Motion Pictures Dance on Film & Video at Philadelphia Dance Projects

Philadelphia Dance Projects, in collaboration with Dance Films Association, is proud to present Motion Pictures, a mini-festival of films that explore how the medium of dance and video combine together in expressive and unique ways. The films range from experimental shorts to documentaries to animation and everything in between. Previous Motion Pictures festivals have screened documentaries about Mark Morris, Pina Bausch, and the Paris Opera Ballet. The screenings will be held at The Performance Garage, a performance space in Philadelphia. The program for the selected films are listed below. For more information, please go to Philadelphia Dance Projects. MERCE CUNNINGHAM- A LIFETIME OF DANCE Charles Atlas, 2000, USA, 90mins American Masters presents this documentary on one of the pioneers of modern dance, Merce Cunningham, who, during his career, has been a dancer, choreographer, author, and filmmaker. The film surveys Cunningham’s entire career, from his tenure as a soloist in Martha Graham’s company and his first collaboration with John Cage to his later ballets such as DUETS and BREAKERS. A testament to the originality and audacity of Cunningham’s contributions to dance as well as to contemporary art, A LIFETIME OF DANCE is a comprehensive look at a fascinating art. HOOP Marites Carino, 2010; Canada, 3:50mins Everyone carries a hula-hooping memory. In Hoop, the viewer’s perspective of the childhood toy shifts when the floor is pulled away. Made with the support of Bravo!FACT and EMPAC. BREATH MADE VISIBLE Ruedi Gerber, USA, 2009; 80mins A stunning, inspiring account of one of the most important cultural icons in modern dance. Anna Halprin, the American dance pioneer who has helped redefine our notion of modern art with her belief in dance’s power to teach, heal, and transform at all ages of life. This cinematic portrait blends recent interviews with archival footage. See trailer