The Vision Behind Dance Camera West
A Conversation with Executive/Artistic Director Kelly Hargraves
Words by Katie Huelin
As Dance Camera West (DCW) kicks off its milestone 25th-anniversary festival, we are excited to feature Kelly Hargraves, the Executive and Artistic Director behind this globally celebrated dance film festival. A trailblazer in the intersection of movement and film, Kelly has been instrumental in shaping DCW’s legacy, from co-founding the dance film in festival in 2001 to returning in 2018 with a renewed vision of inclusivity and innovation.
Kelly shares her journey from her roots in dance and film to her pioneering work with DCW, including her advocacy for underrepresented voices through initiatives like the Visibility Program. She also reflects on how the genre of dance film has evolved over the years, the importance of creative collaborations, and her hopes for the festival as it unites artists and audiences from around the world.
The 25th edition of DCW runs from January 29 to February 2 at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, presenting over 50 films from 20 countries. It’s a testament to the transformative power of dance and cinema - offering a space to heal, connect, and celebrate creativity in these times of adversity.
Take us back to the beginning. What inspired you to start Dance Camera West, and what drew you to the intersection of dance and film that has shaped the festival into what it is today?
In the beginning, when I was a dance student at Concordia University in Montreal, I was encouraged to work with cameras. Our choreography program was based solely on personal interpretation, not acquisition of technique, so recording what you invented was imperative! So many of my colleagues from that time have made unique idiosyncratic dance and dance films that I can say we owe it to our mentors, especially Elizabeth Langley!
As I continued my travels to hone my dance film skills, I ended up in NYC, and went to NYU while working for the Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center. When I moved to LA, I saw the opportunity to start that event here, and partnered with Lynette Kessler to make that happen.
As someone with deep roots in both dance and filmmaking, how have you seen the genre of dance on screen evolve over the past 25 years?
What is so interesting about that question, is that I can say “both.” It has and hasn’t changed. I think that is because people come to it with the same questions, and answer them in a similar way. Throughout the history, people have gone on to do some cool tech experiments and incorporate more and more from popular culture, as capturing life with cameras and watching each other, became an indispensable part of our lives. Eventually though, it comes back to the pillars of dance: what is the feeling I am expressing through movement? What is the feeling the camera is capturing?
A State of Thirst Vajrasara Ashavari Majumdar, India
This year marks 25 years of Dance Camera West. What does this milestone mean to you personally, and what does it signify for the festival?
It means LEGACY. Beyond all the effort, patience, resilience it takes any arts organization to survive this long! We have had some definite unforeseen challenges in the past few years/days but it is never lost on us how much we matter to this art form, and the artists who dedicate themselves to it. I think we have built a space for excellence and opportunity that needs to exist for artists to grow their own legacy.
With over 50 films from 20 countries this year, are there any standout works or themes you’re particularly excited about, and how have collaborations with both renowned artists and emerging talents enriched the festival and shaped your artistic vision?
This year, DCW looks into our own neighborhood to pull forward excellent work. The LA POPS UP program and the VISIBILITY program are two very different programs that BOTH represent L.A. You can see the high-polish of our commercial industry one night, and the dynamic, raw new work of our very independent, undervalued artists in the larger framework of the dance and art world.
We have space for both in our programming–and in this glorious city of idiosyncrasies and ironies.
Monday, Andreas Guzman, Hong Kong
“Never forget your roots in dance: phrasing, rhythm, improvisation, spatial awareness, kinaesthetic movement.”
Can you tell us more about the Visibility Program for underrepresented artists, which you spearheaded, and how it has shaped the festival’s offerings while impacting the dance film community?
The Visibility Program is focused on LA based dance filmmakers and choreographers without opportunities for large funding and training. We offer them a stipend and a mentor, and act as a producer to work further on their film. Due to some new funding opportunities, this year the Visibility Program grew to where the filmmakers got more money and time to work on productions. Previously we just wanted these filmmakers to take the film that they made and do a quick re-edit, but now the program has grown to include original productions made in low income California areas like the Central Valley. I was able to pair filmmakers to work with community members who weren’t dancers, but had really interesting stories.
We created what is called Visibility Self Reflections, using the art of dance to create an experimental documentary about those people, not based on scripted words but on movement. I really feel these films which that’s a very big part of what I try to impart about dance film: I don’t just watch it. I want to move with it and I want to feel it just like a performance. I do not want to be an observer. Films need to kinesthetically and psychologically draw me into your film.”
Purgatorio, United States, 2024
What advice would you give to emerging artists interested in creating dance films or curating similar platforms?
Be a dancer, not a filmmaker. Don’t learn all the film techniques, or hire someone to do it UNLESS you have choreographic control of what happens in front of, AND behind the camera–expecially in the edit. Never forget your roots in dance: phrasing, rhythm, improvisation, spatial awareness, kinaesthetic movement
If I Were You, Margot Gelber, Rebecah Goldstone, United States, 2024
As Dance Camera West looks ahead, what’s your hope for the future of both DCW and the dance film genre as a whole? How do you plan to continue challenging boundaries and inspiring audiences in the world of dance on screen?
This is a tough week to look ahead. Our home needs to be rebuilt. We need to grieve and mourn. This city and artists are so damn resilient that people are already back at it. I think we are happy to be here now to offer what we can in all that. There will always be artists at the forefront of life and this festival’s growth. We are here to support that evolution however we can..
Selected Films
A State of Thirst Vajrasara Ashavari Majumdar, India
Alibi Alexey Rukinov, Russian Federation
Armea Letila Mitchell, Fiji
Arrival Through Departure Fred Midgley | United States
At First Sight Kate Harpootlian | United States
Burn From The Inside Mthuthuzeli November | United Kingdom
Cut Jesper Tønnes | Denmark
Cut Me Summa Dat Noise Cara Hagan | United States
Dance for Camera Mitchell Rose | United States
Dancing with Time Marie Lavorel, Tamar Tembeck, Paul Tom | Canada
Elegy Kitty McNamee | United States
If I Were You, Margot Gelber, Rebecah Goldstone, United States
Intimité Révélée Natasha Adorlee | United States
Kankantri (the silk cotton tree) Gabri Christa | Suriname
Layers Michal Rynia, Nastja Bremec Rynia, Fabris Šulin | Slovenia
Lost Mind, Sara Silkin, United States
Mau: The Spirit Dreams of Cheraw Shilpika Bordoloi | India
Monday, Andreas Guzman, Hong Kong
Morning Interlude Sirius | France
Organized Hope Amy Seiwert | United States
Poet Mofei Wei, Yang Sun | China
Purgatorio, United States
Rhythms of Resilience - Dance with Daily Risk Vladyslav Detiuchenko | Netherlands
Risa, Kate Weare, Jack Flame Sorokin, United States
Saint-Rémi Simon Vermeulen | Canada
Skeleton Dance Sanna Liinamaa | Finland
Table for one, please Samantha Shay
Tango, a rematch with life Agustina Videla, Pablo Destito | Argentina
The Ends Cailin Manning, Nojus SetKauskas | United Kingdom
The Source Gilda Stillbäck, Sofia Norlin | Sweden
The Sunset of Green Snails Mohammad Hasani | Iran
The Way Back Ashley Lindsey, Grady Bowman | United States
Well Done Megan Paradowski, Colin Lupe | United States
Where Once There Was Water Mike Tyus | United States