Southeastern Louisiana University

'Dance on Camera' spotlights dance film shorts April 28-29

Contact: Tonya Lowentritt

4/9/09

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DANCE FOR THE CAMERA -- Directed by Hans Hulscher, a specialist in capturing dance and opera, “Wings of Wax” is one of three international dance shorts that will be featured in “Dance on Camera” at Southeastern Louisiana University’s Student Union Theater April 28 and 29.

     The free program, funded by Southeastern’s Lyceum Arts and Lectures Committee, will feature dance-related films by artists from Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The program will be presented at 7 p.m. on April 28 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on April 29.

     “Film is an exciting new medium for choreography because normally choreography is presented live,” said Fellom. “One exhilarating facet of dance on film is what the camera frames; this can provide important detail. It’s amazing to see how choreography is captured by both the stillness and motion of the camera itself.”

     The three short films to be showcased in “Dance on Camera” are:

     ▪ “Nora” by Alla Kovgan and David Hinton and choreographer Nora Chipaumire. The 35-minute piece is based on true stories of the dancer Nora Chipaumire, who was born in Zimbabwe in 1965. In the film, Chipaumire journeys through the landscapes and vivid memories of her youth, bringing her history to life in a swiftly-moving poem of sound and image. Much of the music in the film was composed by legendary Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo. The film received “Audience Favorite” honors at the Dance on Camera Film Festival 2009 in New York City.

     ▪ “Dance Like Your Old Man” a 10-minute piece by Gideon Obarzanek and Edwina Throsby of Australia. Six women imitate their dads’ dancing in a film about fathers as seen through the eyes of their daughters. The unseen men come to life through the dances and reflections of their children. The film was the winner of Cinedans 2008.

     ▪ “Wings of Wax,” a presentation by the Netherlands’ Hans Hulscher, a specialist in capturing dance and opera. The 19-minute piece opens with a bare tree, hanging crown downwards, roots in the air. The dancers emerge from and are reabsorbed into the black background in Jiri Kylian’s take on the legend of man who flew too near the sun. For more than 30 years, the creative collaboration of the Czech choreographer Jiri Kylian and the Nederlands Dans Theater has produced more than 60 extraordinary productions.

     Sponsored by Southeastern’s Department of Music and Dramatic Arts, the Dance on Camera touring partnership was made possible through Dance Films Association’s program, which is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the members of DFA, and the Susan Braun Trust.

     For additional information, contact Fellom at 985-549-2133 or mfellom@selu.edu.