Pecha Kucha - Competitive Freestyle Dancing

"Presentation, presentation, presentation" . . . . . . again I was a little worried and anxious about standing up in front of my year group and presenting another Pecha Kucha in regards to my working progress on the 'photojournalism brief' , but after just a few tunings to my voice and great response I had from the group overall I'd say that it went very well.

Below you will find all the images I used to present my progress, some research and many of my own photographs which I feel that the majority will definitely be used as part of my hand in of the final 8 images needed to tell my picture story to convey "How competitive freestyle dancing originated from past dance forms"

SLIDE 1

COMPETITIVE FREESTYLE DANCING

My establishing shot above is an action shot of one of the freestyle dancers, at the freestyle dancing competition I photographed held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on 10th October 2010.

I wanted to capture the beauty of the form of dance and believed that this image would be perfect to introduce my subject choice to the group.

SLIDE 2

OLD TIME DANCING

http://www.simplywhitstable.com/chat_cols/chat275a.htm

I included this photograph, sourced from the internet, to educate the group that Freestyle dancing originated from a type of dancing called Old Time. The photograph was taken at a dance competition held at Whitstable Castle in the 1950's. It was also clarified that this was one of Freestyle's origin's after interviewing the joint owner and dance teacher of Dance Force studio's in Lower Darwen, David Pollard.

He confirmed to me that " Freestyle competitive dancing's earliest origins are from Old Time Dancing, as early as the Victorian times in the court yards, then along the years came ballet, tap, theatre & jazz. Freestyle's major influence came in the 1970's when Disco dancing became the new modern major craze"

SLIDE 3

1970's DISCO

All of the images above were sourced from Google images and included in my presentation, on 1 slide, to remind of the major influences of 70's Disco through film media.

One of the most modern influential origins of dancing freestyle, a style which knows no rules and is about a dancer finding the beat to the music, began on the disco dance floor. It stepped onto the big screen in the late 1970s in the iconic disco steps of John Travolta in the dance hit sensations Grease, Saturday Night Fever and Staying Alive. The freestyle dance craze continued to grow with musical greats such as Footloose, Fame and Dirty Dancing. Moving with the times, freestyle evolved into the urban street dance styles of break-dancing and hip hop, shown in films like Save the Last Dance, Step Up and Stomp the Yard. http://www.ehow.com/about_5032937_history-freestyle-dancing.html

SLIDE 4

DANCE CLASS

ISO 3200 (50mm lens) f1.4 @ 1/60

I took this photograph at Dance Force Studio's during a freestyle dancing lesson. Due to the lighting being so low and the time of day being 18:45 and nearing the beginning of winter, this is one of the main reasoning's as to why I used such a slow ISO speed on my DSLR. I also did not want to disturb the mood by using flash photography. I took this photograph from a low viewpoint and waited on the passing of the dance teachers feet, within my framed shot, seen in the background of the image. I also took particular attention to the three main dancers in the middle of the frame and captured the sly interaction between the two younger dancers and the extreme facial expression of the older dancer concentrating hard within the foreground.

SLIDE 5

SPINS

"Free styling - Is the mind and body connection . . . where you specifically employ the mind to use the body as an expressive instrument while simultaneously, receptively and effectively allowing the body to be responsive to the expressive mind"

http://www.dance.net/topic/2846764/1/Freestyle/freestyle-defined.html

SLIDE 6

BOX SPLIT JUMPS

All of the dance lesson photographs I included were to explain the importance of the necessity that to become a great dancer, even before considering to compete, that everyone needs to be educated on how to dance the style correctly :)

With any form of activity bringing children together within a fun but disciplined learning environment will hopefully aid them to a better start when becoming an adult.

