DAJ features WirrWarr, a dance film on loss & separation

Words by Katie Hagan.

As well as writing reviews and conducting interviews at dance art journal, we feature dance films directed and produced by independent artists.

We are pleased to announce that this month, we are featuring WirrWarr, a short dance film directed by Daleya Marohn and starring Kirill Burlov, a professional dancer whose work has been performed at Sadler’s Wells, Queen Elizabeth Hall and at the opening of Rambert’s home studio.

WirrWarr was inspired by industrial architecture and abandoned places,” director Daleya Marohn explains. “It was filmed at The Factory E16 in London and explores turmoil and restlessness in the wake of separation,” Marohn continues.

“I wanted to visually capture and evoke the complexity of emotional turmoil by mirroring it in the sparse location and the dancer’s movements. Kirill is trapped yet dancing; he is trying to escape but is confined in an endless vicious circle,” says Marohn.

Still from WirrWarr.

It was the piercing assertion from the great Pina Bausch – “Dance, dance, otherwise we are lost” – that inspired Marohn. “This was an important stimulus that enabled me to open up and explore my own ‘state of confusion’ after a break-up.”

Working with the dancer, performer and choreographer Kirill Burlov and cinematographer Julian Hohndorf, allowed Marohn to encapsulate the meaning and essence of the German word ‘Wirrwarr’, meaning ‘a state of confusion’ in the film.

You can watch the film below:

Click here to play short dance film WirrWarr.

Full credits:

Director – Daleya Marohn

Cinematographer – Julian Hohndorf

Dancer – Kirill Burlov

Music – Paulo Gallo

Editor – Nicolas Dusollier

Colourist – Frank Hellwig

Location – The Factory E16

Special Thanks – Paulo Gallo, Andy McGrath, Adam Gano, Veron, Cameraworks