We are grateful and amazed to see ever more expressiveness and sensitivity between the human dancers, and between humans and dolphins, as well as the increasing complexity and nuance in the exchanges of improvised movement. We hope the teaser above stokes interest in seeing more of what was happening in these extraordinary moments. The contributions of our supporters will make that possible.

This year, we were fortunate to be able to continue the development of our underwater dance work with human dancers Kathleen Fisher and Jillian Rutledge, as well as with the dolphin dancers. Our summer session with the Atlantic Spotted dolphins was memorable for the relationships we continue to forge with two mothers Tipless and HalfPec and their young daughters, Eclipse and Demi (the first two dolphins in the video above). We first met Eclipse and Demi as newborns in 2015, and since then, we have seen them becoming more interested and more capable of diving and interacting with us, as we are also gaining skills to dance with them. Of course, we also love seeing long-time friends like Scratchy. He’s getting older and has less time for us, but nonetheless makes regular appearances to say ‘hello’ (buzzing the camera at night in the video above). Our fall session in the Pacific Ocean was also very satisfying, particularly for the increasing richness and expressivity that we see in the dances amongst humans in the deeper waters there.

This year was particularly memorable for the premiere of “Dolphin Dreams,” produced with generous support from many of our supporters and the New York State Council on the Arts. We were very pleased for the recognition it received, winning Silver at the Our World Underwater competition in February. In October, we visited with our collaborators/advisors Howard and Michele Hall, when “Dolphin Dreams” screened as an official selection of the San Diego Undersea Film Expo. Please stay tuned for additional screenings.

Earlier this year, we enjoyed working with our first intern. In case you missed them, you can still read her “Ask Chloe” posts, where she answered readers’ questions about dolphins on our blog.

Over the summer, we participated in an invigorating retreat on improvisation hosted by Susan Sgorbati, Elena Demyanenko and Susie Ibarra at Bennington College. In the beautiful new Center for Art and Public Action building, we gathered with an intimate group of scientists, scholars and artists.. Participants offered observations and experiences from a wide range of disciplines including not only dance, film and music, but neuroscience, physics, and philosophy. Recognizing how improvisation can be such a profound and powerful antidote to the social and environmental ills of modern civilization renewed our motivation to continue investing in our project and sharing our work as widely as possible. We thank Susan and Elena for the invitation to the conference which is still energizing our thinking and learning.

Our most recent blog post celebrates a sweet and meaningful moment with Anna Halprin, with whom we had the chance to share our work this fall. We were very touched by the response of this venerable dance-maker and teacher, who – at 97! – continues to inspire dancers, choreographers and audiences to discover and rediscover the beauty of their authentic selves, and of the natural world to which we belong.

Facing the future, we are not without trepidations. It was a near miss for our Atlantic Spotted dolphin friends with hurricanes Irma and Maria this year – and it’s likely that destructive hurricanes will become more common as the oceans warm. In the Pacific, we have seen coral reefs dying, and struggling to come back. The priorities and policies of our own government hurtle us ever faster towards environmental crisis that threatens the oceans, and the wellbeing of marine and terrestrial creatures alike. We feel how precious is our time with wild dolphins and this opportunity to increase understanding about who they are. We hope it contributes to the shift in priorities on which their future and ours depends.

We welcome your support of our mission. Your donations will help us produce our next film and reach new audiences with the extraordinary images you see in the highlights from this past year.

The post 2017 Highlights appeared first on Dolphin Dance Project.

Many consider Anna Halprin (b. 1920) the pioneer of post-modern (downtown or contemporary) dance – the lineage of (terrestrial) dance with which we identify most. Since the 1930s, Anna has been making experimental dances that nurture collaboration through improvisation, encourage peace-making by bringing people of different races and ages together, and strengthen our connections to the natural world by dancing with and among trees, rocks, sand and ocean. Her teaching was profoundly influential for dance innovators of the 1970s and 1980s (such as Trisha Brown, Simone Forti and Yvonne Rainer), and through them, for the dancing and dance making we do today. To this day, Anna continues to teach classes and workshops that allow dancers to discover the value of their authentic, personal and ‘natural’ capabilities through exercises that cultivate kinesthetic awareness and inter-relatedness.

We recently had the opportunity to experience Anna’s class for ourselves. Over two hours we walked, skipped and danced, connecting with lively classmates of all ages. We stretched luxuriously and sensed our moving bodies deeply. We made drawings of our experiences and shared them with each other through words and movement. Throughout, Anna gave clear and simple prompts, directing and responding to the energy of the group with great compassion and generosity. Her attentiveness supported our curiosity in our personal and group explorations. I felt a true sense of integration, having experienced just one class. No wonder the group included students who had been dancing with Anna for over 40 years!

