Year: 2013

Medium: Video 3m 33sec

Set within Hobart’s large network of underground storm drains; large tunnels offering a rich tapestry of light and dark, concrete, water and graffiti. Fragments of light, movement and space explored through dance and film.

The Concrete Climbers formed during a dance-film weekend workshop, hosted by SPACE DANCE (Salamanca Arts Centre), Wide Angle Tasmania and 10 Days on the Island. Inspired and motivated by guest artist Justus Neumann and dance-film-makers Sandi Sissel and Sue Healey, the workshop dancers and filmmakers seized the opportunity to collaborate. Supported with film equipment from Wide Angle Tasmania the Concrete Climbers prepared a short dance film presented at local film event, Tassie Tropfest.

The film’s location was set in Hobart’s large network of underground storm drains; large tunnels that offered a rich tapestry of light and dark, concrete, water and graffiti. Fragments of light, movement and space were explored through dance and film. Accompanied by the music of Rowan Smith the dancers and filmmaker responded to sound, space and each other in various solo and ensemble compositions. The piece is a poetic construction of contemporary dance, improvisation, collaboration, editing process and vision; which has emerged into a new dance that exists entirely in video format, and cannot survive anywhere else.

The Concrete Climbers are Cynthia Awruch, Angela Barnard, Amanda Connor, Kajan Hari, Hannah McCullagh, Stefan Petrov, Laura Purcell

Music: Sirens. Composed by Rowan Smith, KWYO

Equipment: Canon C100

Acknowledgements: Kelly Drummond Cawthon (Space Dance, Salamanca Arts Centre), Abi Binning (Wide Angle Tasmania), Justus Neumann, Sandi Sissel, Sue Healey, Rowan Smith, Kai Raisbeck, Troy Melville (ABC Open)