (this is consistent with the sequencing of the full piece)

Idea for Modification or Extension:  The teacher can show students these still images from the 1940s/50s (either as a slideshow, or as a gallery walk) - in addition to, or instead of, the aforementioned video clips.  (See the “Modifications” section below for more information)

***Slideshow also includes a few color images from the Joffrey Ballet production in the 1970s, as well as link to the still images from the 2022 Ballet West production (same webpage as the video clips)

Use the same Library of Congress TPS analysis tool as used during the Hook to build consistency and help support the development of students’ photo analysis skills.

As time allows, you can engage students in a discussion of this Question for Thought:  What are the pros/cons of viewing still images from the actual era of the premiere, versus viewing video clips of present-day performances?  What are the benefits of each type of source?  How can they work together to give us a fuller and deeper appreciation of the work?

Analysis/Discussion

Remind students that this piece was created in 1942 and was intended to be an “American” ballet.  Ask them to reflect:

  • In what ways is Rodeo an “American” ballet?
  • In what ways is it not?
  • What does it mean for a work of art (dance) to be American?  (Does it need to feature a particular movement style or focus on a particular theme?)
  • How does deMille’s depiction of the frontier align with historical facts?  In what ways does it idealize or romanticize the West?

Teacher Tips for structuring this part of the lesson:

This analysis and reflection can be done orally or in writing.  Students can work individually, in pairs/small groups, or as a full class.  The teacher should consider students’ learning needs, levels of engagement, and equity of participation when determining how to structure this part of the lesson.  The teacher should also consider lesson length/pacing - a minimum of 5-7 minutes should be spent on this part of the lesson, as it serves to tie students’ observations and analysis of the primary source(s) back to the Guiding and Supporting Questions.  Depending on student interest and the length of your teaching period, this discussion can extend to 10-15 minutes.

 

Assessment / Homework

Conclusion

Create a headline based on your learning about Rodeo.  (Headlines Thinking Routine)

 

Future Research / Resources

Extension activity ideas:

  1. Study newspaper articles/reviews from the 1940s (from LOC Chronicling America)
    1. How was Rodeo received when it first premiered?  What kinds of praise did it receive?  What kinds of critique did it receive?
      1. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn88063294/1943-02-05/ed-1/?sp=16&q=agnes+de+mille+rodeo&st=image&r=0.005,0.004,0.985,0.397,0
        1. Also include PDF for ease of access?
      2. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn88063294/1943-02-05/ed-1/?sp=18&q=agnes+de+mille+rodeo&r=0.1,0.09,0.797,0.321,0
        1. Also include PDF for ease of access?
      3. https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045462/1944-02-04/ed-1/?dl=page&q=agnes+de+mille+rodeo&sp=25&st=image
        1. Short blurb, continues onto next page
        2. Also include a PDF for ease of access?
    2. Compare/contrast with reviews of more recent productions of Rodeo:
      1. Ballet West (2022)
        1. From Utah Arts Review
        2. From The Utah Review
      2. Martha Graham Dance Company (2023-2024)

 

Standard

C3 Standards:

  • D3.2.6-8. Evaluate the credibility of a source by determining its relevance and intended use.
  • D4.2.6-8. Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples, and details with relevant information and data, while acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of the explanations.

National Core Arts Standards:

  • DA:Re.7.1.6.a - Describe or demonstrate recurring patterns of movement and their relationships in dance.
    • See also DA:Re.7.1.7.a and DA:Re.7.1.8.a for the 7th and 8th grade standards, respectively.
  • DA:Re8.1.6.a - Explain how the artistic expression of a dance is achieved through the elements of dance, use of body, dance technique, dance structure, and context. Explain how these communicate the intent of the dance using genre specific dance terminology.
  • See also DA:Re8.1.7.a and DA:Re8.1.8.a for the 7th and 8th grade standards, respectively.

 

This biography is sponsored in part by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary  Sources Eastern Region Program, coordinated by Waynesburg University. Content created and featured in partnership with the TPS program does not indicate an endorsement by the Library of Congress.

For further information or questions, please contact [email protected].