“Undanced Dances” showcases written choreography of incarcerated individuals
Apr. 14, 2021 at 6:00 am
Dance: Local artists interpret prisoners’ written choreography as recorded dance performances. Suchi Branfman
When the pandemic hit prisoners’ already limited freedom became even more constricted, but through a unique film initiative, Suchi Branfman has brought the imagined dances of incarcerated individuals to life.
Due to Covid-19 inmates have been isolated in their dorms and lost all access to group programming. Branfman, who previously taught dance inside a Norco state prison, realized that even under these new restrictions incarcerated individuals could still write down dances.
Her project, entitled “Undanced Dances Through Prison Walls During a Pandemic”, features 11 professional artists enacting dances written by prisoners in the California Rehabilitation Center. On April 16 at 6:30 p.m., these performances will be screened over Zoom and narrated by formerly incarcerated individuals in an event hosted by 18th Street Art Center.