Dance may be an ephemeral, fleeting art form, but its moments can be documented and remembered as being representative or symbolic of a very specific period of time.
For dancer, director and cinematographer Diana Olifirova, her short abstract piece Intrance – commissioned by Panasonic and shot between Kyiv and London – is one such dance film that reveals how much a single moment in history has ripple effects throughout time.
Intrance was shot in early February just weeks before the Russian invasion on February 24th. Although the work was already being created before the war officially started, Intrance was edited in the first few weeks of Russian invasion, adding a powerful layer to the context of the piece that situates Intrance in a time of desperation, frustration and anxiety.
“It was a real search and transition that escalated via the edit and the music because of the war hitting us all of a sudden. So the film became a direct transmission of my feelings in this time and I am really proud of this piece that captures and encapsulates all the feelings at once.”
In Intrance, Diana is the sole dancer in the piece, and in many ways it is a canvas for her to experiment, play and question. “Intrance is about spiralling through spaces redefining my identity, culture, memories and future. From Ukraine to the UK and back, from precipice of infinite possibilities comes a self-portrait Intrance exploring fear, resistance, bravery and change.
Credits:
a film by and starring Diana Olifirova
music E.M.M.A, Eugene Feygelson and Karel van Bellingen
edit Karel van Bellingen
dance Anatolii Sachivko
art Simon Walker
costume Jovana Gospavic
grade Joseph Bicknell