SLIDE 7

The MUMS

SUSAN (far left) -"Gemma always wanted to dance . . . so I decided to bring her when a relative through marriage asked her to come along to her dance classes"

MANDY (right foreground) - "My mother believed our Olivia to have natural rhythm so I decided to start her dancing at 3. I used to do a little Ballroom myself, when I was younger of course, but I much preferred Roller Disco's instead"

Social gathering for the mums - rarely see dads at the dance school as it is more a mothers meeting . . . on occasions dads will come to competitions but gathering from the looks on their faces at the competitions, the majority would rather spend the day in the pub

SLIDE 8

ADFP - The Association of Dance & Freestyle Professionals

· Was established in 1981 by a group of innovative and forward thinking professional dance teachers

· Competitive Dancers have to be members to be able to dance at organised Dance comps via the A.D.F.P. held in the U.K. The annual membership fee is £10 . Tickets also have to be purchased per person for entry to the competitions which value between £9.50 to £15 a ticket!

SLIDE 9

The British Freestyle Championship held at Winter Gardens

This photograph was taken on my 35mm Yashica film camera shot on Ilford XP2 black and white film. I decided to incorporate some 35mm film photography as knowing that this has been the main and most commonly used medium by photojournalist and documentary photographers.

Unfortunately I had problems loading my film onto the reel in the darkroom and when developed this left many major faults on my negatives, however on a positive note the effect gained looked rewarding in the light that they had artistically added a olden worldly look and value to my scanned negative photographs, in a sense that they looked cinematic, like old film stills.

SLIDE 10

The Competitive Dance Floor

I used a slow shutter speed with the aid of a tripod to achieve the effect of the movements of the dancers on the dance floor and photographed from a high viewpoint on the balcony . I also wanted to show that the dancers dance in a circle to the near edge of the dance floor in front of the judges spaced around the outside.

SLIDE 11

Costumes

Dependant on the dancers section, they are required to wear a beautiful costume and accessories so that they stand out on the dance floor and gain the attention of the judges.

I therefore arranged the accessories from a dancer's costume and photographed this still life shot using natural lighting from the window at the top of the Winter Garden's Ballroom

SLIDE 12

Getting ready - Hair and Make-Up

To complete the dancers personal presentation before entering onto their competitive stage, as well as being fake tanned beforehand, their hair and make up is to be done.

I captured this image of a mother adding the finishing touches to her daughter's eye make-up with the use of a 50mm lens using a wide aperture.

SLIDE 13

Competitor Number

As the dancer's are competing against each other, to be distinguished they are registered with their own number. The numbers are pinned to the backs of the costumes so that the judges are able to mark their numbers in the placement of their choice i.e 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc

I took this close up detail shot whilst a mother was pinning their daughters number to her costume

SLIDE 14

Spectators

The competition wouldn't be much of a competition without family and friends cheering on their children and the other dancers.

This is another of one of my scanned negative photographs. Whilst standing between a crowd of people I waited for the right moment and captured a mother and daughter pep talk. My intention was also to allow my photograph to feel to the audience that they are a part of the crowd onlooking onto the dance floor.

SLIDE 15

Under 6 Beginner's Section

The competition starts . . . after the judges have been introduced by the event organiser . . . with the under 6 beginner section. After they have danced a set time, the next age group is then called to take to the dance floor. The age groups are danced as under 6's, under 8's, under 10's, under 12's, under 14's, under 16's, youth and adult. Dancing as a beginner they are not to wear fancy or stoned costumes.

I captured this photograph of a under 6 beginner, between moves on the dance floor, and incorporate the grand interior, judges and audience to give a greater depth into the surroundings of the dance floor.

SLIDE 16

Starter section

After all the beginner sections are danced the starter section begins. As a starter the dancer's are allowed to wear fancy costumes however they are not allowed to be stoned. To be able to dance as a starter the dancer must have lost all three of their lives on their beginner status card. To loose a life the dancer has been awarded with 1st place (dancing against 7 or more) 2nd Place (dancing against 14 or more) or 3rd place (dancing against 21 dancers or more) at previous competitions.

I took this action shot of one of the starter dancers uses a 200mm telephoto lens

SLIDE 17

Intermediate > Champ > Premier Champ Section's

As a intermediate, champ or premier champ dancer you can wear stoned costumes which really stand out on the dance floor. Again lives must be lost on the dancers' status cards before they change sections. The different types of dancing sections are to ensure that the dancers are dancing against others of equal capability, stamina and speed.

