Dance Portraits on Screen 2021

Original Performance on April 22, 2021

Dance Portraits on Screen 2021

This film by Maida Withers, choreographer, and Robin Bell, filmmaker, captures a portrait of young dancers, alone on screen for one minute, in Spring 2021 when COVID-19 was slowing down in the United States but dancers were still having feelings from extreme changes in life and dance during the past year.  Music was composed for each one-minute dance by Steve Hilmy.  The film concludes with dancers performing together borrowing gestures and feelings from each other’s dance portraits.

History of Film

2021 Film by Maida Withers, choreographer/filmmaker, and Robin Bell, filmmaker/visual artist, with original music by Steve Hilmy, in collaboration with GWU dance faculty, Erica Rebollar and Anthony Gongora, and GWU dancers. The dancers are listed in the order of their appearance on screen: Alejandro Arango, Grace Eberts, Zoe Warren, Cate Alvaro, Anthony Gongora, Aaron Mancus, Erica Rebollar, Anthony Gongora, Paige Valego, Anthony Gongora,Lisa Roberts. Costumes by Adalia Tonneyck; Assistant Stage Manager, Sophia Young. For the premiere, the finale was performed live, on ZOOM, April 22, 2021 with technical support of Carl Gudenius. The making of the film occurred in Spring 2021 during the serious global COVID-19 pandemic.
The Film was presented in the following film festivals:
Sao Paulo, Brazil, June 19, 2021 , CIA. ARTESÃOS DO CORPO DANÇA-TEATRO, Virtual Film Festival.
Toronto, Canada, October 18, 2021, Toronto International Dance Festival, Toronto, Canada


Artists and Collaborators
Film Concept, Choreographer, Artistic Director of Production Online GWU
Film, Visual Media, Editor
Composer/Musician
Technical Director, ZOOM event
GW Faculty Dancer/choreographer, solo
GW Faculty Dancer
GW Dancer
GW Dancer
GW Dancer
GW Dancer
GW Dancer
GW Dancer
GW Dancer
Assistant Stage Manager
Costume Design
Other Performances
  • ZOOM ONLINE(map) on April 22, 2021