June 12, 2006

Open Source Event for Video Dance Makers

Bodysurf Scotland and videodance.org.uk are hosting "Open Source: {Video-Dance}," an event for video-dance makers that will take place later this week in Scotland (June 15-18th).

In the words of the presenters:

Opensource:{video-dance} is a gathering of artists, coming together to discuss ideas and issues around their own practice in the context of making dance for the screen. We are planning to travel lightly. There will be a structure, but no fixed agenda...Our vision is to create an exciting and supportive place for people to engage, talk, hang out, relax, think, listen and to enable the spontaneous and dynamic unfolding of events.

With the aim of encouraging debate and discussion, the organizers have created a list of 20 questions that are intended to make video dance makers uncomfortable. I think these are good questions and I include them in their entirety:

1. How can we justify having our own genre – is video dance any different than short-film making?
2. How is it that there rarely seems to be any dance in video dance?
3. Why is it that I still find ‘Roseland’, which was made over 20yrs ago, more exciting that most current works?
4. How is it that most video dance soundtracks seem to be added on as an afterthought?
5. How can you get your work seen when there are very few opportunities?
6. How can we make people care about video dance?
7. How do most video dances have deeply suspect gender politics?
8. How can video dance makers recognise the web as a future distribution channel?
9. How can you justify look over substance?
10. Does it matter what sort of images are created and represented in our work?
11. How can we talk about our work honestly?
12. How can we generate a true critical discourse about video dance work?
13.What excites us as video dance makers if anything?
14. How can we step outside our comfort zone?
15. How about beauty?
16. How about ideas?
17 How can we continue to evolve longer works or are we destined to be the makers of 10 minute films?
18. How can we avoid constant re-inventing the wheel and lack of awareness of what has gone before or is happening in other related art forms?
19. Is your work worth watching?
20. If so/not, then why?

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