The Allure of Dance in Film

The camera often gravitates toward dynamic objects, such as the iconic red balloon floating through the streets of Paris in Albert Lamorisse’s 1956 short film. Yet, it’s the human form in motion that consistently captures our attention. This fascination dates back to the ‘Serpentine Danse’ films of approximately 1895, where performers’ swirling dresses were shown in hand-tinted pastels.

We are naturally drawn to displays of talent and spectacle, with the emotional resonance and narrative capability of movement creating a unique form of movie magic. Despite the transient nature of live dance, akin to attempting to ‘catch the wind’ as described by art historian and curator RoseLee Goldberg, film successfully preserves these moments in time.

In pursuit of a dance-inspired viewing list for the summer, individuals working in performance were asked to share the films that have left a lasting impression on them and have influenced their own work.

Scenes from Claire Denis’s 1999 film “Beau Travail”

Celia Rowlson-Hall, a 42-year-old choreographer and director, shares her experience with Claire Denis’s ‘Beau Travail’ from 1999. She first watched the movie a decade ago and found herself both thankful for its existence and longing to have created it herself. The final scene featuring Denis Lavant, who plays a sergeant in the French Foreign Legion, showcases an explosive two-minute dance filled with precision and purpose. However, Rowlson-Hall finds the buildup to that release even more captivating.

The film begins in a nightclub with soldiers dancing with local women. It then transitions to the rigorous testing of their bodies in the extreme environment of Djibouti’s desert. The soldiers’ training scenes resemble a ballet, with each participant bringing a unique interpretation to their tasks, whether leaping over walls or crawling under wires. Denis wisely concludes by cutting on Lavant mid-turn, leaving the impression that he spins endlessly.

The dance-off scene in Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’s 1961 film “West Side Story.”

RoseLee Goldberg, an art historian and curator, reminisces about her childhood in Durban, South Africa, where dance was her main passion. The release of ‘West Side Story’ in 1961 captivated her. She watched it multiple times and adorned her walls with images of George Chakiris, who played Bernardo, the leader of a Puerto Rican gang.

The film, an adaptation of a successful Broadway production, addresses race and conflict in New York, presenting a young generation striving for cultural recognition. This theme resonated deeply with Goldberg amid the social climate of South Africa at the time. The choreographer Jerome Robbins became an idol, embodying where the world of dance was heading. The film’s gym scene, featuring distinct postures for the Jets and Sharks, left a mark. After watching, one couldn’t resist walking down the street snapping fingers.

Consuelo Harris dancing in Oscar Micheaux’s 1938 film “Swing!”