"Collab" Showcases Irish Dance in Unique Way
The USA Irish Dance Alliance (USAIDA) has a vision for their dancers which includes a balance of performing and competitive opportunities. When Irish Dancing competitions came to a grinding halt, the group wanted to offer something unique to their dancers to keep them inspired and excited about dance.
After discussing with their board, the USAIDA enlisted the assistance of Hammerstep's dance troupe, whose roots are firmly based in the Irish Dancing genre, to create something very new and different for the dance community to enjoy.
Hammerstep is known for exploring ways to push the Irish Dancing genre forward by combining Irish Dance with elements from other dance forms such as hip hop, tap, stepping and others.
Hammerstep founders, Jason Oremus and Garrett Coleman agreed to take on this ambitious project to teach dancers a new performing style along with the goal of creating a video to showcase the results of the collaboration. Due to the global pandemic, the ambitious project was all done remotely.
During the month of June, 100 dancers from various schools across multiple states attended two zoom workshop classes each week. Filming took place the first week in July. The dancers submitted their footage for consideration and within two weeks a striking, music-dance video was edited and published online.
The music-dance video was choreographed and directed around a specific concept and synchronized to a music track, both in the dancing and the editing.
And it was taught 100% online, and all footage was filmed remotely and SELF-SHOT by the students and their families. How was this accomplished? A Hammerstep script was curated with smartphone setup guidelines, shot lists, storyboards and other filming info; Jason and Garrett guided the students through the every step of the process to get the best shots to fit into the framework of the piece.
While Jason and Garrett recommended the best ingredients for a good shot, the students then went out and sourced their favorite locations in their local areas. “As you can see, some are quite stunning. We were really happy with the initiative from the dancers,” said Garrett.
Maureen Collins ADCRG, whose students attended the workshop, had rave reviews for the project. “I love to see the development of the dancer from the competitor to the artist.” Maureen was thrilled to have Jason and Garrett push the dancers and teachers alike to think outside the box and encourage/instill the love of the overall dancer beyond the confines of competition.
Hammerstep is currently working with a Tony-winning theatre team on a Broadway Show in development, and the next chapter of their sci-fi Universe Indigo Grey show is set to debut soon. The troupe is also focused on their online workshop series for the youth.
“It is so important to keep the dancing spirit alive beyond competition, and for us all to provide opportunities for the youth to participate in dance projects and community collaborations from remote locations, despite the trying circumstances. Our recent online workshop proved to us that we can all come together and do something really special through the gift of dance and movement, right from our own towns, anywhere in the world. Through ongoing workshops as part of a growing Hammerstep Academy, we hope to empower young dancers with tools we’ve learned along our journey while also following their lead as they step forward courageously into that unknown future,” said Jason. “The dialogues we’ve had through collective rhythm and movement have given us a new respect for what other cultures have experienced and how at the end of the day, we all speak the same human language."
Hammerstep's workshops teach students about different forms of dance and how they can be brought together to showcase Irish Dancing in a new light. Their boundless energy and creativity is pushing the art of Irish Dance in new and exciting directions.
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