In the early 90s, a Dutch dance company, ‘t Concern, asked me to join its members in devising a show. They came to me as a filmmaker, because the aim was to come up with a dance-performance that would include moving images. The company consisted of five female dancers and one male dancer. This unusual combination led me to suggest basing the show on the archetypal 1950s housewife and her everyday chores. And setting this against the ballet music of Delibes, Čajkovskij and Glazunov. (I had an aunt who had never been a ballet dancer but who listened to ballet music as she went about doing her housework). The idea was to match each professional female dancer with a non-professional male dancer. The only surviving trace of this show remains its 16mm entr’actes, shown here under the title Echte clichés. Does not every cliché contain a grain of truth to be rediscovered?
Pierre is a womanizing photographer, with a slight mean streak. For whatever reason, Camille, an artist in her own right, finds him entrancing and easily succumbs to his devious efforts to get her into bed.
Claude, a militant anarchist, is caught stealing and is shot by a policeman while fleeing the scene. Dodo, a hairdresser, is hit by one of the stray bullets.
Jimmy Burke and his friends steal 10 million from the Lufthansa office in New York. The FBI has no idea who the thieves are until Burke girlfriend gives them a hint.
The tumultuous life of the controversial 1960s black revolutionary (and convicted murderer) Michael X is illustrated by a kaleidoscopic melding of sound and images.
Featuring Arnold and Ahneva from Wendy Clarke's One on One video series, this video dialogue deeply connects the pair through discussion of Black brother and sisterhood.
Comments
Have you watched Echte Clichés yet? What did you think about it?
