Re:assemblance
(v.)(re-uh-sem-buh-lence)
The act of aggregating the pieces of oneself; to make whole.
A Virtual Reality dance film based on a true story
Synopsis
Dancers dance in front of mirrors when they go to classes, rehearse pieces and even when they free style. This is true for professional and non professional dancers. Growing up in the dance world means spending hours and hours criticizing yourself in the mirror. Mirrors are helpful to an extent, but they can also be harmful. They can distract dancers from actually dancing and, in the worst cases, can lead to body dysmorphia and eating disorders. Re:Assemblance is a short feature based on the true story of Juliette and Sarah shot in Virtual Reality that brings the audience into the perspective of two dancers. We will go on a journey into their experience both loving and struggling with their body and dance, especially their relationship to the mirror. We will transform through their perspective from feeling trapped and defined by the mirror to taking control of the mirror and their love for dance. This piece will be approximately 8 minutes long in duration.
Main Characters
This short features the perspective of two dancers, one professional ballet dancer named Sarah and one non-professional dancer named Juliette.
Juliette: Juliette is a 27 year old professional therapist and non-professional dancer living in San Francisco. She has previously struggled with OCD and an eating disorder. Since moving to San Francisco, she joined a nonprofit dance organization No Mirror Movement. This organization rehearses their dances outside with no mirrors and therefore frees the dancers of traditional pressures and self criticism associated with the mirror. This group and their dancing has re-kindled Juliette’s love for dance and has become part of her on-going recovery from her eating disorder.
Sarah: Sarah is a professional dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. The character of Sarah was created as a combination of the true life experiences of the three SF ballet dancers featured in this film. She had to give up a lot to fulfill her dream, like going to college and having a “normal life.” She grew up in Boston and traveled to San Francisco eleven years ago to perform a lead role for the SF ballet. She loves living here and being a professional dancer, but admits its really hard to spend hours and hours inside a room in front of a mirror. Though she has not had what we traditionally consider an eating disorder, she has struggled to love her body and has forgotten why she began dancing in the first place.
CreDits
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
DancinFlo Productions
DIRECTOR
Florence Lumsden
1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Tiffany Tse
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Cecilia Li
LEAD CHARACTERS/DANCERS
Sarah - Elizabeth Powell
San Francisco Ballet
Juliette - Juliette Chloe
No Mirror Movement
DANCERS:
Lonnie Weeks,
San Francisco Ballet
Kimberly Marie Olivier,
San Francisco Ballet
Janus Thomas Gutierrez Ebarvia,
No Mirror Movement
Seren Pendleton-Knoll
Florence Lumsden
DANCE CHOREOGRAPHERS
Florence Lumsden
BALLET CHOREOGRAPHY
Kimberly Marie Olivier
Elizabeth Powell
ADDITIONAL CHOREOGRAPHY
Juliette Chloe
VR CINEMATOGRAPHER
Brenton Cooper
CAMERA OPERATOR 1 / DRONE OPERATOR 1
Kevin Kunze
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Dylan Curley
MUSIC
China Gates by John Adams, Bruce Brubaker
Froggie by Will Eastman
Free Fall by Will Eastman
ADVISING AND SUPPORT
Steve Kotton
SPECIAL THANKS
Sunset Movement Arts, Revel Paul
No Mirror Movement, Samantha "SammyMac" Ethridge
Nomirrormovement.org
Will Eastman
Kolor Autopano Video
Edythe Poyner
Jim Lumsden
Steve Kotton
Liz Rowley
James Egan
Dylan Curley
The San Francisco Ballet