Again using the 200mm telephoto lens I captured this moment before the music is about to start and the dancers begin to dance the under 8 intermediate section. They are smiling, giving eye-contact directly for the attention of one of the judges so that they watch and follow them around the dance floor.

SLIDE 18

Within a Freestyle moment

I took this action shot of the same intermediate dancer whilst she was in the middle of one of her dance moves, called a bridge. I wanted to capture a close up shot to show the concentration on her face, I also captured the delicate beauty of the reflection of her foot via the shine of the dance floor

SLIDE 19

Trophy's & Judges

Being a competition the aim for the dancers is to make it to the finals knowing that they will be presented with a trophy. The trophies differ in size and the largest trophy is presented for the best dancer of their section.

As well as capturing the huge display of trophies the judge in the middle of the frame captured my attention whilst looking through the viewfinder. It was her passive expression, not noticing the dancer in front of her, similarly like the majority of the panel of judges don't notice her! Their attention is clearly elsewhere on the dance floor.

SLIDE 20

Award Ceremony

And the Winner of the Great British Freestyle Championship Under 8 intermediate section is . . . . .

Dance Class at Dance Force Studios

Dance Force Studios is a dance school in Lower Darwen, where the teachers are qualified to teach a many different styles and types of dancing. The owner of the school is David Pollard who actively takes classes in all forms of dance.

David Pollard

(The above photograph and advertisement for the Dance School were kindly supplied to me from David Pollard)

Whilst I was at the school I asked David to participate in a small interview with myself in aid for my research into the beginnings of freestyle dancing. He kindly agreed and below are the questions I asked and his replies given during the interview;

Q1 What types of dancing have you personally participated in?

DAVID: "Old Time Dancing, Ballroom, Latin American, Salsa, Sequence, Argentine Tango, Freestyle, Rock and Roll and Slow dance"

Q2 What age did you start to dance and what was the reason for your interest?

DAVID: "I started to dance when I was 8. I was playing out with a female friend as a child, whose mother took her to dancing, she suggested that I go along with her. So I did and have been dancing ever since"

Q3 Are you aware when freestyle dancing became a recognised form of dance?

DAVID " Freestyle competitive dancing's earliest origins are from Old Time Dancing, as early as the Victorian times in the court yards, then along the years came ballet, tap, theatre & jazz. Freestyle's major influence came in the 1970's when Disco dancing became the new modern major craze"

Q4 How has dancing had a personal effect on your life?

DAVID "It is my life. All I have known to do is dance from an early age and as soon as I left school I began to teach"

Below are my contact sheets from my photo shoot at the Dance School. I took photographs of the waiting area in which the mothers of the children are patiently waiting for their children to finish their private or group dance class. I also documented the last 15 minutes of a group freestyle dance class.

Below are a selection of my edited images

As well as interviewing David I also asked a couple of the mums their reasoning's for getting their children into dancing and whether or not this was due to them having an interest in the art form.

SUSAN (far left) -"Gemma always wanted to dance . . . so I decided to bring her when a relative through marriage asked her to come along to her dance classes"

MANDY (right foreground) - "My mother believed our Olivia to have natural rhythm so I decided to start her dancing at 3. I used to do a little Ballroom myself, when I was younger of course, but I much preferred Roller Disco's instead"

Dance Class Images

What are the benefits of dance education?

"There are so many. Lots of studies show positive correlations between higher physical activity and higher school performance. There are other studies that show dance students with greater flexibility, endurance, and Cardio-vascular health – which is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and some of your best defences against disease. Dance education often improves one’s social skills. And since dance has been so popular all over the world for a long time, there is definitely a component that prepares today’s students for our global economy. Dance makes you much more open to new cultures and new experiences.

However, at its most primitive level, a good dance curriculum can inspire students to dance for their entire lives. As long as you dance, you can have lifelong fitness. That is our primary goal – to encourage children to find a physical activity they can do for a lifetime."

http://ncaahperdblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/the-importance-of-dance-education-qa-with-the-dancing-man/

Morals and Ethics

Throughout history the role of a photojournalist has been to educate the world via news imagery; it is a profession in which journalists make news-editorial images for print and screen (television and computer) media.

