Reconstructing my Artistic Content by US based dancer Ricky Perry
From my perspective, Covid-19 has remodelled the performing arts industry. Including shutting down dance studios I myself am familiar with across the United States. We are literally constricted from engaging in our field of study that we, as a community, have trained hard for over the years. During these times it’s been difficult for me to mentally stay positive about how the dance scene is changing because of the pandemic. Asking myself, how can I re-approach dance? What are ways to separate myself from other dancers? And How has my re-approach benefitted me?
Bringing something unique to the audience is my mission. I think the way for me to perform that task is through dance concept videos. I believe dancers have to rely on social media, especially at a time like this, to build their portfolio. Still performing but just in front of a camera instead of an audience. As long as I still gift the audience with a connection of humanity it works out. Watching videos, I’m sure can be classified as a way to pass the time during quarantine. With this assumption it would only make sense that videos are the best type of content with a favourable ROI (Return on Investment). We all look at dance videos on social media but how I want people to perceive my work is through storytelling. I believe storytelling with dance videos can provoke a feeling or thought in connection with that individual watching. For every video the creating process changes. One way I’ve created a project is by repetition of the song and bringing the lyrics to life with my dancing. On the other hand, I sometimes enjoy letting the special effects in post-production develop and carry the video. Pivoting in this direction with dance will be refreshing as digital marketing evolves.
Brands and establishments are always looking for unique and innovating ways to grasp the audience attention. So, separating myself from other dancers is a must. I recently got interested in filmmaking because of the opportunity I had choreographing for a short dance film at USC. “A Beautiful Nightmare” is the title. Just being in the presence of the director, cinematographer, producer, editor, and of course the cast was inspiring. Seeing how they tackle presenting visual illusions made me realize learning these extra skills behind the scenes can enhance my own work as well as add value. I picked up the skill of filming and editing- still learning and practicing it to this day. Pre-production is a process I have gotten use to. I research unusual ways to film my angle shots. It can affect how the audience perceives the character and shape the video itself. I was taught “shoot to edit”. Meaning keep in mind how you’re going to edit your footage while in the process of filming. A simple concept that can make post-production smoother. There are multiple ways to accomplish task in the editing process so when bringing a certain vision to life I have to discover the best formula to get the results I want. It can also be tedious with all the tweaks to make as I look over my work. Exercising these skill assets helped me build patience in creating my content. Stage performance is in person and opening night is the very first impression. Shifting my focus to digital content, I can take as much time as I need perfecting the performance before anybody sees it. Working behind and in front of the camera may sound like a great deal of work to put in for each video but having more authority on how the creative process goes for my content is a wonderful feeling.
With my dance videos there are different lanes I can take. From concept videos, to tutorials, or if I dive deep into it enough; give tips and tricks on filming. I enjoy spreading knowledge through visual entertainment. I have made that my marketing strategy. I feel more freedom to experiment and apply my own deadlines to projects as a freelancer. As a freelancer it also means I have to take the initiative and reach out to companies and establishments I see fit. Releasing dance videos just isn’t all that needs to be done. Yes, staying consistent is key but I also believe you have to network. Networking has surrounded me around like-minded individuals. It helps me stay focus, putting in that consistent effort that can give you recognition and appreciation for your talent. Influences that help me with the creative process are the visual effects in movies and tv shows. Building credibility in film work that involves dance is a way I want to add value in the performing arts industry. Presenting a fresh way to unravel the storytelling to the consumer.