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Jamie Robinson's Four Fallings

Tips for making DIY screen dance - Part III

Jamie Robinson in her and Kurtis Yu's work Four Fallings

Four Fallings is Jamie Robinson’s first screen dance endeavor. Made in collaboration with videographer Kurtis Yu, Robinson choreographed, performed and directed the work, which premiered at M.O.2016. Her work Spaceman’s Word for Irritating Disturbances was commissioned by Festival of Recorded Movement (F-O-R-M) in Vancouver and premiered at the festival June 17th, 2017.

Credit: Still from Robinson’s Spaceman’s Word for Irritating Disturbances

Getting behind a camera has helped Robinson with understanding her choreographic voice. “Film is a choreographic tool in itself: the editing, the lighting, the camera movement,” she explains. “With film, you can direct the audience’s gaze and where their focus should be lying.”

Originally from Halifax and currently based in Vancouver, Robinson gained experience working with film gear and editing software during her time studying with Modus Operandi. Access to equipment, collaborators and mentors aside, social media played the largest role in why Robinson has chosen to pursue dancefilm. “Social media is so prevalent in where we view things and how we view things,” Robinson says. “It’s really exciting to compare and consider where dance fits in to all that. So editing a film, sharing on social media, it’s basically a public performance.” By offering peeks at the creative process through Instagram and Vimeo, Robinson was able to expand her viewership beyond the community of regular theatregoers.

Robinson is featured in our September/October 2017 print issue in the article “Video Feedback: How DIY screen dance is changing the way we create” by Jillian Groening. The piece looks at three Canadian dance artists, Francesca Chudnoff, Nita Bowerman and Robinson, who have carved their own artistic paths using iPhones, Instagram handles and pioneering will.

The following tips were offered by Robinson for dance artists interested in self presenting their work via these channels.

Just do it

Pick up your phone or a camera of any type and it will teach you so much right off the hop.

Trust your gut

Follow your instincts and your interests.

See more of Robinson’s videos short videos >> Instagram: @jjjjjjamielee

Read the full article in print >> http://www.thedancecurrent.com/issue/volume-20-issue-5

Don’t miss tips on how to create DIY screendance from Francesca Chudnoff and Nita Bowerman - part one and two in our three-part series.

Learn more about the festival >> f-o-r-m.ca