Skip to main content

Location, Location, Location: Dance Film and Site-Specific Dance

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Dance’s Duet with the Camera

Abstract

Dance film and site-specific dance are two dance genres that are seemingly at odds. Dance film communicates through a two-dimensional display; site-specific dance pursues tangible, real world connections to three-dimensional sites. Dance film brings audiences up close to both dancing bodies and places without the audience having to move a muscle; site-specific dance expects audiences to physically integrate with the totality of a place. Yet, these ‘divergent’ genres have much more in common than may at first be apparent. Examining the history of these genres as well as looking at each genre’s techniques, processes, and current productions, this essay argues that a feature that helped define both forms—a turning away from the proscenium arch and a turning towards alternative contexts—continues to connect them.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aggiss, L., & Cowie, B. (2002). Anarchic variations. London: Arts Council Capture 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, D. (2002). Motion control. London: ACE/BBC Dance for Camera.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, P., & Lee, R. (1995). Boy. London: MJW Productions. As seen on Dance for Camera 2 (2008). New York: First Run Features.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arrow, K. D. (2014). Wave action. Philadelphia: Kim David Arrow.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brannigan, E. (2011). Dancefilm: Choreography and the moving image. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, V. (2012). Timeline: A century of dance and media. In J. Mitoma et al. (Eds.), Envisioning dance on film and video (pp. xix–xxx). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christa, G. (2007). Quarantine: Another building #1. New York: Danzaisa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coca, A. C. (2009). Cinética. Spain: La ignorancia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deren, M. (1945). A study in choreography for the camera. New York: Mystic Fire Video. As seen on Stieber, D. A. (Ed.). Envisioning dance on film and video DVD. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodds, S. (2001). Dance on screen: Genres and media from hollywood to experimental art. New York: Palgrave.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forbord, A. (2013). Well contested sites. San Francisco: Rapt Productions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, S. (2010). Choreographing empathy: Kinesthesia in performance. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hargraves, K. (2002). Europeans filming new narrative dance. In J. Mitoma et al. (Eds.), Envisioning dance on film and video (pp. 163–167). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, H. (1966). Nine variations on a dance theme. New York: Mystic Fire Video. As seen on Stieber, D. A. (Ed.). Envisioning dance on film and video DVD. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoebe, J. (2010). Val. Amsterdam: NTR and KeyFilm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloetzel, M. (2010). Site-specific dance in a corporate landscape. New Theatre Quarterly, 26(102, part 2), 133–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloetzel, M. (2011). The Sanitastics. Calgary: kloetzel&co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloetzel, M. (2013). Have site, will travel—Container architecture and site-specific performance. Conversations Across the Field of Dance Studies, 33, 23–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloetzel, M. (2015). Bodies in place: Location as collaborator in dance film. International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media, 11(1), 18–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloetzel, M., & Jeff, C. (2007). Icarus fried. Pocatello: kloetzel&co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kloetzel, M., & Pavlik, C. (Eds.). (2009). Site dance: Choreographers and the lure of alternative spaces. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwon, M. (2002). One place after another. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magnin, P. (1996). Reines d’un jour. Geneva: Swiss TV. As seen on Dance for Camera 1 (2003). New York: First Run Features.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marks, V. (2002). Portraits in celluloid. In J. Mitoma et al. (Eds.), Envisioning dance on film and video (pp. 207–209). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMullan, C. (2008). Slip. Toronto: Vision Entertainment.

    Google Scholar 

  • McPherson, K. (2006). Making video dance. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • McPherson, K. (2011). Away from here. Nairn, Scotland: Goat Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Otake, E., & Otake, K. (1984). Wallow. New York: Eiko & Koma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pavlik, C. (2004). Lady-boy. Kalamazoo: Carolyn Pavlik.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paxton, S. (2003). PAST Forward Choreographers’ statements. In S. Banes (Ed.), Reinventing dance in the 1960s: Everything was possible (pp. 206–208). Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pèpe, S. (2014). Embrace. Brussels: Shantala Pèpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rocamora, I. (2007). Horizons of exile. London: Infinito Productions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roelofs, B. (2013). In a rush. Amsterdam: Cinedans.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, D. (2000). Video space: A site for choreography. Leonardo, 33(4), 275–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, D. (2010). Excavating genres. International Journal of Screendance, 1(1), 63–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, D. (2012). Screendance: Inscribing the ephemeral image. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkie, F. (2012). Site-specific performance and the mobility turn. Contemporary Theatre Review, 22(2), 203–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, M. (1994). Mothers and daughters. London: MJW Productions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wulff, H. (2003). Steps on screen: Technoscapes, visualization and globalization in dance. In C. Garsten & H. Wulff (Eds.), New technologies at work: People, screens and social virtuality (pp. 187–204). New York: Berg.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 2016 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kloetzel, M. (2016). Location, Location, Location: Dance Film and Site-Specific Dance. In: Arendell, T., Barnes, R. (eds) Dance’s Duet with the Camera. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59610-9_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics