Live screenings of the Dance (Lens) program were held from 13–15 July.

Love Song (2022), by Claire Marshall

Love Song is a dance film that explores a story of a relationship in constant flux, where deception and emotional manipulation unfolds, implemented for each persons’ agenda. Featuring dancers Richard Causer and Anthony Trojman, Love Song is presented in a parallel and split-screen structure, highlighting two perspectives of the relationship that occur concurrently.

Love Song premiered in January 2022 at the San Francisco Indie Short Festival. Since then it has been programmed in 20 international festivals including in the Queerbee LGBT Festival in London, 8th PlatArtístic Spring Dancefilm Fest in Barcelona, 5th Pride Arts Film Festival in Chicago, 16th River Film Festival in Padova, Italy, 30th GAZE International LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Ireland, and the Texas Arthouse Festival.

Love Song was created as the fourth dance film experiment as a part of Claire Marshall’s Master of Fine Arts (Dance) at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Yellow Mellow (2023), by Erin O’Rourke

‘yellow mellow’ captures the essence of how identity is constantly and inevitable tarnished by external factors. Not limited to the stark scams of gender conformity, capitalism, and the patriarchy, I strive to divulge my relationship with identity constricted and formed within these bounds of modern society.

One dancer. One camera. One location. This simplicity highlights the inner dialogue that exists as one traverses the intricacies of self-discovery. Working with contemporary movement and process, identity will be exaggerated by my body’s form and nuance.

Having personally traversed challenges with mental health, especially in the last 2 years, crisis of identity is resonant. Utilising a yellow colour scheme and small yellow materials, I highlight the toxic positivity movement, attempting to showcase how bright exteriors don’t always correspond with the interior worlds we live in. Informed by social media research, reality isn’t always as it seems. Constantly exposed to new ways to “be better” and “live your best life” doesn’t always sit true for everyone. Intoxicated by perfect lives plastered online, the grass is always greener. But striving for what someone else has won’t mend our own needs.

‘yellow mellow’ shares my personal experience with identity discovery, poisoned by depression and external expectations, in hope to foster new conversations about the mental health epidemic that invisibly suffocates more of us than we realise.

Melancholic. Poignant. Transparent.

I’ll share the reality of my identity. Who’s next?

This project is supported by The Australian Ballet and Telstra.

Streetlight (2023), by Rob Aspinall

Whilst travelling along a rain covered sidewalk, streetlights and music transport a dancer to a dreamlike world of sophisticated funk.

This project is a Dance.Focus 2021 commission: a dance film initiative by Dance Hub SA in partnership with Ausdance ACT and supported by Ausdance SA

Arawa (2023), by Thuy Vy

Arawa – is an incantatory visceral, existential howl. It’s a visual response to a sonic soundscape that verges on extremes, merging the ancient and contemporary. Set amongst liminal industrial night-scapes; it weaves together fragments of rage and stasis that is beautiful, dark and elegant.

Dancing Home (2023), by Karen Berger

Karen invites family and friends to help her dance through life, finding home across continents.

Supported through Federation University’s postgraduate scholarship

Bird Dog (2023), by Teresa Blake

During the covid-19 pandemic, dancers, acrobats, dogs, birds, and bicycles, gathered 3 mornings a week (when permitted) in a local park in Melbourne. Moving together in strange times. All of this actually happened.