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Remote Dancing

Rosemary Lee

Photo by Hugo Glendinning
2004 – 2007

A video installation where the interaction of viewer and on-screen dancer became an intimate pas-de-deux. Created by Rosemary Lee and Nic Sandiland, the installation consisted of either one, two or three separate corridors each with a screen at the far end.

Back-projected onto each screen was a series of solo dance films, activated only when the spectator entered the corridor and moved towards or away from them. The on-screen dancer initially seemed to hover, waiting for the viewer to start moving.

As the viewer began to explore the consequences of both subtle and extreme changes of motion, they effectively ‘scratched’ the dance video back and forth, faster and slower. A duet unfolded as they became both partner and choreographer. The longer they stayed the more they discovered, as a new section of the dance in new contexts were revealed. Journeying through the corridors the viewer was able to encounter a total of six dancers ranging in the age from young to old, each with their own soundtrack specially composed by Graeme Miller.

Remote Dancing toured internationally to: The Metropole, Folkestone; RFH Ballroom Floor SouthBank Centre, London; Spring Dance, Utrecht, Netherlands; Nottdance, Nottingham; Mladi Levi Festival, Ljubliana, Slovenia; Quay Arts, Isle of Wight; Centre National de la Danse, Paris/Pantin, France ; Norwich and Norfolk Festival; UK Moves, La Piscine, Roubaix, France and Aberystwyth Art Centre.

“Remote Dancing cunningly strips you of your inhibitions… an ingenious installation.”

The Guardian

“Brilliant installation! I was doing things in those corridors that I haven’t done in years! It was good to ‘let it go’ without anyone seeing what I was doing, how I danced and enjoyed. It was a really powerful experience. Touched my heart. I’ve been a closet dancer all my life…”

Visitor

“I enjoyed seeing other people enjoy it. For me it captured an intense human need for connection. Great interactive enjoyment for young and not so young! Excellent! The most imaginative and engaging piece I’ve seen since Olafur Eliason’s sun at the Tate, best thing in London today. We are never alone.”

Visitor

Originally funded by the Arts Council, England through the Capture series and further developed with a commission from RFH Education, South Bank Centre, London and additional support from Rescen.

Presentations between 2004-7 have included: The Metropole, Folkestone; RFH Ballroom Floor SouthBank Centre, London; Spring Dance, Utrecht, Netherlands; Nottdance, Nottingham; Mladi Levi Festival, Ljubliana, Slovenia; Quay Arts, Isle of Wight; Centre National de la Danse, Paris/Pantin, France ; Norwich and Norfolk Festival; UK Moves, La Piscine, Roubaix, France and Aberystwyth Art Centre.

Created by Rosemary Lee and Nic Sandiland with on-screen performers: Matilda Lee-Kronick, Omari Carter, Henrietta Hale, Frank Bock, Linda Lewcock, Colin MacLean.

Directed by Rosemary Lee
Technology concept and design by Nic Sandiland
Music/sound by Graeme Miller
Lighting/camera operator David Gopsill

Production Management by Steve Wald
Technical Assistant by Huw Chadbourn
Installation construction by Hedgehog

Photo by Hugo Glendinning
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