Dancing City

DANCING CITY ESTE NASCOCIREA FOTO-VIDEO PLASMUITA IN SINCRON DE CARMEN LIDIA VIDU SI DANI IONITA, SUSTINUTI IN CAPRICIUL LOR DE CATRE REDD'S ROMANIA. PROIECTUL A PRINS VIATA DATORITA SEDINTELOR FOTO DESFASURATE IN PATRU URBE MIORITICE PUTERNIC INCARCATE CULTURAL (BUCURESTI, BRASOV, CLUJ SI TIMISOARA), DAR SI PRIN INTERMEDIUL UNUI MATERIAL VIDEO LUDIC. DANSATORI VENITI DIN TOATE COLTURILE SOCIALE OFERA UN DRAMATISM TRUFAS COMPONENTEI ESTETICE ESENTIALE A PROIECTULUI. INSPIRAT DE COREGRAFI DE DANS CONTEMPORAN, BALERINI, STREET-PERFORMERS, MUZICA SI SOUND-DESIGN URBAN, DANCING CITY PRINDE CONTURURI PROEMINENTE IN FORMA DIGITALA SI ESTE MENIT SA EXPLOREZE FORME SI EXPERIENTE UMANE PRINTR-O INVESTIGATIE GHIDUSA IN SUFLETUL URBAN AL OMULUI DE RAND DEVENIT DANSATOR DE MOMENT PE TROTUARELE, ACOPERISURILE, STATUILE SI IN PARCARILE ORASELOR PRAFUITE DE O ISTORIE COVARSITOARE. DANCING CITY DEPASESTE STADIUL BANALULUI PROIECT CULTURAL PRIN PREFACEREA UNUI SPATIU COMUN ABSENT INTR-UN VAZDUH DINAMIC IN CARE VISELOR REVINE O FORMA VIE, INSUFLETITA. REDD'S, EI BINE, NU E DOAR O BERE. CEL PUTIN, NU IN INTELESUL TRADITIONAL... E MAI DEGRABA O SARBATOARE A SIMTURILOR, UN AMALGAM DE GHEATA, LAMAIE SI MERISOARE, COCKTAIL SI STIL. O POVESTE DESPRE NOUTATE, DESPRE SETEA DE A DESCOPERI, DESPRE PROSPETIME SI CURIOZITATE. DE FAPT, REDD'S ESTE EXACT ASA CUM AR TREBUI SA FIE VIATA: FARA PIC DE AMARACIUNE!

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Dancing City, proiect cultural foto-video

                          Dancing City is a whimsical photo-video vision synchronously dreamed by Carmen Lidia Vidu and Dani Ionita. 

The project came to life through multiple photo session that took place in culturally saturated Romanian urban parcels (Bucuresti, Brasov, Cluj and Timisoara), but also through the means of playful video footage. Dancers from all social walks of life give the essentially esthetic composition a highhanded sense of drama. Inspired by contemporary dance choreographers, ballet dancers, street performers, music, and urban sound design, Dancing City becomes well outlined in digital form fulfilling its purpose of exploring human shapes and experiences through a chimerical investigation inside the urban soul of the commoner turned temporary dancer on the sidewalks, the rooftops, the statues and the parking lots of cities shadowed by an overwhelming history. Dancing City breaks the barrier of a common cultural project by transforming a absently observed common space into a dynamic horizon in which dreams develop a sprightly live shape.

_____________________________________

Dancing City este nascocirea foto-video plasmuita in sincron de Carmen Lidia Vidu si Dani Ionita.

Proiectul a prins viata datorita sedintelor foto desfasurate in patru urbe mioritice puternic incarcate cultural ( Bucuresti, Brasov, Cluj si Timisoara ), dar si prin intermediul unui material video ludic.

Dansatori veniti din toate colturile sociale ofera un dramatism trufas componentei estetice esentiale a proiectului. Inspirat de coregrafi de dans contemporan, balerini, street-performers, muzica si sound-design urban, Dancing City prinde contururi proeminente in forma digitala si este menit sa exploreze forme si experiente umane printr-o investigatie ghidusa in sufletul urban al omului de rand devenit dansator de moment pe trotuarele, acoperisurile, statuile si in parcarile oraselor prafuite de o istorie covarsitoare.

