Find out from Hull Dance how film has become an important part of dance ……….
Freedom Online launches on Thursday 12 March and features films, podcasts, videos and exhibitions exploring themes of freedom, justice and local connections. It offers a new way to see the artists, communities and people involved in the festival through documentaries, podcasts, performances and films.
Long-time friend of Freedom Festival Company Chameleon’s new dance film Strange Fruit, created to mark Black History Month forms part of the programme. Inspired by Billie Holiday’s famous song the film draws focus to the brutal practice of lynching and the historical struggle that people of colour have endured. Choreographer Kevin Edwards says of the film
“I want Strange Fruit to exist in the medium of film, so it can be watched online and experienced all over the world, encouraging debate and understanding.”
Long gone are the days of one camera shooting dance. Partly due to shows like Strictly Come Dancing trying to make sense of fast slick performances for their audiences and the national screening of performances by the Royal Ballet, from Covent Garden to venues across the country.
Alongside this a new artform, Dance for Camera or Dance Film, has emerged, inspired by 1980s pop videos and the desire of artists to reach wider audiences. Collaborations between choreographers, dancers, and filmmakers have increased and with advances in technology, resulted in dance films that use cinematography and movement to create original, edited works rather than simple recordings of performances.
Lloyd Newsom, founder of DV8, was an early pioneer in dance film, beginning with Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men (1989) – based on the serial killer Dennis Nilsen, and continuing to the Emmy award winning Enter Achilles (1995), which explores themes of repression and insecurity among men, based in a pub.
Today, many companies produce dance films alongside stage performances, often still delivering strong political messages. A more recent example is Message in a Bottle, featuring songs by Sting and choreography by Kate Prince for Sadlers Wells Dance Company. Message in a Bottle follows a displaced family on a journey of survival, hope, and love, featuring diverse styles like hip hop, breaking, and contemporary dance. Originally a stage production it was adapted and re-created to produce a new feature film artwork, with Message in a Bottle (2024) screened at various venues, including Hull Truck Theatre, during 2024.