DFA Film Lab: Isolation to Creation docuseries Conversation

Join Dance Films Association for a conversation with filmmaker Nic Petry and editor Julie Rooney of Dancing Camera, and Duke Dang, General Manager of Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim. RSVP for this free pre-premiere talk at https://gibneydance.secure.force.com/ticket/#/instances/a0F2S00001azfwnUAA. The talk is presented by Dance Films Association in partnership with the Guggenheim's Works & Process at the Guggenheim and Gibney.

This Dance Film Lab, led by DFA curator Liz Wolff, will explore this filmmaking endeavor capturing the Works & Process production of six pioneering bubble residencies that took place in summer and fall of 2020 in the Hudson Valley. The residencies culminated in live, in-process outdoor performances at Kaatsbaan Summer Festival and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. This incredible journey will premiere as a four-part docudrama, ISOLATION TO CREATION streaming nationwide on January 27, and February 3, 10, and 17, at 8pm ET, for free on the ALL ARTS app, allarts.org , and also air in the New York metro area on the ALL ARTS TV channel (channel lineups available at: https://allarts.org/everywhere/). 

"Works & Process has always championed artists and their creative process. Even though the pandemic put us on pause, we were adamant that we had to continue to fulfill our mission and creatively and financially support artists," said Caroline Cronson, Producer of Works & Process. "With the pandemic rendering artists so vulnerable, we knew we had to forge a new path forward and share these truly unique and compelling journeys to a wider public, we are proud to partner with ALL ARTS to share these stories of hope and resiliency," said Duke Dang, General Manager of Works & Process.

"We're incredibly proud of the role we play as an amplifier and platform for the arts. So many arts institutions have either had to close their doors or find new innovative ways to present to their audiences this year," said Co-Executive in Charge of ALL ARTS Diane Masciale. "We're honored to be partnering with the Guggenheim's Works & Process to bring Isolation to Creation to viewers across the country for free. It's a perfect example of the beautiful collaboration and creativity that exists in the arts community, especially during hard times," added Senior Director of ALL ARTS Joe Harrell.

Under a medical protocol developed with medical counsel Dr. Wendy S. Ziecheck, and ethical oversight provided by Dr. Robert Klitzman, artists isolated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gathered in quarantine to work together in Hudson Valley. In partnership with Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, Mount Tremper Arts, and Petronio Residency Center through jointly subsidized residencies, eight creative bubbles were created to incubate Works & Process commissions featuring diverse dance cultures, including Afrik, ballet, ballroom, break, flex, Krump, modern, tap, and vogue dance styles, and beatbox. Select projects were performed at the Kaatsbaan Festival to live audiences and were sequenced into filmed performances at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Audiences were invited to witness some of the collaborative work and receive real-time updates on Works & Process social media at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube (@worksandprocess).

Episode 1: January 27 

Isolation to Creation: A Way Forward

After self-isolation and serial Covid testing, quarantine bubbles are formed for artists to gather, create, and perform safely again. Ephrat Asherie, Les Ballet Afrik, Joshua Bergasse, Sara Mearns, Missing Element, Music from the Sole, and Jamar Roberts.

Episode 2: February 3

Isolation to Creation: Beatbox, Modern, Street, Tap Dance and Afro-Brazilian Rhythm

Artists from Missing Element melding beatbox and breaking, flexn, and Krumping; Music from the Sole fusing tap and Afro-Brazilian rhythms; and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater resident choreographer Jamar Roberts and dancers go back into the studio for the first time.

Episode 3: February 10

Isolation to Creation: Afrik, Ballet, Ballroom, Broadway, Club, House, and Vogue

Ephrat Asherie Dance with club legends, Les Ballet Afrik and ballroom legend Omari Wiles, and Seven Deadly Sins artists Joshua Bergasse, Marc Happel and Sara Mearns go back into the studio for the first time.

Episode 4: February 17

Isolation to Creation: Showtime

After two weeks inside Works & Process bubble residencies, projects culminate in live performances at Kaatsbaan Festival and filmed video at Lincoln Center, previewing future premiere performances at the Guggenheim, once it is safe for all to gather.

Lead support for Works & Process Bubble Residencies and Isolation to Creation provided by Works & Process Board of Directors and Anh-Tuyet Nguyen and Robert Pollock, with additional support from Jonna Mackin. The filming of Isolation to Creation was supported in part by the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. 

