Eyelashes

Camera: Emma Hassam

Format: stereo video, colour

Duration: 2:30 minutes 

(c) Project Volume 2010

Thomas Dolan Visual Scores

Thomas Dolan, an experienced dancer, created a series of drawings to outline his choreographic ideas in response to tears. 

The drawings were used as a visual score for his duet with Samantha Walsh, exploring reflex tears; how the eyes respond to irritants.

Click HERE to view the video of Thomas and Samantha's dance duet.

Click the images above to enlarge. 

(Photo documentation: Judie Waldmann)

What are Reflex Tears?

Samantha Walsh and Vanessa Cook discuss reflex tears, how the eyes respond to irritants.

Camera & Editing: Riccardo Iacono
Video Format: DV colour stereo

Duration: 3:57 minutes 

(c) Project Volume 2010

The Study of Tears | Reflex Tears: With Susan Norwood and Samantha Walsh

Susan and Samantha discuss reflex tears.

Camera & Editing: Riccardo Iacono
Video Format: DV colour stereo

Duration: 1:33 minutes 

Year: 2010

The Study of Tears | Reflex Tears: A Duet

Choreographed and Performed by Thomas Dolan and Samantha Walsh

Camera & Editing: Riccardo Iacono
Video Format: DV colour stereo

Duration: 1:56 minutes 

Year: 2010

The Study of Tears | Ruth Williams Choreography on Vanessa Cook

As part of her professional development, Ruth Williams choreographed her first work on a non-disabled professional dancer, Vanessa Cook. Her piece explored the contrasting characteristics of basal tears and reflex tears and was performed at Dance Exchange, Birmingham, on 17th August, 2010.

Choreographer: Ruth Williams
Dancers: Ruth Williams and Vanessa Cook


Camera & Editing: Riccardo Iacono
Format: colour stereo video
Duration: 2:45 minutes 
Year: 2010

Ruth Williams Choreography

Ruth Williams choreographed her first work on a non-disabled professional dancer, Vanessa Cook as part of her professional development. The piece was performed at Dance Exchange on 17th September, 2010.

Ruth has, since I have known and worked with her, an extraordinary grasp of the complexities of creating choreography. This was an opportunity for her to stand back and practice the directing of her ideas on someone else.

Ruth's choreography explored the constant quality of basal tears, whilst then contrasting this movement quality with the sharp movements inspired by reflex tears, as though responding to an irritant before producing tears.

Ruth and Vanessa then discussed their working process after the performance.

Photographs of Vanessa Cook by Judie Waldmann

Sarah Dixon's Writing on Tears

(Photos: Sarah Dixon and Persephonie Dixon by Judie Waldmann)

In preparation for the sharing of work at Dance Exchange, (August 2010), some of the participants were asked if they wanted to contribute to the event in ways other than film and dance. Sarah Dixon responded through a piece of writing:


Dance on Tears

"Tears fall from our eyes through emotions, reflex and basal tears. We have been dancing as a wonderful group to show how tears work for us. Magically presenting the 3 reasons why we cry emotions run through our hearts hurting our soul so tears will stream across our face while our hearts deal with the pain.

Reflex tears will arise through pain or irritation towards our eyes. Tears will wash away to clean our gate way to our soul from dirt or pain.

Basal tears protect our eyes each and every minute of the day. They only stop once we sleep. Movements

Some of us our gentle and elegant. Some of us are loud and proud with movements. "

Sarah Dixon

Seeing with Open and Closed Eyes: Chris Harper

Chris Harper and Riccardo Iacono explore vision and memory.
 
Camera: Christopher Harper

Format: stereo video, colour

Duration: 6:55 minutes 

(c) Project Volume 2010

Emma and Chris Talk

Camera: Emma Hassam

Format: stereo video, colour

Duration: 2:48 minutes 

(c) Project Volume 2010