“A film project such as this hasn’t been a part of the GBD curriculum but is certainly an important experience as the dance industry adapts to changing times. Film helps us move forward and reach broader audiences.”
In May, GBD’s P106 Commercial Dance students worked on an exciting project with GBD Alumni, Guest Choreographer, and Instructor, Lindsay Aquin. They remounted a dance piece choreographed by Lindsay as a video project. The project was an opportunity for the students to get real, hands-on experience just like they would encounter in the industry. They rehearsed with Lindsay in early May to learn and perfect the choreography, and then worked with George Brown College’s video team to bring the project to life.
A film project such as this hasn’t been a part of the GBD curriculum but is certainly an important experience as the dance industry adapts to changing times. Film helps us move forward and reach broader audiences. When asked about the root of this project, Associate Director Derek Sangster shared that he “saw an opportunity, both for Lindsay and for our students to both inspire (in a sometimes-uninspiring time) and test our skills within our program and with our students”. Sangster had seen the work previously and felt it needed a continued life. He describes it as the “perfect project for everyone involved”.
We caught up with Lindsay to learn a little about the piece and what it was like to return to the project as a film.
Q: What is the name of the piece and what was it originally created for?
A: The piece is entitled Time and was originally created for the show, “Toronto’s Original Choreographers Ball” — a dance and choreographer showcase.
Q: What inspired the work?
A: The work was inspired by the social expectations put on relationships where women feel the pressure of time to achieve certain milestones in life coupled with the emotional rollercoaster that we go through.
Q: What was it like to return to the work and remount it as a short dance film?
A: Returning to this piece of work to remount as a short dance film was nothing but enjoyable. I loved creating this piece the first time and was happy to see and share it on new dancers. The process with the group of dancers from George Brown Dance was fantastic! The level of professionalism from the staff to the dancers to videographers made the project run smoothly and produce a great end product. I also loved the idea of creating it for film as the dance industry has adapted to a lot more film work through the pandemic.
The pandemic has certainly shifted GBD’s perspectives and spurred us to think outside the box way more than usual. New initiatives, such as these, keep students engaged, excited, and driven to keep reaching further. You can check out a short preview of the project below, and stay tuned for the full video coming soon!