Hi everyone,
My name is Laura Smithson and I'm a sophomore BFA Dance major here at UF. I, like Mia, took Dr. Frosch's Composition class last semester and learned a bit about the use of film and technology in modern dance. In working on a final group project for the class, I got to experiment with dance for film and was floored by what I learned. I've found that the limitations of live performance can be pushed or eliminated completely when you add the element of technology; even the most simple video editing software allows you as a choreographer/designer to control exactly what your audience sees and how. In this class, I'm looking to learn more about software that professional performers use in the industry and how I can incorporate those skills into my own performance. Most of all, I'm interested in learning to bring my interest in several forms of art together, layering different media to create truly original work.
In reference to The Dante Quartet, what I noticed most distinctly was Brakhage's use of this media-layering. All the components of the video worked together to create the hellish, muddled idea that I perceived. The sound score told me exactly what to feel: a sort of muffled frenzy, a sense of confusion, perhaps fear or shock. The transitions between each of the paintings were carefully timed to show chaos, and the shaky handwriting and occasional pauses put emphasis on certain images or thoughts. The vibrant colors and organic strokes of paint worked oppositely with the speed and sound as if making its own statement. It was the combination of all these elements that gave me the fearful reaction I had. Had there been calm piano music, for example, or had the paintings faded slowly between one another in a smooth slideshow, everything about my reaction to the video would have been different. It's a great example of how every little detail in a performance creates the whole.
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