The opportunity to share our work with Anna came at the end of the class, when she invited new students to introduce ourselves to her. Before seeing our films, she wanted to know: Were we ever afraid of the dolphins? How long did we hold our breath? After a minute of watching, nodding her head she said, “They’re really dancing with you!”.

Thank you, Anna. We receive your words like a blessing.

The post Receiving a Blessing appeared first on Dolphin Dance Project.

If you were following our previous blog, please subscribe anew to continue receiving updates about the Dolphin Dance Project.

Here are some new pages to check out. To see all the video, watch on a desktop or laptop:

=> New homepage with never-before-seen video

=> New page for our soon-to-be-released film “Dolphin Dreams”

=> New page introducing some of the dolphins who appear in our films

… and much more …

Our new website is only one of the things we are celebrating as we look back on 2016:

• we posted our most-often viewed video, “Daydreaming”.
• our second short film, “Amongst,” won Best Live Action 3D Film at the Stereoscopic Displays and Applications XXVII conference.
• our third film, “Dolphin Dreams” is now available as a private stream to the donors who supported its production. With gorgeous cinematography by Howard Hall and an original score by David Darling, the film features charismatic Atlantic spotted dolphins Notcho and Jalapeno among others and the dream of creating harmonious interspecies relationships through dance. We expect a theatrical release in early 2017.

Please consider supporting the continued development of our work. We are more committed than ever to increasing awareness and respect for dolphins, their ocean habitats, and all the creatures with whom we share our planet.

• Your donation will help support the completion of our trilogy of 3D short films.  “Amongst” is just the first part! There is much more human-dolphin dancing we want to share with you in 3D.
• Even if you didn’t participate in the Dolphin Dreams campaign, a donation of $35 or more will give you access to the streaming version of the film during the month of January. You will also gain access to a ‘sneak peek’ preview of never-before-seen video featuring charismatic Atlantic spotted dolphins and all our beautiful human dancers.

Thank you in advance for supporting the Dolphin Dance Project through your generous contributions, by watching our films and by spreading the word.

The post New Designs appeared first on Dolphin Dance Project.

This year we explored a point of view that reveals in a new way one fundamental theme of our work.  Viewed from the air, our meetings with the dolphins appear in their true context. In the vastness of the ocean, we are small parts of a vast system on which we all depend.

Help us share this new perspective! With your support, we can continue to use this cutting edge technology and integrate it into our productions.

Looking back to 2015, we are grateful for what we accomplished this year thanks to the generous support of donors and the contributions of time and talent from all our collaborators (dolphin and human).

• “Amongst” – the first short film of our 3D Trilogy “So Close 3D” -screened at several festivals and events including Topanga Film Festival, LA 3D Movie Festival, and at the Dance Films Association.
• The MAP fund invited us to submit a second round application for a 3D immersive installation and would support up to one third of its development costs over the next 2 years.
• We continued giving talks, including a presentation at Lawrence University where we also taught classes on dance improvisation and filmmaking.

Above all we are grateful for the time we had in the ocean, continuing to investigate the possibilities of humans and wild dolphins dancing together underwater. This year’s fall rehearsal was challenging. Warming oceans brought in big waves and murky water. We were saddened to see widespread coral bleaching, the impact of our massive human civilization reaching distant shores. Still, it was wonderful to have all of our current dancers together – from Japan, Canada and Bimini.  The Spinner dolphins danced with us in ways we had never previously imagined or experienced. It was a new level of aesthetic engagement – an exciting challenge for us to keep working!

Our 2016 calendar already has some exciting events:

• An academic presentation at “Form in Question: Ensemble Improvisation Performance” is open to the public at  NYU in January.
• “Amongst” continues to screen at 3D festivals including the 27th annual Stereoscopic Displays and Applications conference in San Francisco in February.
• The imminent release of “Dolphin Dreams” will follow as we hear from film festivals around the world.

The new year promises to be very busy: applying for grants, talking to production partners, expanding our collaborators, incorporating new technologies, making films, and deepening our underwater practice.  Most importantly, we will continue to work towards inspiring more audiences with new perspectives as we pursue our ambition to share these extraordinary relationships between dancers and wild dolphins through giant screen productions and more intimate, immersive installations.

Thank you to so many of you who support our work – your generous contributions matter so much, and so do all your efforts to spread the word by sharing videos and telling your friends.

