A Dance Piece Exploring Synchronicity In Berlin’s Concrete Jungle
- Name
- Fiona Jane Burgess · Franka Marlene Foth
- Project
- Versus
- Images
- Htat Lin Htut
- Words
- Steph Wade
‘Versus’ is the motion film by German collaborators Fiona Jane Burgess and Franka Marlene Foth, a filmmaker and choreographer respectively. The footage depicts two female contemporary dancers moving through and engaging with the open spaces of Hofgarten estate in Berlin.
‘Versus’ shows the dancers finding balance and synchronicity with their surroundings. The performers move fluidly, sometimes with and sometimes against each other. Their bodies convey narrative through soft movements, and each frame depicts a different color palette worn by the dancers that matches the architecture. “The choreography is concerned with the process of
everyday life as a woman, a dancer, and a creative”, explains Foth. The title works as a metaphor for the artistic vision of the film, by taking cues from its own definition: versus, meaning in contrast to, or the alternative of something. “It is at times very impulsive and powerful, and at times very sloppy and slow”, continues Foth. It’s “Sexy and ugly. Heavy and light. Strong and soft”. The choreography came from her attempts to find balance in daily life. “Motivation versus laziness, being creative versus feeling uninspired, time for myself versus time for my relationship, and being satisfied by my own way of doing things versus [the] expectations of others”. The soundtrack is composed by German electronic musician Frank Bretschneider, whose experimental sound combines ambient synthesized notes with glitches to create a futuristic and ethereal tone.Directed by Fiona Jane Burgess
Choreographed by Franka Marlene Foth
Soundtrack by Frank Bretschneider