12 days until #DanceWeekend21! Meet Maxim Luca Bortnowski of maximalbstudio and Melanie Elysse Old of Melanie Old Dance Projects. Maxim is a professional photographer and videographer and Melanie is a professional dancer and choreographer. Their film collaboration M being presented at DanceWeekend21 is directed and edited by Maxim and choreographed and performed by Melanie.
Find out what it’s all about – tune into our film series presentation on Fri April 30th.
#ComeDanceWithUs Read more here:
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself/your company/collective/school?
We reconnected after Sleep Happens to You’s photocall at DanceWeekend’20. Having both attended the Ryerson Theatre School, we realized that combining our backgrounds in technical theatre and dance could lead to interesting projects.
What will you be sharing at DanceWeekend’21?
Middle, Milieu, Media, Microcosm, Medium… In the current polarized societal climate, many believe that their point of view, their political party, their side is right and always right. It is increasingly rare to put oneself in the position of someone with whom one disagrees and achieve compromise. M is a film made to be seen from two perspectives. It can be watched both upside down or right side up. Both viewing experiences give a different perspective of the story. Starting from opposing positions the characters go on an exploratory journey into the other’s world. By the end, depending on perception, they either part ways permeated with the other character’s ideas, or reaffirming their previously held beliefs.
What interests about film as a medium and how does it differ from a live performance?
With film there is the luxury of multiple takes however we have attempted to approach the medium from a theatre perspective. We rehearsed and choreographed the work beforehand so we are able to use a singular film clip. We also wanted to use a single camera angle to replicate the experience of sitting in a theatre, watching a live performance from a seat.
How has the pandemic shifted your work as a professional dance artist?
The pandemic imposed restrictions on us which challenged us to adapt to new surroundings and media platforms. This project forced us to communicate more than any other previous work. We brainstormed ways and succeeded to create a whole dance film remotely through only video chats and phone calls.
Please share what you are most looking forward to at Dance Ontario’s first virtual DanceWeekend?
We are always excited to attend DanceWeekend as it brings so many local artists together, this year especially. We are excited to see how other artists have adapted to the times. Thank you Dance Ontario for letting us showcase our film this year
In 1 or 2 sentences, what does dance mean to you?
To me, dance means physical prowess, connection to the earth, connection to others, expression, and perpetual growth. I’ve learned countless life lessons through my dance practice.