But is it Authentic Photography ???

Photojournalism today is under attack ever more so due to the rise and spread of computer technology that allows practically anyone to produce or manipulate visual messages in massive of numbers for a world wide audience. Even though manipulation was possible and could have been adhered to throughout the years within the darkroom, modern digital manipulation can not always be detected therefore raises further suspicion by the critics to actually believing is the photograph in question displaying a true representation of an event?

"But as long as photojournalists do not subtract or add parts of a picture's internal elements, almost any other manipulation (editing) once accomplished in a photographic darkroom is considered ethical for news-editorial purposes."

http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/photoethics.html

A visual journalist has to uphold a trusted responsibility to the public and employ that they are capturing and recording a true depiction of the subject in hand.

NPPA - The National Press Photographers Association is dedicated to the advancement of visual journalism, its creation, practice, training, editing and distribution, in all news media and works to promote its role as a vital public service.

I found the NPPA's website to be most helpful in my understanding of the morals and ethics surrounding photojournalism , below is their advised code of ethics;

1. Be accurate and comprehensive in the representation of subjects.
2. Resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.
3. Be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects. Avoid stereotyping individuals and groups. Recognize and work to avoid presenting one's own biases in the work.
4. Treat all subjects with respect and dignity. Give special consideration to vulnerable subjects and compassion to victims of crime or tragedy. Intrude on private moments of grief only when the public has an overriding and justifiable need to see.
5. While photographing subjects do not intentionally contribute to, alter, or seek to alter or influence events.
6. Editing should maintain the integrity of the photographic images' content and context. Do not manipulate images or add or alter sound in any way that can mislead viewers or misrepresent subjects.
7. Do not pay sources or subjects or reward them materially for information or participation.
8. Do not accept gifts, favors, or compensation from those who might seek to influence coverage.
9. Do not intentionally sabotage the efforts of other journalists.

Ideally, visual journalists should:

1. Strive to ensure that the public's business is conducted in public. Defend the rights of access for all journalists.
2. Think proactively, as a student of psychology, sociology, politics and art to develop a unique vision and presentation. Work with a voracious appetite for current events and contemporary visual media.
3. Strive for total and unrestricted access to subjects, recommend alternatives to shallow or rushed opportunities, seek a diversity of viewpoints, and work to show unpopular or unnoticed points of view.
4. Avoid political, civic and business involvements or other employment that compromise or give the appearance of compromising one's own journalistic independence.
5. Strive to be unobtrusive and humble in dealing with subjects.
6. Respect the integrity of the photographic moment.
7. Strive by example and influence to maintain the spirit and high standards expressed in this code. When confronted with situations in which the proper action is not clear, seek the counsel of those who exhibit the highest standards of the profession. Visual journalists should continuously study their craft and the ethics that guide it.

"But no matter how the tools of journalism change, fundamental ethical concerns still apply. Displaying violent, sensational images for economic reasons, violating a person's privacy before the judicial process can function, manipulating news-editorial pictures to alter their content, stereotyping individuals into pre-conceived categories and blurring the distinction between advertising and editorial messages were journalism concerns in 1895, are important topics in 1995 and will be carefully considered issues, no doubt, in 2095. Professionals, academics and students owe it to their readers to be sensitive to unethical practices that demean the profession and reduce the credibility of journalism."

http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/lester/writings/photoethics.html

Like the past, the future of ethics in photojournalism belongs to technology. Digital photography

casts new doubts on the process through which the photograph goes from camera to publication. More and more people are not only consuming photographic news media electronically, they are actively participating in news gathering, using mobile phone cameras. These “citizen journalists” are seeing their work in newspapers and magazines next to images by professional photojournalists. At the same time, editors are being inundated with photographs both during and after major news events, leaving them less time to make ethics decisions. All of these trends can only continue into the future.

http://web.mit.edu/drb/Public/PhotoThesis/

Photojournalism's Future?

