Heidi Duckler Dance has announced the creation of MAP Lab: Movement, Architecture, and Production – a virtual workshop during which participants will create their own virtual site-specific dance film. At the conclusion of this brand new virtual workshop participants will possess their very own (virtual) site-specific dance film! MAP Lab takes place online June 4-6, 2021. Those interested in creating their own spatial map for movement, architecture, and production in the virtual space need no previous experience or equipment. A virtual tool kit will be provided. Secure your spot NOW by clicking HERE Space is limited, so act fast!
Participants of this virtual world MAP Lab will be able to create their own tool kit for designing and composing choreography as well as defining space during master classes with well-known architect Kevin Daly, dancer Raymond Ejiofor, filmmaker Nicolas Savignano and Cultural activist, designer, and writer Victor Jones. Investigations into the intersectionality of body and space will be possible with the use of different topologies and mapping strategies. Between classes, participants will be able to apply what they have learned in the master classes and also sign up for one-on-one consultations with Heidi Duckler to discuss their progress.
Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre. Photo courtesy of HDDT.
I submitted several questions to Heidi Duckler Dance and here are the responses I received.
Q. Your press release generally describes the genesis of MAP Lab, but could you elaborate on how you inspired the other artists to become part of the project, and how you chose these particular artists
A. COVID-19 marked an interesting transition into the digital space. As creators of site-specific dance, we were presented with an interesting challenge to create site-specific dance in the online space. Doing so prompted us to re-analyze our notions of site-specific performance and hone in on the elements of the art-form we resonate with as a company. We believe this is succinctly stated in our three pillars: democratic dance, arts education, and spatial justice. Dance films have been a way for us to make our work more accessible for modern audiences, particularly now during the pandemic. As our films are extensions of our work as a company, they rely heavily on architecture and interdisciplinary creation. Advancing our pillar of arts-education, we wanted our education workshop to be inclusive and representative of the present moment. We felt that a workshop culminating in the creation of a dance film would provide students with tangible experience and an opportunity to reconsider the way they see dance in the pandemic and post-pandemic world. In this decision, we realized we would be remiss not to include the voices and perspectives that have shaped our own understanding of space and virtual site-specific dance. The expertise of architects and cinematographers was particularly necessary in ensuring our students were provided with a holistic understanding of site-specific dance and virtual performance in the creation of their film. Nicolas Savignano and Raymond Ejiofor are veteran collaborators with HDD, and in creating MAP Lab we knew they were perfect for the expansive nature of the workshop. Kevin Daly and Victor Jones are two architects that have inspired the company for some time. Their work is grounded in equity, spatial awareness, sustainability, and creativity, values that Heidi Duckler Dance holds in our own work.
Heidi Duckler
Q. How many participants are you able to include in the three day workshop?
A. We are looking for 15 participants, and we have 10 remaining spots available at this time. (This number may have changed since the company responded.)
Q. What qualifications are there for those who wish to apply to MAP Lab?
A. No previous experience in dance, filmmaking, or architecture is needed to participate in MAP Lab. All that is required is an open mind and a willingness to create! As the workshop is interdisciplinary, we anticipate participants to come from different backgrounds with varying expertise in their fields. The workshop is not just for dancers, but for practitioners in architecture and film as well! We value these unique perspectives, as they will add to the exciting collaborative nature of the workshop.
We would also like to specify that the filmmaking workshop does not require access to special camera or lighting equipment and is meant to explore concepts that can be applied with any type of filming device or editing software (such as iMovie). From our teaching artist, Nicolas Savignano: “Any basic editing software will work. I’ll be sharing concepts and tools that are universal, from even before editing was digital.”
Q. Will there be a showing of the results of the participants’ work.
A. Yes!! There will be a showing of the participants’ films along with a panel discussion with the Teaching Artists on June 6th at 5pm PST that will be open to the public.
Q. Any other specifics that you want readers to know about this workshop?
A. For the past year, HDD has been working in the lab. The pandemic has fostered a period of experimentation, innovation, and exploration of new ideas and techniques for performance and education. We have found a deep appreciation for interdisciplinary art, fueled by our interactions with other artforms and artists. As Los Angeles slowly opens back up, we feel as if we are entering a new world, and we are ready to take it by storm. This is a time for collaboration and innovation, and we are excited to continue putting together different artforms in the creation of something new!
The filmmaking workshop does not require access to special camera or lighting equipment and is meant to explore concepts that can be applied with any type of filming device.
