Art is constantly changing, resulting in fresh forms of expression that are both controversial and stimulating. Though still in its early years, dance on film, a relatively new art form, has taken a hold on the dance community, especially at VCU.
Last week, the dance and choreography department held a screening of works selected from the recent American Dance Festival’s 12th Annual Dancing for the Camera International Festival of Film and Video Dance.
Although the festival is held in North Carolina, professor Martha Curtis decided to bring a selection of works back with her to the smaller, more intimate Grace Street Theater.
To introduce the works, Curtis spoke of the importance of exploring this new art form and understanding the relationship between the dancer and the silver screen. Through thoughtful choreography and cinematography, the works shown made it clear that within the parameters of film and dance, anything is possible.
The first work, “Moebius,” is filmed in black-and-white with a woman flashing in and out of a black dress. Inside her shape is an old clip of several children playing innocently with an enormous ball. Her movements are simple, and the arrhythmic and atonal music lends itself to the piece very well. The
obscurity of the piece dissipates to reveal a maternal message.
“Raven Study” is a dialogue between dancer and musician.
After a colorful exchange of ideas, the dancer leaps into the air at the same time as the drummer leaps out from behind his set. The two collide in midair and become a flowing computer-animated raven.
Fresh out of Israel this year, “Give me a Break” is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing of all the works. Set in a school, the dancing is solid while not crossing the boundary of trite. The cinematography and dancer interaction are both warm and humorous at times. The music is also progressive while not taking away from the visuals.
Perhaps the most ornate of all the works, “The Shape of Water,” tells a violent story about the power of nature. Five dancers are juxtaposed with ocean waves that slam against a cliff, threatening to send a young woman and her tiny, teetering one-room shack to a watery grave. While the production
value and core work of this piece are spectacular, at times it seems a bit melodramatic. Eventually, the soloist’s movement simply become too flashy and complex for the piece.
The screening concluded with an onscreen interview with English film director David Hinton. He expressed his delight with this new hybrid dance form but also told the viewers to be wary.
Using a clever analogy, he equated video dance to punk rock.
“It’s not just about playing three chords over and over again,” Hinton said. “The forum will be flooded with attempts at trying to be clever.” As the art develops, the good will set itself apart from the mediocre.
As a cute, yet beautiful example, Hinton had created a video called “Birds.”
In it, he was able to convey that there is dance in even the tiniest of creatures.
Though the video was controversial for its lack of human dancers, it was refreshing to see something so innocent and unrehearsed.