After searching the internet I came across a website and discussion blog dedicated to the opinions surrounding photojournalism by David Campbell http://www.david-campbell.org/

I found his thorough research into the subject very informative which has given me a greater understanding into the subject, how photojournalism has changed since the 1970's and continues to be marketed around the globe.

Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen

Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen is a documentary photographer who resides in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, North East England. She is greatly focussed and dedicated to the attention of ordinary people within her social climate and has over the years documented different areas of Newcastle's community. In 1969, she co-founded the film and photography collection Amber whose archives are rooted in social documentary, built around long term engagements with working class and marginalized communities in the North of England.

http://www.amber-online.com/sections/about-us/pages/introduction

In 1981 Konttinen began to document a study of working class women, were she explored the dreams and realities of a group of mothers and daughters at a North Shields dancing school. This broader engagement of imagery, photographed between 1981 and 1988 of the mothers and daughters in and outside the dancing school, has given me further inspiration in regards to my photo story of contemporary freestyle dancing.

Konttinen states "Our film Keeping Time, screened on Channel 4 in 1983, began with a straightforward documentary approach to the activities of the Connell-Brown dancing school in North Shields, and ended up as a semi fictional diary of a girl growing up. I stayed on to take photographs: my second attempt at putting a finger on the troublesome, but compelling nucleus of female experience, with both personal and political echoes and implications. I was taken on a seven year journey of discovery by a group of mothers and daughters, whose lives I documented in and out of the dancing school. In 1985 we mounted the mammoth exhibition Step by Step in our gallery, and from there on it lumbered round the country. I took the material back and forth to the dancing school, changing it, scrapping it, re-shooting it, whilst listening to the experiences and comments of the mothers and daughters - and finally had the courage to shape it into a book. I hope it will continue to serve as a springboard for both critical and sympathetic examination of woman's lives within our society, and offer insight into our own dreams as well as each others"

Below are some of the images which I find inspiring and that I feel would relate more so to my photo story, some are accompanied with the text taken from the book Step by Step by Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, published in 1989 by Bloodaxe Books and Amber/Slide

Emma, 1982

Dance display at Terminus Club North Shields, 1981

"She looks frightened there poor little devil!

I'm sure I used to be the more nervous . . . . but what I remember best is being so proud of her! Didn't matter that she couldn't dance - it was just seeing her there, you know what I mean . . . ."

Dance display at Terminus Club 1982

Presentation of certificates at Connell-Brown Dancing School, 1981

Lucrezia, 1982

MUM: Lucrezia's started modelling class!

LUCREZIA: I didn't want to go. It's dead boring . . .

MUM: They had to carry her onto the catwalk the first time! But it does them good, it gives them confidence!

Ella used to drag her feet, and look at her now! She looks like a model, she walks like a model, she walks with her head tall! You got good remarks . . . . What did Miss Brown say?

LUCREZIA: She said I was being meself, and that's all we can expect from the first time!

Connell-Brown Dancing School, 1986

She intended the study as an attempt at putting a finger on the troublesome nucleus of female experience, hoping it would act as a springboard for both critical and sympathetic examination of women’s lives within our society. The resulting photographs interspersed with excerpts from conversations offers an unusual, intimate and engaging insight into the life of a working-class community.

The realities of unemployment, poverty, divorce, hard work, are interwoven with the fun and excitement of the dancing school: run-down terraces and tower blocks are juxtaposed with tutus. Various themes develop from the words and pictures: the importance of home and family, the hard-headed yet often humorous resilience with which difficulties are faced, the importance of the school as a female community, the women’s robust combination of romanticism and pragmatism.

http://www.amber-online.com/exhibitions/step-by-step

The Past Reveals the Present - Competitive Dancing

I was originally going to carry on with bringing a contemporary picture story from related history surrounding the famous people that have emerged from Rugby school since its origins however after considering the fact that distance and time would be against me I decided to change my subject.

It is now my intention to tell a picture story of a contemporary competitive freestyle dancing competition and show how this style of dancing has originated from past dance forms.

