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Dance has always been a part of Chloe Fatuova’s life. Since she was a toddler, she interpreted the choreography she was taught and used dance to tell a story. Now a junior studying television, radio and film at Syracuse University, Fatuova seeks to combine her long-time love of dance with her passion for film.

“It was always just a part of my life. I don’t remember life without it,” Fatuova said. “I know that sounds poetic and dumb, but I found art in it that wasn’t just what the teachers were teaching me.”

Fatuova, director of photography in residence for Orange Television Network, is debuting her dance show “Rhythmic” on Wednesday. The show will combine elements of choreography and cinematography through innovative lighting, camera angles and movements. The crew is open to dancers and non-dancers seeking production experience.

The first shoot will focus on contemporary dance, featuring dancer Molly Lindstrom, a senior at SU. She is set to dance to Oblivion by Labrinth, and Fatuova said the episode will feature a moody blue and pink color scheme with a sharp editing style. As the project continues, Fatuova and her fellow “Rhythmic” crew members are planning further weekly shoots that will encompass different styles of dance and new performers.

Fatuova’s friend, long-time dancer and junior Jackie Arbogast, is a “Rhythmic” producer who helped Fatuova develop the project. She works on logistical aspects of the planning, like scheduling studio time and working with the crew.

Arbogast and Fatuova want the show to be inspired by music videos, but focused on personal and intimate shots of dancers, portraying the feelings associated with dance and expressions through movement. Arbogast compared the desired aesthetic of “Rhythmic” to the Max show “Euphoria.”

“You have a whole vibe to capture,” Fatuova said. “You’re not really displaying an artist and their music. You’re displaying the group and their genre, their vibe.”

Arbogast pictures moving the camera with the dancers to create an all-encompassing portrayal of the feeling of a dance. With its camera work, “Rhythmic” will differentiate from standard one-dimensional dance videos.

“Blending cinematography and dance is a great idea to give more creative freedom to dancers, but also to the people working with them,” Arbogast said.

Arbogast and Fatuova are joined in this vision by Abigail Yaffe, an SU graduate student studying audio art with a specialization in music videos. Yaffe plans to use her experience filming dance videos to highlight specific moments in choreography by using different camera angles.

Yaffe also said the combination of dance and film that “Rhythmic” offers can make dance more accessible. While most elite dance performances are expensive to watch in person, the camera allows anyone to view these performances for free.

“I think the best word to describe (‘Rhythmic’) would probably be immersive,” Yaffe said. “We’re building on the foundation that’s been set and creating it in a campus-like environment by combining cinematography with choreography.”

Fatuova said there hasn’t been a platform for cinematic dance videos prior to “Rhythmic,’ as there are currently no dance-related shows airing on OTN.

Dancers participating in “Rhythmic” will connect with other dancers while honing their skills, Yaffe said. If the show gains a large audience, “Rhythmic” could become a foundation for dancers who haven’t had on-camera opportunities available to them.

“Dance is just a unifying power in itself,” Yaffe said. “It brings people together. It brought me and (Fatuova) together. Once one person hears about this in the dance community, then it’ll open up a whole new gateway to other dance communities.”

Published on October 1, 2024 at 10:29 pm