As Guest Curator for Guelph Dance, Aria Evans has curated nine individuals or collectives from Southwestern Ontario to create original dance films. We are looking forward to sharing these nine phenomenally unique films at the Festival during the Screen Dances Screening- June 3rd at 5 PM. We are grateful that the artists shared some thoughts with us about their experience making their films.
GD: What are you most excited about telling the audience about your work?
Kwasi Obeng-Adjei (Session One): I am really just excited to share my work with people. Allowing myself the ability to be vulnerable with what I created through my perspective.
GD: What has been your biggest takeaway from the filmmaking process?
Alten Wilmont (D-league): My biggest takeaway from the filmmaking process has been the creative possibilities of performing dance on film. The intimacy, closeness, and detail of dancing for the camera allows for movement and emotional possibilities beyond what can be done in live performance – whether it be from people being able to see super small detailed movements or from being able to do more physically challenging movements (knowing you do not have to repeat it for multiple shows and can fail as many times as you want!)
Lucy Rupert (parent/CHILD): The importance of trusting your instincts. Both my son and I didn’t know what was going to happen when we started to film. We each did things we hadn’t planned on doing and those things are what made the heart of our collaboration.
Ben Gorodetsky (parent/CHILD): My biggest takeaway is that the soul of the film really lives in the edit. All of the rhythmic, thematic, gestural and choreographic choices in my film were made during the cut, rather than during the shoot. The footage was raw material that was arranged, stylized and given meaning in the edit. This was a great reminder about how vital post-production is to the whole process.
Pulga Muchochoma (parent/CHILD): The toughest part of the process was asking a 3 year old to bring my ideas to life …LOL. I realised that you can only work with what they give you or you improvise as you go according to their energy on the daily basis.
GD: Is there a question that you want to leave audiences with after seeing your work?
Tyler J. Sloane (EVERLAND): Bodies like mine, more transitioning bodies than mine, are constantly fighting to survive or working tirelessly to thrive. In an era and time where bodies like mine are struggling, how do you support, encourage, and honor people like me outside of the beautiful presentation of art? How do you uplift my Trans, Indigenous, Black and other racialized experiences of their own Everland?
Tavia Christina (Oracle): I want the audience to leave thinking about: “How can they personally help create a future we can all thrive in” and “How can you start consciously living this way today”?