The post New Year, New Perspective appeared first on Dolphin Dance Project.

(you can also view this video on youtube)

In this ‘sneak peek’ from one of our rehearsals, the dolphin we know as CrossBite patiently gathers Jillian, Chisa, and Kathleen, and leads them in a slow spiral.  When Kathleen gestures and takes the lead, CrossBite follows her and guides the other two dancers to sustain the quartet’s lovely arc.

As the second year of the Dolphin Dance Project draws to a close, we are grateful for all the support and encouragement that has allowed us to achieve so much.  Our first film “Together: Dancing with Spinner Dolphins” has screened at more than 20 film festivals, pro-cetacean events and educational programs all over the globe. Our PSAs and other online clips have been viewed more than 50,000 times.  In the last six months, we organized more than six weeks of intensive training with several dancers … and thanks to the renown underwater filmmakers Howard and Michele Hall, we have amazing footage to share in our next short film.

With your continued support, we will be able to realize the potential of Howard’s stunning super high definition video to marvel audiences on giant IMAX screens.  Interest in and development of our feature length documentary will accelerate. Please consider a holiday donation to the Dolphin Dance Project this season.  Your contributions help build awareness about who wild dolphins are and transform how our societies appreciate and care for dolphins and their habitats around the world.

… and please continue to enjoy our work and spread the word!

In January 2012 (exact date TBA), “Together” will screen at the Artivist Film Festival in NYC. We’re also very pleased to announce that in 2012 it will be a part of Earth Island Institute’s children’s cetacean education program. We are always pleased to offer this film in support of pro-cetacean events and educational programs…please contact us if you would like to screen our film at yours.

Thank you for joining us in our work – by watching, by sharing, and through your generous donations of time, expertise, equipment and funds.

Thank you for all you do on behalf of dolphins and their habitats – for becoming educated about the issues, for informing friends, family, colleagues and others and for making even small changes in your own life. A special thanks to all the organizations and individuals who devote so much of their resources to protect our dolphin friends and all the creatures of the ocean.

Most of all, we are deeply grateful to the dolphins for their inspiration and generosity. It is an absolute privilege to honor them through our work.  We would like to share our wish for the well-being of all dolphins and cetaceans:  our endeavor is for them, and we hope that our films combine with the efforts of the many other individuals and organizations dedicated to the cause of increasing harmony between humans and cetaceans everywhere.

Best wishes for a joyful holiday season from the Dolphin Dance Project to you!

The post Thank You for Sharing the Dolphin Dance appeared first on Dolphin Dance Project.

In January 2010, we spent a week shooting our first footage of dolphin and human dancing… and after many months of work, in late October, we released our first film, “Together: Dancing with Spinner Dolphins,” which won ‘Best Experimental Film’ at its world premiere at the Big Apple Film Festival! At two more festivals, the Colorado Environmental Film Festival and the International Underwater Film Festival of Beograd, the film was an audience favorite; it was given extra screenings due to popular demand!

Online, the trailers – in four languages on Vimeo and Youtube – have been viewed over 3000 times already (and all our clips combined have been viewed more than 15,000 times)!  The film itself can be downloaded and watched from our website – a higher quality (HD) version can be ordered as well, and received on a DVD, for a more substantial donation. There is even an option to send a download of the movie as a holiday e-card for Christmas, New Year’s, or whatever occasion you want to celebrate with a gift.

Thank you for helping us spread the word by continuing to forward the link for our trailer to your friends, tweeting it, facebook sharing it, liking it etc ….  or sending the movie itself as a holiday gift.

In 2011, there will be more screenings of “Together”. On January 27th at 6 pm, it will screen at the Big Screen Project, as part of the Dance on Camera Festival. The Big Screen Project is visible from the street between 28th and 29th Streets near 6th Avenue or the FoodParc or Eventi Hotel. The best viewing will be from Bar Basque, which will be hosting the Dance on Camera short film celebration. We will also have screenings at Ocean Inspiration, a celebration of Jacques Cousteau’s 100th birthday, and at Moviehouse (Brooklyn) in March. We are also on the program for the 25th anniversary of Performance Mix in April. We will continue to submit to other festivals – so please stay tuned for screenings in your city and/or country!

For the next phase of our project – the creation of a feature length dance film and documentary ‘Sharing the Dance‘ – we need a substantial amount of financial support.  We are actively seeking major donors – so please let us know of anyone who might be interested in supporting this important project.  They will not only help to create a uniquely beautiful work of inter-species artistic collaboration but also contribute to the conservation of wild dolphins and to a sea change in how humans think of their relationship to the natural world.

