Amy O’Neal Creates Unique Experience with “too” at Northwest Film Forum

By PHILIP PALIOS

In an effort to support local Seattle artists, Northwest Film Forum (NWFF) has created a new series of live events called, “Live at the Film Forum.” The most recent performance in this series is from local Seattle choreographer and dancer, Amy O’Neal. To be a part of this series, NWFF asks local artists to create a live performance that somehow includes elements of film.

For Amy, combining dance with film was the obvious choice. However, the way one combines these two forms is not so easy. For “too,” Amy created a film of her and other dancers performing in various indoor and outdoor spaces. This film could stand on its own, but what makes “too” unique is that O’Neal chose to show the film simultaneously with a live dance performance. Her talent is exemplified as she and Ellie Sandstrom perform for two half-hour acts with precise, physically challenging, and technically elegant dancing.

The performance is also accompanied by an eclectic soundtrack that goes along with both the live and filmed performances. To add a final touch of art and drama, lighting is used to play with shadows and help drive the dancers’ progression. One does not need to be a dance or film enthusiast to appreciate “too;” the performance offers mass appeal by showcasing the physical talents of those on film and the live dancers, and accompanying them with up-beat music, all of which is packaged into two short performances with an intermission in between.

In “too” there are, ironically, lots of “twos”: two forms (film and dance), two dancers, and two acts. This duality runs deeper in its effect on the audience than one might suspect. Once the lights in the theatre dim and the performance begins, Amy’s creation forces the viewers to chose between focusing their attention on either the live dancers or on the film. Everything is taken in, but it’s impossible to notice everything going on, at least on a conscious level. In making the decision to periodically switch between the two performances, each person in the audience is creating their own unique show as they go. At times, the live dancers will perform with perfect precision the same moves being performed on film, but when they diverge, one must choose which becomes the focus and which becomes the scenery.

Film also provides a great way of moving the dance from scene to scene quickly and without physical set or prop components. The changing environments that are filmed help provide context and a sense of progression to the live performance, whereas just watching the dancers could become boring after a short while. An added effort to quell any audience boredom is Amy’s unique approach to intermission: the audience is kicked out of the theatre to mingle in the lobby with free PBR’s and karaoke.

Is there a deeper meaning or theme that can be gathered from “too?” If so, it was beyond my grasp. This performance offered an amazing display of talent through filmmaking and dance that was quite entertaining; however, it was not literature. But does everything need to be deeply meaningful to be worth a viewer’s time? I suppose that’s up to the viewer. In my case, I think it was a refreshing way to spend the evening and a unique experience I may never see again. That alone makes it memorable.

The run of “too” at NWFF has passed, but keep your eye on Amy O’Neal and her future projects; more unique experiences are sure to be in the works.