My Dance Repertory for Performance class had a live performance planned for April 2020 at the Reece Museum, surrounded by the artwork in the exhibit In Begleitung / In Accompaniment. When we moved classes online for the remainder of the semester, I decided we could continue to create the work through the medium of film.
Originally the dance was inspired by a particular piece in the exhibit, that of a man sitting on a bed and looking out through a window at an eery, abstract scene taking place outside. Given our new circumstances, the dance quickly evolved to represent what we are facing during the global pandemic; like the man in the drawing, we are all quite literally inside looking out.Â
Students sent me videos of the choreography I taught them before spring break and the later material I taught them over Zoom. Some had family members or room mates help with filming. We then met again on Zoom to film the entire dance. I held the Zoom meeting on my laptop and then filmed them using my Ipad. I edited the films on Imovie, and the dance became In Quarantine. I couldn't be more proud of my students for diving in and making it work! Their dedication to the project and their willingness to change course and collaborate in new ways was a joy to behold.
I have a feeling I will return to this film in the years to come to revisit our experience working together in these unprecedented circumstances. It was hugely impactful for me to explore how we can create art separately together. While I am, like most of us, still processing how to imaginatively engage artists-in-training in an online format, I am heartened by this experience.
