Essence of Dance and a Camera

Abstract

Defining art is very complex but there is a universal understanding that art embraces something intangible; an essence that mesmerizes people. Dance, in particular, has a strong essence of its own when performed live on stage. However, within the past century, technology advanced exponentially with the use of cameras, that dance may not require a live audience anymore. If a live performance was compared to its recording, would it be identical? Has this transition lost the artistic essence and experience of watching a live performance? Dance and a camera has infinite possibilities together but my research is condensed to focus on the purposes of: recording to preserve choreography, filming to study repertory or research styles, globalizing dance, and creating hybrids of the two art forms. Hybrids include video dance, choreography specifically envisioned with a camera, and projections integrated with live performances. Each topic is defined and suggested whether or not an essence of live art is lost through a camera.