Camera framing: Camera angles, shot sizes, types of compositions. Answers how do they relate to the space, the story, and the characters.
Camera movements: How to do them and what they convey.
Image editing: How to cut for movement and for narrative.
Sound editing: How to build narrative through sound. How to disguise or emphasize image cuts through sound.
Heidi Ducker Dance Theatre. Photo by Mae Koo.
PAYMENT INFORMATION:
Early Bird Full Registration
$200.00+$13.80 Fee
Select quantity: Early Bird Full Registration
Sales end on May 4, 2021
Discounted full workshop fee. Ends May 15 at midnight. Zoom information will be emailed to you prior to the start of the workshop.
Save Your Spot (first of 2 installments)
$125.00+$9.24 Fee
Select quantity: Save Your Spot (first of 2 installments)
Sales end on May 31, 2021
This saves your spot for MAP Lab. Second installment of $125 is due by June 20th. Zoom information will be emailed to you prior to the start of the workshop.
Complete Your Registration
$125.00+$9.24 Fee
Sales start on May 15, 2021
Complete your registration. Please only use this link if you already saved your spot. Zoom information will be emailed to you prior to the start of the workshop.
Full Registration
$250.00+$16.85 Fee
Sales start on May 4, 2021
Zoom information will be emailed to you prior to the start of the workshop.
TO RECAP
Start: June 4 @ 10:00 am
End: June 6 @ 6:00 pm
Cost: $250
Website: maplab.eventbrite.com
Venue: Zoom
Organizer: Heidi Duckler Dance – Phone: 2135365820 – Email: info@heididuckler.org
Website: heididuckler.org
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ABOUT THE TEACHING ARTISTS
KEVIN DALY, FAIA, is the founder of Kevin Daly Architects. For over twenty years he has pursued an architecture that delves into the paradoxes of the urban condition and the consequences of intervention. Projects by Kevin Daly express his belief in an architecture that is performative on every level: environmentally, structurally, economically, and aesthetically. Bolstered by abundant research, he has demonstrated the benefits of advanced, unconventional building technology in works that are consistently recognized in publications and awards, and range from public schools, custom residences, and university buildings to affordable housing. To read more about Kevin Dally, click HERE.
Kevin Daly – Courtesy of HDDT
RAYMOND EJIOFOR holds a Masters of Public Health Policy from University of Southern California and is a recipient of the prestigious Gates Millennium Fellowship. Raymond graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in Decision Science and double minor in Engineering Studies and Technology and Policy. Raymond began his training under Judith Rhodes Calgaro in Arlington, VA and the Dance Theater of Harlem. While balancing academics and artistry Raymond has worked with various choreographers including Daniel Ezralow, Aszure Barton, Ryan Heffington, Lula Washington, Sidra Bell, Camille A. Brown, Kyle Abraham, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Cindy Salgado, Cindera Che, Nina McNeely, Bryan Arias, Danielle Agami, Christopher Huggins, and Robert Battle. Some of his performance credits include Audi | Shanghai, Toshiba International Industrial, Samsung, Apple, 59th Annual Grammy Awards, American Music Awards 2018, MTV VMAs 2017, Beijing Dance Festival, Israeli Opera House, Springboard Danse Montreal, LA Phil, SummerStage NYC, Jazz Dance World Congress and Pittsburgh Opera. Full bio HERE.
Raymond Ejiofor – Courtesy of HDDT
VICTOR JONES is a cultural activist, designer, and writer. Jones’s creative and intellectual work stands at the intersections of architecture, art, infrastructure, landscape, and the urban experience. A central theme of his scholarship, design research, and teaching is how infrastructure, at various scales, operates as a social, political, and spatial instrument. To learn more about Victor Jones, click HERE.
Victor Jones – Courtesy of HDDT
NICOLAS SAVIGNANO is an Argentinian filmmaker who has worked with LA’s most renowned choreographers as a director, cinematographer, and editor. Originally from Buenos Aires, he moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to pursue a Master’s Degree in Film Directing at Calarts, where he currently works as the Institute Videographer. Nicolas will share valuable insights on how to create a movement film from start to finish.
Nicolas Savignano – Courtesy of HDDT
Heidi Duckler Dance invites you to create your own spatial map for movement, architecture, and production in the virtual space! Secure your spot HERE.
For information about scholarships or questions, please email sophie@heididuckler.org.
Written and compiled by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre – Photo courtesy of HDDT.
