LIFF Screendance Competition
Ongoing since 2014 | Leeds International Film Festival | UK | Programmer
The screendance competition at LIFF, initiated by Andy Wood and supported by Yorkshire Dance, presents a selection of current screendance work as part of this premier UK festival.
Founded in 1987, LIFF is the largest film festival in England outside London.
The screenings take place in November – check the LIFF website for updates.
MA Screendance
Ongoing since 2018 | London Contemporary Dance School | UK | Unit leader / Lecturer
I lead one of the three core units on this MA for artists working with dance and moving image, which focuses on the public place of screendance and the conceptual, ethical and professional issues that arise.
I also support the management of course generally, and in 2020/21 took on its leadership as a maternity cover (you can imagine that the pandemic made that experience quite interesting…)
If you are looking to develop your screendance practice through a tailored postgraduate programme, this might be just the ticket.
And look out for Frame Rush, an annual screendance event led by the MA students as part of the unit!
Coming up in 2023
Co-curations
I’m collaborating on two new programmes, with Kati Kallio for Tanssivirtaa Tampereella Festival (FI), and Dance (Lens) (AU). More news coming soon!
Ciné-Corps 2023
March 2023 | Ciné-Corps | France | Co-curator
Ciné-Corps’ screening “Gentrification de l’être” is a co-curation with Virginie Combet.
With ten dance films and a live performance, presented at the Triannon Cinema in Romainville, we invite you to experience the phenomenon of urban transformation on the scale of the individual. Like the ongoing process of shift and change in the inner suburbs of Paris, you will discover how filmmakers and choreographers trace who gets to inhabit what space, and how.
Recent projects
Focus Screendance 2022
January – December 2022 | Man With A Hat | Bulgaria | Consultant / mentor
Man with a Hat exists to support, develop and produce Bulgarian talent in the field of contemporary dance and dance film. I’m supporting the next state of the Focus Screendance project with advice on overall trajectory and specifics such as the artist development programme.
Dance On Screen Film Festival
November 2022 | Dance On Screen, Graz | Austria | Lecturer & juror
The 7th edition of Dance On Screen will feature a workshop unpacking some of the key discourses of screendance today, which I’ve been invited to design and lead.
Choreosocope Festival 2022
September 2022 | Choreoscope, Barcelona | Spain | Juror
Choreoscope Festival continues its interest in looking at screendance across creatiove and commercial fields. It introduced a new award in 2021, for Best Dance Sequence in a Series or Feature Film. I’m so excited to be asked back for this year’s prize for the Best Opening Sequence in a Series or Feature Film.
ZED Festival Internationale Videodanza
August 2022 | ZED Festival, Bologna | Italy | Juror
The third edition of this festival includes a focus on VR and AR work, alongside dance film and live performance. I’m part of the festival prize jury, alongside Mitchell Rose, Elena Cervellati and Stefano Mazzotta.
Screen Dance International
Summer 2022 | Screen Dance International, Detroit | USA | Juror
I’m delighted to have been asked back to be part of the panel for this festival.
BA Moving Image / Film and Screen Studies
October 2021 – January 2022 | University of Brighton | UK | Lecturer
This autumn term I’ll be teaching a module on film festivals, looking at the aesthetic, practical, ethical, economic and societal aspects of the festival form.
Dance Film Workshop Hungary
October 2021 | Parallel Art Foundation | Hungary | Guest curator, lecturer and mentor
A one-week intensive workshop, designed by Gábor Pintér and Mariann Gaál to introduce the genre of dance film to young artists working in fine arts and media. I’ll be presenting a programme of films, facilitate sessions and mentor one of the participant groups. Fellow lecturers include Thierry de Mey and Claudia Kappenberg – I couldn’t be more exited.
CPI 2021 workshop
October 2021 | KOFICE, Seoul | South Korea | Guest lecturer
I am a guest speaker as part of an 8-week-long online training program for 12 dance artists from India, which is supported by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange. I’ll be speaking with the artists about approaches to disseminating dance film work.
Choreoscope Festival 2021
September 2021 | Choreoscope, Barcelona | Spain | Juror
Choreoscope Festival is introducing a new award in 2021, for Best Dance Sequence in a Series or Feature Film.
It has been a delight to watch the longlist, and stretch my framework for watching dance on screen.
The award also raises a rich discussion about the film, dance and television industries, which I’m looking forward to continuing.
BA Contemporary Dance
September 2021 | Trinity Laban, London | UK | Guest lecturer
A session with BA3 students, looking at their entry into the freelance field. I always enjoy this session, and it brings into focus the things that do and don’t change over the years…
Screen Dance International
Summer 2021 | Screen Dance International, Detroit | USA | Jury
Now in its fourth year, SDI is expanding its programming to include dance documentaries. The festival will also include lecture demonstrations and integrated community projects.
Screendance Course
May 2021 | Bulgaria | Guest speaker
Dance artists Silvia Cherneva and Stephanie Handjiiska are running the first ever, year-long screendance course in the country. It will cover key practice and theory, and enable the participants to produce their own film.
I’m excited to contribute with a session about disseminating work and the dance film festival circuit.
FrameForm Podcast
December 2020 | Frameform, USA | Guest
Frameform is a “A podcast discussing movies, moving and everything in between.”
Set up and hosted by Jen Ray (Cascadia/Capitol DFF), Hannah Weber (Screendance Collective) and Clare Schweitzer (artist / San Francisco Dance Film Festival), the podcast discusses dance film work, production and exhibition. I was invited to join the conversation about the networks and connections in dance film.
Gitta Wigro 