Image: Camryn Eaglin
How do cameras in the classroom revolutionize how we view and participate in dance?
By Camryn Eaglin
The use of cameras, along with the growing popularity of social media, has revolutionized how dance is viewed and perceived. It has allowed our art form to be seen on the world stage in an instant, through someone’s smart phone or computer. I’d even argue that it creates another nuanced relationship between the student and their craft. Now studio owners, teachers, and dancers are utilizing the camera as a tool for promotion and maximizing reach more than ever. However, I pose the question---is it beneficial in the classroom? Do the cameras preserve or expose the private space the studio has held for dancers prior?
I have been dancing for 19 years and I’ve witnessed this shift. As a kid, there was a mystical aspect of dance recitals because the occasion was only once a year. We would finally let our families in through a stage performance. It was as if we were sharing a secret we had kept for so long. The recital tape would be the only form of footage we had to show for the growth we made during the year. Around 12 years old I began uploading short clips to Facebook of me dancing in my tiny living room, only accessible to close friends and family. In the dance studio however, we began recording fun combinations on iPhones when I was around 14. My classmates and I would be eager to post our videos on Instagram, crossing our fingers that our dancing looked good enough on camera. I would think --- hopefully it translates to my followers. This was the culture that developed for a lot of dancers, where we would dance for the sake of posting. Fortunately I was able to keep a healthy relationship with the camera, where the studio was still a space of privacy.
I have recently observed that filming has become an integral part of class time. For some teachers it is built into the fabric of their “to do'' for training. As dancers, our teachers often repeated the phrase “Dance like no one’s watching” or “You’re always performing.” These statements can be contradictory to each other, especially when cameras are involved in class. Who are you dancing for? Filming can be used as a tool for dancers to see themselves from an outside perspective and as a way to make corrections. However, teachers often post videos to promote choreography. Dancers even upload videos to promote themselves and transform their social media into a sort of online resume. It can be a great tool. Recently on Instagram Live celebrity choreographer Sean Bankhead said, “The content on your pages are so important, it’s the new resume. Upload good quality content, invest in your page, and invest in your camera work.” There is now high importance on taking and sharing footage from class. On that note, I’ve felt that filming can also make class less about the training and more about perception --- Am I doing better because I want to? Or am I doing better because I want this video to look great? It runs a fine line especially for young dancers. I’ve experienced several classes where you learn the combination in 30 minutes and a videographer comes in and films for an hour. Can you spot the potential problem? Where does the privacy and intimacy of class have time to cultivate in this environment?
Professional dancer and educator Kyrah Gradford says she occasionally participates in class filming. She quotes, “I like to see small nuances that I feel like I don’t do, and I can see it on video and correct it but I don't like the stigma of getting a video and feeling forced, pressured, or having the anxiety of posting it for social media.” Social media creates the illusion of perfection. In return, this can directly affect how dancers experience classes and combinations when professional filming is involved. Gradford also broke down the process of filming and receiving a professional recorded video. “When it comes to a professional camera, 9 times out of 10, the videographer already has the video, the choreographer has the video, and then it takes a minute to get to you. So it has already been seen by two, three other people. Then that choreographer sometimes chooses to put that out to the world probably without your permission.” This brings up the idea of consent and asking students if they are okay with being filmed instead of assuming.
Cameras in the classroom seem to be a preference based on the dancer, teacher, and community. Although we have to constantly adapt to changing times and mediums, there is always benefit in balance. Teachers should consider how they can still incorporate cameras occasionally while also giving their students the privacy to just train. This is a great conversation to have between studio owners, teachers, and students so that the healthiest environment can be created for all.
Video filmed by Alyssa Grabinski. Photo taken by Camryn Eaglin.
Camryn Eaglin is a professional dancer and writer earning a Bachelor of Science in Dance and a minor in Broadcast Journalism from Wayne State University. She is a diversely trained dancer with an interest in all facets of the dance community.
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