   Dancing City depaseste stadiul banalului proiect cultural prin refacerea unui spatiu comun absent intr-un vazduh dinamic in care visele redevin o forma vie, insufletita.

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Spot Dancing City

Thus we have come to the project finis, still rapturous while my heart's beating outside my chest. I worked alongside a fantastic team. I am proud of the good innovating people with whom I spent a couple of days in an effort of reaching a common goal. We were efficient, punctual, and fast. Preparing the video footage was done in a twinkling of an eye: we met, discussed, rehearsed, recorded sounds, created music and quickly passed on to post-production. We have enough footage for a short film worthy of a prize or two, but I'm not the one to decide in such matters. I take great satisfaction in soulfully applauding the entire team and thanking them for the beautiful collaboration we had.

________________________________________________

Uite ca am ajuns si la finalul proiectului, inca entuziasmata, cu inima batandu-mi pana-n gat. Am lucrat cu o echipa fantastica, sunt mandra de oamenii inovatori, plini de bun simt cu care am petrecut cateva zile in incercarea de a ne atinge un scop comun. Am fost eficienti, punctuali, rapizi. Pregatirea pentru spotul video s-a consumat intr-o clipita: ne-am vazut, am discutat, am repetat, am inregistrat sunete, compus muzica si am trecut la post-productie. Avem destul material pentru un scurt metraj demn de un premiu sau doua, dar nu eu decid astfel de lucruri, ci doar ma multumesc la a-mi aplauda din suflet intreaga echipa si sa le multumesc pentru colaborarea frumoasa pe care am avut-o.

regia Carmen Lidia Vidu fotografie Dani Ionita imagine Adi Bulboaca muzica, sound design, post-productie Cristina Baciu echipa dansatori-coregrafi: Ioana Marchidan, Ramona Barbulescu, Istvan Teglas, Paul Dunca

multumim pentru sprijin Dianei Ioanei Marasoiu, lui Claudiu Popescu, Oanei Dorobantu si localului Omnivore's Dilemma

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Dancing City - ziua 3 filmare spot

We probably like bridges more than we should otherwise I don't know why we decided to film underneath Grant Bridge on the 3rd day. Ioana Marchidan and Istvan Teglas steered away from any reference to the trolls living under bridges from American fairy tales. Moreover they displayed a noble sort of refinement looking like a prince and princess in their perfectly concordant dance at a masquerade ball which takes place right before the clock strikes midnight. In Ioana's gestures, mimicry, and body I see Pina Bauch which happens to be an aspect I didn't focus on since neither the choreographer nor the movie inspired me. I thought along completely different lines but this ceases to count when Pina is the only thing reflected in Ioana's glance.

_____________________________________________

Probabil ne plac podurile mai mult decat ar trebui, altfel nu stiu de ce am decis ca in a treia zi, sa filmam sub Podul Grant. Ioana Marchidan si cu Istvan Teglas au umbrit intru totul orice referinta la trolii de sub pod din basmele americane, dand dovada de un rafinament nobil, ca un print si o printesa ce danseaza in sincron la un bal mascat inainte de miezul noptii. In gesturile, mimica si corpul Ioanei, o vad pe Pina Bauch, dar n-am vrut sa reliefez aspectul asta intrucat nici coregrafa si nici filmul nu m-au inspirat absolut deloc. M-am ghidat dupa cu totul alte puncte de referinta, dar nu mai conteaza atunci cand in privirea Ioanei, se reflecta doar Pina.

regia Carmen Lidia Vidu

locatie Podul Grant

multumim pentru sprijin Dianei Ioanei Marasoiu si lui Claudiu Popescu

dansatori / coregrafi Ioana Marchidan, Istvan Teglas

fotograf Dani Ionita

imagine Adi Bulboaca

muzica, sound design, post productie Cristina Baciu

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Dancing City - ziua 2 filmare spot

The 2nd filming day found us surrounded by boiling gray cement, white metal bars, and barely used tram rails on the recently opened Basarab Bridge. Ramona Barbulescu didn't complain once about the scorching heat rather she felt at one with it releasing this overwhelming sexuality, this refined eroticism by dint of movements both broad and loose. I've been working with her for almost 10 years and her effortless elegance continues to inspire me in the most graphic way.

