INTERVIEW: ‘Salt Water’ highlights Abanar Dance Company’s talents
A powerful display of dance can make for an unforgettable evening of kinetic art. Abe Abraham, founer of the Abanar Dance Company, knows well the boundless options of movement on stage, but he also knows how the form can be transformed when filmed for a big screen.
Abraham’s latest project is the new film Salt Water, featuring Abanar Dance Company and Desmond Richardson, artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. The film will have its premiere Monday, Nov. 6 at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater at Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City.
Salt Water matches choreographic movement to the seismographic recordings of Earth’s vibrations. Those sounds were recorded by JT Bullit, and they inspired the work of more than 20 dancers, including Richardson.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Abraham. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style. (Plus, click here for Hollywood Soapbox’s previous interview with Richardson.)
What do you believe is unique about capturing dance on film? Does it allow the audience to go deeper into the performance with different angles and sight lines?
So many things! The joy of making dance for film is that what you show is as important as what you don’t show. The frame and the perspective can not only define the choreography but for me has been a tool in generating choreography, most of which you could not experience on stage. The intimate relationship of the medium reveals the human being behind the steps, giving the audience a more nuanced portrait of their physical experience.
What can audience members expect from Salt Water?
The audience can expect to see a film — not a recording of a dance performance! All the wonderful tools of film have been used to create an experience that could not exist in any other form. Salt Water is a story without words that evokes the dynamic contrast of the ocean’s waves: at times soft and playful, and at other times, unpredictable and devastating.
What was it like working with Desmond Richardson?
Working with Desmond was a thrill! He is a hero of mine, so to have the chance to work one on one was an experience of a lifetime. He uses his extraordinary power and command to reveal something so raw and vulnerable, and capturing him on film only accentuated these qualities.
What kind of inspiration did you find in JT Bullit’s seismographic recordings of the Earth’s vibrations? Did you instantly see a dance performance?
I first heard JT Bullitt on NPR in 2007 and, yes, immediately thought his work was perfect for dance, and as it turned out, so did he! The unpredictability of the actual recordings of the Earth’s vibrations was a perfect match for the film’s themes.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Salt Water, directed and choreographed by Abe Abraham, features Abanar Dance Company and Desmond Richardson, and will play Monday, Nov. 6 at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.
