Dance Performance/Choreography Footage

For the dance student of today, it is equally as important to be proficient in the use of technology as it is to being an exquisite technician. Art often imitates life and as the world around us becomes increasingly more dependent upon technology so does the world of dance, making the use of cameras and various software such as iMovie an integral part of any dance classroom and department.

The Dance Department here at Montclair State University has realized this recent shift towards tech savvy dancers and has added a Visual Media in Live Performance class to the required curriculum for both BFA and BA students. In this class students learn the ins and outs of a camera, taking a behind the scenes approach to this performance art. Camera angles are emphasized, specifically in the ways in which we use these angle to achieve an overall mood or emotion for a specific frame. As dance becomes increasingly popularized and more readily available to the everyday public it is important for todays dance student to know how to properly shoot dance to achieve their desired outcome.

In this class students also learn how to create choreography and dance reels by using various movie making and editing softwares. Many auditions for both dance and choreographic opportunities will require a video submission of some sort before even being seen in person. Knowing how to use programs is key to the success of a dance student’s career. The use of these dance reels can span anywhere from job opportunity to the creation of their very own websites.

This class also emphasized the use of technology in performance. Many dances require the use of some form of projection. I’ve seen dances were a dancer is interacting and dancing with a smart board of sorts. As the dancer touches and dances in front of the board the board reacts in an array of colors and patterns.

Dance students who seek to further pursue choreography and to start their own companies must often take on the reigns of lighting designer. In order to do so dance students must have an understanding of the different kinds of lights and gels and the moods, colors, and textures that they will cast on the space and the dancers. Being familiar with various command boards will also help open so many more doors to the dancers of today.

Technology has become to incredibly integral in the dance world today. The amount of technology used continues to grow exponentially. The use of technology magnifies what we can do as dancers and artists. This is why it is so utterly important to include technology in dance classrooms. This inclusion of technology would be designed more for a High School or Collegiate level rather than an elementary or middle school level. One way to introduce this aspect of technology in the classroom would be to have student explore photography in dance. If students were able to understand how to photograph and produce albums of dance they would be more likely to understand the daunting task of making a dance or choreography reel in the future.