Made Up – A Dance Film Installation by Associate Artist Linnea Swan

Projecting images of the female body through multiple layers of tulle, a fabric traditionally associated with the wedding gown and a dancer’s tutu, choreographer/filmmaker Linnea Swan’s Made Up, examines the hyperbolic feminine to question the binary construct of the male/female gaze. Working significantly with tight framing and close ups, Swan draws the viewer to follow her own gaze, one which is complicated by the historical impact of female subjectivity in narrative art forms.

A word from Sasha Ivanochko, Artistic Director of DSW:

Dancers’ Studio West just celebrated our 40th anniversary. Over the years, the organization’s profile has shifted and our programming has varied considerably. As a result,  I think there continues to be some confusion about who we are, what we do and what Contemporary dance is!

Our programming emerges from a desire to support artists at every stage of career, while offering opportunities for the general public to deepen their appreciation of Contemporary dance. Our associated artists are encouraged to deep-dive into their questions and curiosities, and to share their research and work as a way to support dance literacy.

It has been a real honour to collaborate with Linnea throughout her two-year term as Associate Artist. I’ve always been excited by the  interdisciplinary nature of her work, and it is her experience as a filmmaker which has enabled her to transform her project when COVID-19 fell upon us. She likes to use the word “collision” when describing her process and use of materials, which include the dancer’s body, film and tulle fabric. And that we can present this dance film installation safely for small groups of people during this incredibly isolating pandemic is a really good feeling.

Created by Linnea Swan, DSW Associate Artist

With collaboration by Tania Alvarado, Nicole Charlton Goodbrand, and Meghann Michalsky

Lighting design by Steve Isom

Poster designed by Deanna Peters/Mutable Subject

Promotional photo by Alexander J. Slobodian

PR and Marketing by Aldona B. Creative

Made Up is presented as a dance film installation in the Studio Theatre at cSPACE King Edward, located on the west end of the ground floor of this historic building. There are multiple screening/viewing times per show date, with a limit of ten patrons per showing. If you have any concerns with accessibility or questions regarding our health and safety protocols for this presentation, please contact Samantha at communications@dswlive.ca.

For more information about Dancers’ Studio West, visit dancersstudiowest.ca