*anna thompson of slowdanger at Kelly-Strayhorn Theater. Photography by Bright Archives.*

Dance is one of the most challenging art forms to document. It may sound simple—going to a ballet or a multimedia performance and pointing a few video cameras at the dancers and the stage—but there are many technical challenges involved in this work. Even after overcoming them, the video can’t fully capture the experience of seeing it in person.

For one thing, dance is difficult to film. There is joy in watching the human body leap into the air, roll, flail around, and contort itself, but good luck following that explosive range of movement with a camera. It takes practice, and it’s helpful to have knowledge of the performers’ abilities in advance—a luxury that isn’t always available. The lighting is also difficult to capture. Often dance performances have extreme lighting changes, veering from a barely lit stage to flashing neon and fluorescent strobe lights. This creates many challenges in post-production, especially when working with multiple cameras, because various cameras interpret the tone and brightness of light differently.

For example, earlier this year, the multidisciplinary performance entity slowdanger debuted their magnum opus SUPERCELL last year, and Bright Archives was on hand to film it. The work contains strobe effects, multiple projection screens, and heavily saturated colors. We had five cameras capturing the performance, but the various shades of pink, green, and blue throughout the show registered differently on each one. In post-production, we used a complex color correction process, matching the pinks between all five cameras, but that didn’t guarantee that the blues would match in the same way. So, it took a few passes to find the right configuration for each color.

Technical challenges aside, I enjoy experimenting with ways to capture the spirit of a performance and the experience of seeing it live. Every show—and every iteration of it—is unique, and documentation can take many forms. Below are a couple of the techniques I employ, along with two interesting experiments from my own art practice.

Recording Sound

In videography and filmmaking, audiences are more forgiving of “bad video” than “bad sound.” So, a surefire way to improve a dance video is to capture the highest quality sound possible.

Here are a few go-to strategies:

Record a stereo feed directly from the mixing board. This will capture any pre-recorded or live sound that is being pumped through the venue’s speakers.
Set up a microphone to record a mono or stereo live recording of the room. This will capture sounds from the performers and the audience.
Put microphones a few inches off of the stage floor to capture the sounds of the dancers’ feet and floor work.
Ask for any audio used in the performance piece. You can blend it into the audio mix for a fuller sound. Pro tip: this also circumvents any audio or recording hiccups that come up during the live performance.

More Cameras

In general, more cameras make for a more potent dance film. Watch this work by Amala Dianor, produced by arte CONCERT in France, and you’ll see what I mean. The multiple angles and quick cuts convey the energy of the live performance. The close up shots reveal the dancers’ subtle movements and facial expressions. The sound is immersive, especially on headphones or a pair of good speakers.

Using more cameras is a no brainer when capturing a performance, but it does create additional expenses and makes the editing process more complex. So, there’s always a trade-off between quality and cost.

Dance for Camera

Over the years, I have explored different solutions for filming dance. One option is to create a dance work specifically for the camera. I’ll use a personal example from back in 2013 to illustrate. I filmed a video for my band Host Skull where dancers improvised a series of movements. The results were projected onto a piece of paper and re-filmed. While re-filming, I bent and shook the paper, distorting and stretching the dancers’ images. I then edited these re-filmed sequences to the music, creating a unique video that cannot be replicated in a live setting.

Invite the Camera to Dance

Here’s another personal example from 2013. In my own dance practice, I experimented with what it would be like to cast camerapersons as dancers on stage. I encouraged them to “film whatever you find interesting,” hoping they would incorporate movement and capture great footage that I could use for documentation. I tried this approach on two pieces, Modules 10, and later, The Reduction, an evening-length piece that was performed as part of the Community Supported Arts series at the New Hazlett Theater in Pittsburgh. The experiment worked and I and edited the footage into a performance film. I also produced a three-channel video installation for an exhibition at SPACE Gallery in Pittsburgh.

Final Thoughts

I have been documenting dance performance for many years, and it is a service that is consistently in demand. That demand is due in part to a few things. First, a dance performance can be expensive to produce. Finding funding for choreographers, performers, venues, marketing, set design, and costumes often means relying on grants, and grant makers tend to favor projects with video documentation, as it shows performers can follow through and bring a project to completion. Second, video documentation can be used to create marketing materials, which helps attract a larger audience. Lastly, documentation helps choreographers and dancers to improve and correct staging, pacing, and movement issues in the performance, influencing future shows and inspiring new developments in their work.

Choosing a documentation approach depends on how you intend to use the footage. A simple two-camera setup may suit your needs, or maybe something more immersive would be more impactful. Either way, I’ve found that it’s better to document a performance than to miss the opportunity. Dance is an ephemeral art form—and there’s a beauty to its “you had to be there” nature—but creating an archive of your work is a powerful activity that brings new opportunities and inspiration.

Bright Archives loves collaborating with artists to document their creative process. If you're interested in working with us, please reach out at https://www.brightarchives.com/contact.