Screendance I Like

"in the void" by Alicia Ross

A clear example of the contemporary concepts of screendance as done in a studio: good technique, good lighting and camera work, restrained F/X, partial body frames, deemphasized footwork, 3/4 shot for narrative.  You can do a lot with this foundation.  It does not demand a lot of resources beyond a good dancer, good light, a modest camera, and a simple concept.


"The Cube" - Marina Merkucheva


The current ideas executed in a lovely outdoor setting with a skilled, photogenic dancer, pro costume, hair, and makeup, an interesting metaphoric prop, an excellent camera and operator, and the rare use of bokeh, a cinema technique that seems to be deprecated in screendance.  It makes it look like a movie to me.  The quality of all elements is consistent with the meaningful narrative.

"Camminatore Screendance" - Angela Rosales Challis


A sophisticated student production by a well-coordinated and talented team: technique, sets, costumes, music.  Casual use of bokeh.  A thoughtful successful alternative to presenting dance (especially ballet) to the usual PBS "Great Performances" production style.


White Light- Screendance Film - Amy Weedall


I like this as a example of a successful student work done with limited resources: some great backdrops, tasteful F/X - I can see the mind and eye behind it.


Sandstone (1988) by Jeannette Ginslov (Full length version)



So worth going to YouTube to watch.  An early work by one of the roots of screendance and also the highest branch on the tree.  This is the 60's counterculture, revived in the 90's, reborn at Burning Man. It took guts for a 28-year-old to do this in 1988. 

Dancer and Choreographer - Jeannette Ginslov
Costume, set and body paint - Jeannette Ginslov
Video Director and editor - Byron Griffin
Music: Laurie Anderson; Toubab K; Yello

The work was commissioned by painter Amalie Van Maltitz, to accompany the launch of her exhibition "The Human Figure in Art", at the Genkor Art Gallery, Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg, South Africa. This work was banned after its first performance by the Rector of The Rand Afrikaans University where it premiered. It was considered to be in "Bad taste!" Ginslov had danced topless to a speech of the then Nationalist Government Prime Minister PW Botha. News of the banning filtered into the media and Ginslov's name was launched.

Sandstone was created as a response to the turbulent political climate in which artists and fellow South Africans found themselves at the time. Metaphorically it danced out the “birth, life and eventual death, of a buck in the desert”. Sandstone was also, however, an agit-prop dance theatre piece that quite appropriately incorporated a topless body painted dancing figure, juxtaposed against a speech by PW Botha. Hence it’s banning.


02 Gabri Christa QUARANTINE; another building # 1


Stunning work recently posted by Gabri Christa from Curacao. Beautiful austere, abandoned set, beautiful light, a "dancing camera", and a dancer with immense gravitas.  Classic parts-to-whole assembly of the gestalt.  Thrilling!  More great work at:

https://www.gabrichrista.com



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