We’re ringing in the New Year with a sneak preview of things to come…more human dancers! Here is a lovely moment caught in an exceptional single shot last summer in Bimini by producer Ben Harley: a sweet young Atlantic Spotted dolphin dives directly towards Kathleen Fisher and me and leads us, with a clear intention, in a basic dolphin ‘figure’ that we call the ‘corkscrew’.
Has the dolphin noticed that we were practicing moving with each other like dolphins? Does he intend to show us? Has his interest simply been piqued to join in? One thing is certain, there is an attempt to engage in a moment of meaningful, shared movement – we are all listening to each other, we are all working hard to be connected.
Kathleen is a beautiful dancer, whom I met years ago, when she lived in NYC, dancing for the Trisha Brown Company. Kathleen has been living in Bimini for several years in order to spend more time with dolphins. Following my week with Diana Reiss’ research trip last August, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with her as the Dolphin Dance Project begins to explore the possibilities for composing dances with multiple humans.
In 2011, our goal is to develop this work and for several humans to dance with each other like the dolphins dance amongst themselves – fluid groupings of synchronous members gliding and twirling, often in unison, sometimes in tender physical contact. I am eager to experience the dolphins’ reactions. How will they dance with us if we can show them that humans can be cooperative and harmonious underwater, just like them? Will it mean something to the dolphins? As dancers, we can also explore the emotional impact on us of moving this way together. We will be asking questions like these and documenting them on video as we develop the material for the feature length dance film and documentary we aspire to make.
As we work on the next phase of our project, we will offer more of these previews … and we will continue to let you know about additional screenings of “Together,” our award-winning debut film. In January, we have a few screenings in NYC:
On January 15 between 4 and 8.30 pm, “Together” will screen during the Japanese American and Japanese in America (JAJA) New Year’s party at the Japanese American Association (JAA) Hall at 15 West 44 Street, 11 floor. Admission is free and you will enjoy many performances and exhibits by Japanese and Japanese American artists living in NYC.
On January 27th at 6 pm, our festival tour continues with a screening of “Together” on the Big Screen Project, a huge new outdoor screen near 6th Avenue between 29th and 30th Streets in NYC as part of the 39th annual Dance on Camera Festival. The best viewing will be from Bar Basque, which will be hosting the Dance on Camera short film celebration that evening; but “Together” and the other short dance films in the program will be visible from the street, the Eventi Hotel plaza and Foodparc.
If you can’t join us on the 27th, the Big Screen Project will show “Together” and the Dance on Camera shorts program several times following the celebration. For specific dates and times, please check their calendar.
As always – thank you so much for continuing to support us through your Facebook ‘likes,’ Tweets, word-of-mouth and your attendance at our screenings.
Happy New Year!
Beautiful footage. I would love to see the human dancers with a long train, to see how it moves in the water and if the dolphins are intrigued by it and interact with it.
As costume is an aspect of a dancer and dance, I’d be interested in the role that fashion plays. For example, if there are two dancers, if one has a train or attire that has glittering beads or sparkles, and one is of plain fabric, to see if there is a difference in dolphin preference and behavior / attraction and interaction.
Also I’d be interested in an experiment where combinations of movement and costume are explored. If the sparkly-costumed dancer has awkward movements, and the plainly attired dancer has beautiful movements, and they are dancing at the same time – which dancer will the dolphins choose to interact with (and do different dolphin personalities make different choices).
Thanks, Donna!
Let me know if you have a costume designer with whom I should speak!
Cheers, CH