Dancers turn filmmakers

Young dancers starved of a stage are taking to filmmaking to reconnect with the audience and their art

A silhouette stretches across a tunnel, an eye looks through a window, hands are entangled in ropes, and feet gracefully move in sand — evocative images draw the viewer to the screen to experience dance through the eye of the camera. With a severe second wave of COVID-19 diminishing the possibility of returning to stage any time soon, the camera has firmly entrenched itself in the world of dance. It has emerged as a critical eye, a choreographic companion, and a creative collaborator. Several young dancers are turning to filming their dance to connect with the audience and their own practice in innovative ways. A recent dance film festival titled ‘Chakshu’, organised and curated by dance scholar Arshiya Sethi and Kathak dancer Sangita Chatterjee, screened many such interesting films. “Dance has a fascinating filmed life beyond performative spaces and performance structures. The pandemic has foregrounded dance’s relationship with the camera,” says Arshiya.