___________________________________________

In a doua zi de filmare, am fost inconjurati de ciment gri incins, bare de metal albe si de sine de tramvai oarescum folosite, pe recent inaugutantul Pod Basarab. Ramona Barbulescu nu s-a plans de arsita doboratoare, mai degraba s-a simtit una cu ea, emanand o senzualitate covarsitoare, un erotism rafinat prin miscari ample, lejere. Lucrez cu ea de aproape 10 ani, iar eleganta sa naturalnica continua sa ma inspire la modul cel mai grafic.

regia Carmen Lidia Vidu

locatie Podul Basarab

multumim pentru sprijin Dianei Ioanei Marasoiu

dansator / coregraf Ramona Barbulescu

fotograf Dani Ionita

imagine Adi Bulboaca

muzica, sound design, post productie Cristina Baciu

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Dancing City - ziua 1 filmare spot

We spent the first day of filming at Omnivore's Dilemma where we were generously welcomed with food and cocktails. We worked alongside Paul Dunca, a dance which proved to be unstoppable: he continuously danced for 4 hours in the middle of the day on a withering summer day while looking for shelter in the shade, the restaurant's interior and at the breath of an artificial wind. Dressed in the style of a Prohibition Era urchin, Paul hopped on tables, on the bar, on small poles, jumped on the street, embraced the searing air with arms wide open and seemed to have had a lot of fun with us.

____________________________________

Prima zi de filmare a spotului video am petrecut-o la Omnivore's Dilemma, unde am fost primiti ospitalier cu mancare si cocktailuri. Am lucrat cu Paul Dunca, un dansator ce s-a dovedit a fi de neoprit: a dansat in continuu timp de patru ore in toiul zilei pe o caldura nimicitoare, cautand adapost la umbra, in interiorul restaurantului si in bataia unui vant artificial de ventilator. Imbracat strengareste intr-o tinuta demna de perioada prohibitiei din S.U.A., Paul s-a urcat pe mese, pe bar, pe stalpisori, a sarit pe strada, a imbratisat aerul torid cu bratele larg deschise si parea a se fi distrat de minune in compania noastra.

dansator / coregraf Paul Dunca

fotograf Dani Ionita

imagine Adi Bulboaca

muzica, sound design, post productie Cristina Baciu

regia Carmen Lidia Vidu

multumim Omnivore's Dilemma

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Teaser Dancing City

We shot the video with 4 of our favorite dancers. We looked for sites more poetic, more dramatic. We invested time and effort in finding the most elegant outfits. All of this to expose the nobler side of Bucharest and to recreate the song of a tireless city. The video teaser was made under the premise of a peaceful await before a storm, of a three day float through zealous work alongside passionate and talented individuals. We're not dancing yet, but we're layering the field for it. This teaser is a well deserved warm up, a visual hors d'oeuvre that gives us cravings, not satisfaction.

________________________________

Am filmat cu 4 dintre dansatorii nostri preferati, am cautat locatii cat mai poetice, mai dramatice, am cautat o vestimentatie eleganta, care sa inobileze Bucurestiul si am recreat cantecul unui oras neobosit.

Teaserul a fost conceput ca o asteptare calma dinaintea unei furtuni, ca o plutire prin trei zile de lucru sarguincios alaturi de oameni priceputi si pasionati. Nu dansam inca, dar ne pregatim terenul pentru asta. Teaserul este o incalzire bine meritata, un antreu vizual care ne face pofta, dar nu ne satura inca.