Over the next year, we will be publishing clips related to the development of this new work.  You will see clips of more human dancers, introductions to Spotted dolphins, interviews with scientists and dancer/choreographers, and insights that enrich one’s experience of watching human-dolphin interactions.

As this year comes to an end, we want to say ‘Thank You!!’ to everyone who contributed to the Dolphin Dance Project in its first amazing year, to all of our supporters and to the small but dedicated team that made “Together” happen.  And we express our deepest gratitude to all to the dolphins – on camera and off. The more I learn about our cetacean friends, the more I am awed.

Wishing you wonderful holidays…and a healthy and happy new year!

P.S.  As a holiday offering to our supporters, we have published a short children’s story about a lovable and adventurous dolphin who likes to go dancing everywhere.  ‘Can a Dolphin Dance There?’ was written originally for my little dancing friend Ari, but now you can read it online and share it with any little ones you think will like it.  You can also receive a printed copy (dedicated to whomever you would like) as a thank you for donations of $100 or more.

The post Thanks to a stellar 2010, the Dolphin Dance Project is well underway! appeared first on Dolphin Dance Project.

As 2009 draws to a close, I am buoyed by your love and support! In the last three weeks, 24 of you generously donated over $1100 to the Dolphin Dance project! My friend Mary Ann was our very first donor, another friend Kol was the most generous, and friends Andy, Christine and Jennifer sent near-simultaneous donations each of which would have gotten us over the $1000 goal on their own, but together allowed us to exceed it. Having exceeded our goal, we are now able to apply for funding through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas. Indeed we are ending the year having submitted our first two grants, both with end-of-December deadlines! Thank you again, my generous friends! Thanks to all of you who have ‘pitched in’. I hope you will stay tuned and enjoy the dolphin dance film that you are making possible!

Diving into 2010, I am incredibly excited! Tomorrow – New Year’s Day – is the beginning of a new phase for Dolphin Dance project. Producer Loui Terrier and I jet off to our first film location…production coordinator Rick Osburn will meet us there. We start filming with Bryce Groark on January 4th! Here we come, dolphin friends! We are ready to dive into 2010 with you!

Tonight on New Year’s eve, the ‘Blue Moon’ is full. Indeed the moment feels as rare and beautiful as a ‘Blue Moon’…I am full of excitement for the coming year and gratitude for all your love and support. I hope this is a ‘rare’ and ‘full’ moment for you, too.

Warmest wishes to you all for a Healthy and Happy New Year!

The post Diving into the New Year! appeared first on Dolphin Dance Project.

And please continue spread the word to anyone you know who cares about dolphins or underwater films or stretching the boundaries of dance and science!

Last week, we also sent out our first fund raising letter to friends…and the response has been heartwarming! We have raised almost $600…THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! We are more than half way to our $1000 target…the amount we need to raise before we can start to apply for grants through our fiscal sponsor.

I know it’s a busy time of year…but I hope you will take advantage of our tax-exempt status to make a tax-deductible donation before the end of 2009.  Any amount is meaningful to us, even $10. We have gifts for every level of giving . . . and your contribution will be helping to demonstrate the beauty and intelligence of wild dolphins in their natural environment.

We have also been very busy with preparations for our upcoming expedition to capture video for our pilot film:

We’ve brought on board Bryce Groark of Living Ocean Productions. Check out his ‘Salt Water Reel’…the footage is stunning…no wonder that Bryce has worked for A&E and PBS…and even had work shown at the Smithsonian. We’ve also booked a boat with free-diving captains. And yes, we booked our plane tickets, too.

And I’ve met with Alexandra Horowitz, PhD who has just written ‘Inside of a Dog,’  about how dogs experience the world, from their point of view. (You may have heard her recent interview on NPR). She gave me lots of insight, from a scientist’s perspective, into human-animal interactions and play. She’s helping me get in touch with some dolphin researchers, too . . . stay tuned for more!!

And the dolphins? Well, they love the camera…and they are ready…they are waiting as they have for tens of thousands of years…beckoning us to learn their games and play and make underwater dances with them.

What a whirl of activity in just one week! I am almost dizzy…and so EXCITED! Thank you, everyone! In these beginning moments, I really appreciate every single dollar and every word of encouragement…every little drop of dolphin love!

By the way, this is our fund raising mascot , Robin.

On my first trip with dolphins in 2004, Robin peered into my face many times until I finally snapped this picture. What an amazing connection!

Wishing you all a dolphin playful festive holiday season!!!

The post What a great first week…thank you to all! appeared first on Dolphin Dance Project.