( ENSPIRE Entertainment ) New York-based Non-profit Dance Company Lanched Preview Film On Saturday, November 21, 2020
ENSPIRE Contributor: Anastasia Hanna
Eryc Taylor Dance (ETD) presented a new short film project entitled Uncharted Territory: Dancers in Isolation, available now at https://vimeo.com/482125982. The piece is a preview trailer for a larger project of the same name, which will be developed further at the end of March as in-person performances and a long-form film.
Conceived and developed over Zoom, Uncharted Territory: Dancers in Isolation featured dancers Nicole Baker, Chris Bell, Taylor Ennen, AJ Guevara, Eryc Taylor, and Alex Tenreiro Theis.
On March 21, 2021, the first anniversary of the project’s conception, six live performances will take place at six Manhattan sites over six days. On March 28, the film will have in-person premiere screenings and will be streamed online to international audiences, with an additional interactive Q&A with artists.
Uncharted Territory is for everyone affected by the chain reactions caused in 2020, especially New Yorkers. The dance film is a cathartic reenactment and time capsule for the period of tension and uncertainty when the global pandemic forced us to connect in different ways. ETD is particularly interested in involving those who felt the sting of stress, fears, restrictions, and isolation, more specifically essential workers, youth, elderly, people with disabilities, and others who did not receive the support they needed. ETD intends to offer a sense of understanding with inspiration and upliftment.
Uncharted Territory was born from the need to connect when circumstances have forced dancers apart. Artistic Director Eryc Taylor’s intricate Movement and Expression Chart – upon which the performances and film will be based – randomizes movements, dynamics, and emotions to generate choreographic sequences through chance.
In addition, the dancers will host five masterclasses from March 21-28, utilizing Eryc Taylor’s Movement and Expression Chart. Two will be open to the general public and three will be dedicated to youths, seniors, and people with disabilities. These workshops will be priced on a sliding scale to ensure accessibility and are a part of the company’s ETD Outreach Program.
This project is made possible in part by a Coronavirus Dance Relief Fund grant from Dance/NYC and the generous support of the Marta Heflin Foundation. For more information, visit https://etd.nyc/.