Featured Bubble Residency Artists include:

• Ephrat Asherie Dance and Club Legends

• Les Ballet Afrik with Omari Wiles

• The Missing Element with Chris Celiz and Anthony Rodriguez "Invertebrate"

• Music from the Sole with Gregory Richardson and Leonardo Sandoval

• Jamar Roberts

• Seven Deadly Sins with Joshua Bergasse, Justin Vivian Bond, Jeffrey Guimond, Marc Happel, and Sara Mearns  

Notes from the Bubble, a series for trailers for Isolation to Creation can be viewed at:

https://www.youtube.com/playlistlist=PLJ08rQmWB63QrAk67XU8C3k2DiPmUVRyM.

Find more information at http://www.worksandprocess.org.

Once conditions are deemed safe for audiences and artists to gather, the live premieres and showings of projects featured in Isolation to Creation will be presented at the Guggenheim Museum as part of the Works & Process 2021 season.

Works & Process at the Guggenheim 

Described by The New York Times as "an exceptional opportunity to understand something of the creative process," for 35 years, New Yorkers have been able to see, hear, and meet the most acclaimed artists in the world, in an intimate setting unlike any other. Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, has championed new works and offered audiences unprecedented access to generations of leading creators and performers. Most performances take place in the Guggenheim's intimate Frank Lloyd Wright-designed 273-seat Peter B. Lewis Theater. In 2017, Works & Process established a new residency and commissioning program, inviting artists to create new works, made in and for the iconic Guggenheim rotunda. In 2020, Works & Process Artists (WPA) Virtual Commissions was created to financially support artists and nurture their creative process during the pandemic. To forge a path for artists to safely gather, create, and perform during the pandemic, in summer 2020, Works & Process pioneered and produced a series of bubble residencies that will continue into 2021. worksandprocess.org. Lead funding for Works & Process is provided by the Ford Foundation, the Christian Humann Foundation, Leon Levy Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and Evelyn Sharp Foundation, with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Works & Process has received support from the U.S. Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program and NYC Employee Retention Grant Program.

About Dance Films Association

Dance Films Association is the catalyst for the production, presentation, and preservation of dance on camera. We are dedicated to furthering the art of dance film by connecting artists and organizations, fostering new works for new audiences, and sharing essential resources. A non profit membership organization, Dance Films Association builds upon founder Susan Braun's vision by encouraging choreographers to enter the world of filmmaking, for filmmakers to discover the rich history of dance, and for audiences to engage with the broad spectrum of these films. Today, DFA serves the global dance film community by providing membership opportunities, connecting artists and organizations, fostering new works for new audiences, and sharing essential resources. Its constituency includes dance and film artists, academics and critics, as well as students and established professionals. Based on the principle of movement, dance, like cinema, began as an art form centered on the human body, physical performance, and communication through action and image. Today, technology allows for more artistic experimentation than ever and the language of moving images enriches viewers' experience. Forging a truly unique vision, dance filmmakers continue to question creative boundaries, producing films that speak through the universal language of movement, unifying cultures and generating wider audiences. DFA champions the fundamental art forms of dance and film by encouraging the affinities between the two, providing infrastructure for the dance film genre, and serving as an international hub for dance on camera. DFA strives to promote films of value which engage viewers to question the world around them.

About Gibney

Gibney has used movement to transform and inspire for nearly 30 years. Gibney's story began in 1991, when choreographer Gina Gibney founded her socially active dance company with a single dance studio to call home. The organization has rapidly evolved into a performing arts and social justice powerhouse. Gibney is now home to thousands of artists and community members across two New York City locations, totaling 23 studios, 5 performance spaces, and 52,000 square feet of space. Gibney's mission is to tap into the vast potential of movement, creativity, and performance to effect social change and personal transformation. Gibney's vision is to deploy resources and bring together disparate communities to ignite a cultural renaissance that has ripple effects for society far beyond the studio and stage. Gibney's mission and vision come to life through a stunning resident repertory company, impactful community action initiatives, and thriving performing arts centers.

About ALL ARTS

ALL ARTS is breaking new ground as the premier destination for inspiration, creativity and art of all forms. This New York Emmy-winning arts and culture hub is created by WNET, the parent company of New York's PBS stations. With the aim of being accessible to viewers everywhere, ALL ARTS' Webby-nominated programming - from digital shorts to feature films - is available online nationwide through allarts.org, the free ALL ARTS app on all major streaming platforms and @AllArtsTV on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. New York area TV viewers can also watch the 24/7 broadcast channel. For all the ways to watch, visit allarts.org/everywhere. Leadership support for ALL ARTS is generously provided by Jody and John Arnhold, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, The Jerome L. Greene Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Anderson Family Fund.