As I was unsure, due to all the hearsay in regards to my rights to being freely able to photograph children in a public place and knowing that photography is not usually permitted at competitions, unless just photographing the award ceremony, I decided to email David Pollard, owner of Dance Force Studio's in Lower Darwen, to see if there would be any problems with me turning up at a competition with all of my photography gear and taking pictures of the children dancing.

"Hi David,

As you may be aware I am studying Photographic Media at University and my new brief is 'Photojournalism'. My lecturer agrees that it would be an excellent idea to document a Dance Competition that my daughter participates in therefore was thinking of documenting this Sunday's British Competition held at Winter Gardens, Blackpool.

My only worry is of course that events such as these do not allow people just to randomly start taking pictures therefore I was wondering if you wouldn't mind forwarding me on the organisers details from the ADFP , not sure if it is Anna Jones? . . so I can discuss with her if it is ok for me to freely take photographs at this event if she makes all the competitors and parents know of my reasons?

Thanks for your help

Joanne"

David's reply "hi joanne , just speak to anna on sunday and make her aware of the situation , i'm sure she won't have a problem with it"

To further settle my mind I decided to search the web in regards to laws about photographing children http://www.urban75.org/photos/photographers-rights-street-shooting.html

Photographing children

There are no laws against taking photos of children, but someone taking an unhealthy interest can rightly expect to attract unwelcome attention from the authorities (and quite probably passers by) pretty sharpish.

Be also mindful that if you're taking pictures in areas where dodgy folks, drug dealers and ne'er do wells may be in view, they're unlikely to be pleased with the attention and probably won't be bothered about the niceties of the law in their response.

If someone asks you to stop take pictures of them, it's generally a good idea to do so.

Update: According to this blog, Home Office Minister Tony McNulty MP has commented on the current legal situation regarding privacy.

"There is no legal restriction on photography in public places, and there is no presumption of privacy for individuals in a public place.

It is for the Chief Constable to ensure that Officers and Police Community Support Officers are acting appropriately with regards to photography in public places, and any queries regarding this should be addressed to the Chief Constable.

However decisions may be made locally to restrict photography, for example to protect children. Any questions on such local decisions should also be addressed to the force concerned."

So after my discussion with Anna Jones, the event organiser in the morning of the competition, she gladly announced my presence to the room full of parents and stated if anyone did not approve of me taking photographs of their children to approach the stage and let her know . . . luckily that did not happen!

Below are my digital contact sheets from my shoot at the Winter Gardens, documenting the British Freestyle Championships on 10th October 2010. I photographed the event with my Canon 50D using a 50mm lens however changed my lens to a 200mm telephoto to achieve my action shots.

Below are a selection of my edited images

I also photographed the event using my Yashica 35mm film camera as wanted to capture some atmospheric black and white photographs, knowing that throughout the 20th Century this was the main form of medium used to capture photo-journalistic news worthy stories. Using a 35mm film camera would also cross over the idea of the past revealing the present through documenting a contemporary subject matter but using past practises and methods.

Unfortunately however my efforts in the darkroom loading my film onto the reel let me down therefore my negatives were not up to scratch , that being ironically said as due to all the scratches and marks they possessed the printed images would not have been as striking and of a similar successful standard of quality as my images captured using my digital camera.

These are a few of my scanned negatives which I attempted to salvage via editing them within Lightroom.

Due to my daughter being a competitive dancer, therefore knowing David Pollard, the owner of Dance Force Studio's in Lower Darwen, I plan to organize a interview with him so he can give me an insight into dancing's history and its relationship it has to contemporary competitive dance forms to aid me in my research.

As well as incorporating shots I have already taken at the organised competitive dancing event I wish to also broaden my photo story including relationships that the children have within their dance school and outside their dancing world, in other words to show children just being children and to also include and show the importance of parent contribution. I wish to find out the reasoning's as to why parents, mothers especially it seems, wish their daughters or sons to take up dancing. To do this, as well as interviewing the owner of Dance Force Studio's, ask the mothers who patiently wait on many evenings at the dancing school for their children to finish their lessons.

Before I take my photography equipment to the dance studio I feel that a little inspiration is in order therefore below are some images I have found inspiring sourced from the Magnum website of dancing imagery by various different photographic artists.