Past and Present

I have always loved dance and find it to be one of the only things that frees my anxiety of the future. Although I typically dance alone or with my loved ones working with professional dancers who access their flow state so quickly is truly incredible. There are moments in here that reflect my emotions over the years and during COVID. Sometimes I dwell too much on the future and think about what I could be doing better in the present or what I did wrong in the past and why is the future (or now) different than I expected? Having ADHD my brain is constantly traveling and exploring new terrains. Much like dance and the beautiful chaos that somehow makes us calm. This piece is the story of my past and present colliding together to create our future.

Director: Zach Hagy
Cinematographer: Jesse Barron
Editor: MATTHEW BOUWENSE
Artistic Director: Stephanie Pizzo
Score: Jesse Barron
Color: Company 3
Sound design: Gabe Sayre
1st AC: Hannah Noel
Production Designer: Ryann Kearney
Movi Tec: Richie Trimble
Steadicam: Mike Herst
2nd AC: Trentin Piwinski
Gaffer: Dave St. George
Grip: Trevor Stevens
Swing: Blake Brown
Mix: Tim Biesta
Title Design: New Archive
BTS: Bre’Ann White
Stills Photographer: Lindsey Manning
PA: Matt Charles
Executive Director, Eisenhower Dance Detroit: Anne Bak Marine
Assistant Director, Eisenhower Dance Detroit: Molly McMullen
DIA Director of Public Programs: Larry Baranski
DIA Program Manager: Rudy Lauerman
Guardian Building Property Administrator: Megan O’Conner
Meadow Brook Hall Executive Director: Shannon O’Berski
Scarab Club Executive Director: MaryAnn Wilkinson
Dancers
Alex Hlavaty
Brooke Mainland
Kelsey Lewinski
Michael Teasley III
Emy Bezbatchenko

Giving direction to the dancers was a very refreshing experience. There wasn’t a lot of choreography that was involved, instead they were given an emotion or a tone and feel for that moment. So fluidly they can transition to a different ton, it felt like I was watching Jazz.

This is my first dance film and has been one of the most exciting things I’ve done. For me, sometimes it’s difficult to relate on such a literal narrative but making something more abstract leaves room for interpretation.