Carmen Lidia Vidu - regizor

Dani Ionita - fotograf

Adi Bulboaca - imagine

Cristina Baciu - muzica, sound design, post productie

Ioana Marchidan, Ramona Barbulescu, Istvan Teglas, Paul Dunca - dansatori / coregrafi

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Timisoara - Dancing City

Timisoara was the last city we chose for DANCING CITY. This is where we could feel the weariness we gained during days of traveling, finding locations, extreme heat and a couple of pairs of shoes we had to say good-bye to. Again we were the ones to choose the dancers and they impressed us in a very pleasant way. Timisoara is well connected to Bucharest at a cellular level due to its capital city status, but not one in the sense of the state, but one to act as a bridge between Romania's Balkan orientalism and the occidental dream.

___________________________________________

Timisoara a fost ultimul oras ales pentru proiectul DANCING CITY. Aici s-a simtit oboseala noastra dupa zile intregi de calatorii, cautari de locatii, caldura si perechi de pantofi distruse. Pe dansatori i-am ales tot noi si am fost placut impresionati de rezultate. Timisoara rezoneaza la nivel celular cu Bucurestiul datorita calitatii sale de capitala, dar nu una de stat, ci una boema ce face trecerea de la orientalismul balcanic al Romaniei inspre visul occidental.

Dansatori:Cari Baczo Tunde, Alexandra Funieru, Cristina Prelipcian, Alex Mihoc

Fotograf: Dani Ionita

Regizor: Carmen Lidia Vidu

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Cluj - DANCING CITY

We arrived in Cluj convinced that this adventure we began had already taken off. Unlike the first two photo sessions, for this one, we were the ones to choose the dancers and we were delighted to work with four fantastic performers. The heart of the city beats inside its parks, in front of its buildings and above all else, right above the city where you can see it in its living glory.

________________________________________

In Cluj am ajuns convinsi ca aventura inceputa deja prinsese contur. Spre deosebire de primele sedinte foto, la aceasta, i-am ales noi pe dansatori si am avut parte de patru interpreti fantastici. Inima orasului bate prin parcuri, pe trotuare, in fata cladirilor si mai presus de toate deasupra orasului acolo unde il poti vedea intru totul in gloria lui inca vie.

Regizor: Carmen Lidia Vidu

Dansatori: Grama Giorgiana Monica, Rasmina Calbajos, Attila Bordas, Vlad Birzanu

Fotograf: Dani Ionita

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Brasov - DANCING CITY

I can't remember if we wanted to have a powerful beginning or if we left it up to faith, but in less than 24 h since the first photo session, we escaped to Brasov where we met up with four dancers chosen by the people at Redd's. We fiddled around town for a couple of hours alongside a former gymnast and three other dancers, trying to find the best places to profile a silent, yet pertinent city like Brasov.

__________________________________________

Nu mai tin minte daca ne-am dorit un inceput in forta sau doar asta a fost voia intamplarii, dar la nici 24 de ore de la prima sedinta foto, am fugit in Brasov unde ne-am intalnit cu alti patru dansatori alesi de catre cei de la Redd's. Am umblat cateva ore prin oras alaturi de o fosta gimnasta si de alti trei dansatori pana am gasit locurile cele mai potrivite pentru a profila un oras tacut dar pertinent ca Brasovul.

Dansatori: Carla Stoica, Andrei Dumistracel, Sharkey Iulian

Fotograf: Dani Ionita

Regizor: Carmen Lidia Vidu

[dancingcityromania-blog]

Bucuresti - DANCING CITY

This project took its first breath of air on June 15th, 2012 in Bucharest. The people at Redd's brought us a group of dancers from Brasov, which we photographed in various parts of Bucharest. We strolled through parking lots, inside the old city center, trying to bring to life those place that remained unseen in the daily life of a capital city far too seldom admired for its beauty.

_____________________________________

Prima gura de viata a proiectului a fost pe 15 iunie 2012, in Bucuresti. Cei de la Redd's ne-au adus un grup de dansatori din Brasov, pe care i-am fotografiat in diverse parti ale Bucurestiului. Ne-am plimbat prin parcari, prin centrul vechi si am cautat sa dam viata locurilor cele mai neobservate din cotidianul unei capitale prea rar admirata pentru frumusetea ei.

Dansatori: Andreea Elena, Sebastian Ilie, Zara Oana

Fotograf: Dani Ionita

Regizor: Carmen Lidia Vidu