In February, when the ground is frozen, and the chill in the air makes a person want to stay inside, the seeds of something new seem to simmer within me. So, year after year, you’ll see that this is when I’ll typically skip into the studio, eager with inspiration.
Last month was no exception. Paulo Gutierrez, a strong, passionate dancer, happened to be free when I asked him if he wanted to do this project. I had worked with Paulo over the past five years, and knew I could trust his artistry to skillfully script our day together at 520 8th Avenue, (Ripley-Grier Studios) — one of my favorite haunts through the ages. I had in mind to book several studios that day within the building, all with a different color scheme, to add a little texture to our footage. With little material to go on ahead of time, we waltzed through the day, as if I had a great plan. Perhaps I was more reliant on my intuition and spontaneity, trusting that what would be, would be.
After sliding, falling, jumping and climbing upon a grande piano, and dancing through every inch of the spaces where we we visited, the day ended in a dismal back stairwell, where we got our final shots. It felt like we were on a wild ride, exposing the most vulnerable to the most brazen parts of ourselves. This was personal, yet somewhere within the fairy dust of what we created, was a deep message shared by humanity — I look forward to sharing this message soon, once our editing waltz reaches the last measure!
Paulo Gutierrez