Re: dance on film

Doug Rosenberg (rosend@mail.soemadison.wisc.edu)
Thu, 25 Mar 1999 21:18:12 -0600

Thanks to Johannes for mentioning the article in The Nation. As one who makes and curates dance for the camera I feel that we are in the midst of a rennaissance in the genre.. an interesting development in light of the current fascination with newer, sexier technology. Film and video representations of dance still exert a hold on both makers and viewers in a way that perhaps other technologies might not. Johannes, I regularly curate dance for the camera programs. (including the IDAT installation) and would be interested in doing a program for the CODA Festival you mentioned. As for more from me re: My Grandfather Dances, anyone working in dance should be aware or the extraordinary work of Anna Halprin in a career that spans 40 plus years. The piece is a rendering for camera of a beautiful story and dance that Anna did for her four granchildren.
Doug

<<< Johannes Birringer <orpheus@rice.edu> 3/25 3:29p >>>
For those of you interested in dance on film:

"The Nation" (March 22, 1999) just published a fine piece of writing on
"ScreenDance" (by Valerie Gladstone), much welcome, it's informative
and tantalizing, it starts out with a review of Matthew Diamond's
documentary "Dancemaker" (on Paul Taylor company), which may be coming
to a theatre near you, maybe not (and it might be good if we talked to
our local cinemas to see whether it can get booked and get wider
audience), it then mentions, among other things, a new library (Academy
of Dance in Film) in Los Angeles (Hollywood) devoted to the history of
filmed dance, and it ends with warm praise of Doug Rosenberg's "My
Grandfather Dances" (with Anna Halprin). Bravo, Doug. Can we hear more
about this film from you?

Tiny reference is made to the hundreds of lesser or not known danceworks
made for the camera (film, video), shown perhaps only at a few
festivals. Where do they end up, if they don't reach the Lincoln Center
Library? Is anyone among us organising traveling tours of video-danse?,
can we exchange such programs? If anyone has a program, please contact
me, I would like to schedule it for a Houston viewing in October (First
Annual Dance and Music Festival, organised by CODA, our new contemporary
dance umbrella).

greetings,
Johannes Birringer
AlienNation Co.