This dance video made by Thierry De Mey is based on the choreography of Anna Theresa De Keersmaeker.
The whole film is about a half hour in length, and is filmed on site in an empty warehouse. The dancers are dressed all the same in grey skirt, top, shoes and socks, shades of grey seem to be the color motif.
The film begins in a mysterious dark space with dancers walking about in the shadows of empty rooms defined by panels of rectangle glass windows in a warehouse. The dancers are accompanied by the natural sound of their breathing, the sound of their shoes on the cement floors and the odd picking up or putting down of a chair and even rain on the roof. The sounds grow in intensity as they are heightened in the “echoey” caverns of the warehouse space giving an ambiguous eerie, tense and spooky setting with an acute sense of issolation.
As a viewer you are transported on site through the camera lens which frames your focus throughout the film. Beautiful stark images, patterns and silhouettes in the spaces are off set by dancers drawing you ever deeper with their simple movement motif in various configurations with in the spaces, and junctions through out the building. New choreographic and spatial elements are slowly added along with new levels. The film progresses from the dark depths to ever brightening light till we see the building and dancers from the outside in full sunshine.
I find this piece continues to grow on me. The complex layering of elements of the building together with the repeated dance motif, the constant changes of direction and spaces with dancers coming and going in and out of the frame is so fascinating. The editing is excellent. This is truly a wonderful and timeless piece of art.
What it all means? Who knows…. I see institution ethos underlying it all; the institutionalization of work, life, female identity and power, “uniform”ity, inpersonal. To me what it means changes. One viewing I’m watching school girls emerging and luring with sexual power another time workers in a factory or prison caught in the monotony of repetative, timeless and numbing engament in space.. The only communication is subliminal between dancers and dancer and viewer…. very clever.
What does it mean to you? Watch and see and share with friends!
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