Before Delight delivers its programmes in schools, a massive amount of resource preparation needs to be done. Instructional videos are just one of these resources and are key to supporting teachers and making the learning accessible. I went along to document professional dance company, Made by Katie Green, as they filmed the Delight in Dance videos with filmmaker Rosie Powell. By Ella Breen.
Coming from a fine art background it was interesting for me to see how a commercial film is produced, as opposed to in a fine art context.
I’m a passionate photographer and it was a fun challenge to try to capture the dancer’s movement as I am more used to still subjects. I think I took some great action shots that convey the fun atmosphere, which I am sure will also come through in the videos.
Watching Katie Green direct the choreography and the dancers was especially amusing. I captured some great shots of the dancers having fun and getting stuck into their hero vs villain roles – it was easy to see why the kids love the dance programme so much.
“Today has been really fun having a lovely group of dancers and working with the brilliant Rosie.”
Katie Green (Director of Made by Katie Green).
The dancers dressed up in costumes so that the children will be able to easily identify the heroes (blue capes) and villains (black capes). A white background was used to make the dancers pop and coloured floor dots marked the edge of the dance stage.
Between takes, I got a chance to speak to the choreographer, Katie Green, and the dancers, who clearly enjoyed the day too.
Katie (Artistic Director, Made by Katie Green): “Today has been really fun having a lovely group of dancers and working with the brilliant Rosie to put together the films for our upcoming project.”
Chloe (Dancer, Made by Katie Green): “I’ve been doing the project now for a year and I’ve really, really enjoyed working with the children… I’m excited to get back into the classroom.”
Later that day, myself and fellow Kickstarter Tasmin had the opportunity to join the Delight in Dance CPD (Continued Professional Development) session for teachers, which involved taking part in some of the dance exercises I had watched being filmed.
Seeing how the film translates into the programme delivery was a great way to round off my knowledge of the Dance project. A great day was had by all.
Find out more about Delight in Dance, Made by Katie Green and the Yvonne Arnaud theatre space we filmed at.