Claire Marshall commenced her studies at QUT in teaching. However, it was her passion for dancing that years later propelled her into a degree in dance and a successful career.
Since graduating she has choreographed many high-profile music clips and commercials before finding her real love in dance film.
Here she talks about her experiences and what led to a fascinating career in dance film creating her own productions.
Tell us about your studies at QUT.
I commenced studies at QUT to become a high school home economics and film and media teacher. It took almost two years to realise I was neglecting my passion, which was dance, so at the end of 1996 I auditioned for the Bachelor of Arts (Dance) as it was called then, and I was thrilled to be accepted.
For a long time, I thought the previous years of study were wasted, however making dance films made me realise that no knowledge was wasted. In particular I enjoyed film history and theory subjects. I didn’t know at the time that those early editing skills would translated into my dance practice.
Why did you choose QUT?
At high school I was fortunate to have a drama teacher who had a passion for dance. This was long before dance was a curriculum subject, but my teacher would take the school group on excursions to see performances by Expression Dance Company (now known as ADC) and he would invite guests from the company to choreograph on the school group, as well as QUT students. That opened my eyes to contemporary dance, and I became interested in the choreographic process. We were also taken on excursions to QUT, where I remember observing Professor Susan Street teach a class in 1989. You could say it was the students that QUT was exporting into the real world that was a part of the appeal of going to QUT.
What did you find most beneficial about your experience at QUT?
Dance at QUT in the 1990s seemed to focus on producing company dancers, probably because the independent scene in Brisbane was smaller at that time. However, I didn’t want to be a company dancer and was more interested in creating work as an independent artist, which was perhaps a bit unusual at the time.
Fortunately, the dance staff could see I was going to carve my own path, so they let me undertake some of the independent study subjects. Being out of school for a few years before commencing dance, I was a bit head strong and pushed for certain opportunities – for example in first and second year asking to audition my choreography pieces for what was called the New Moves Programme – reserved for the final year students. The dance staff allowed me to create work, and those experiences are still some of the most special and important times at QUT.
Tell us about your film Permutations
Permutations is an immersive dance film installation which was showcased at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
The production positioned four QUT dance alumni in the centre of large screens where multiple point-of-view stories unfolded.
The story is set in 1982 when two sisters aged 16 and 17 farewell their mother and her newlywed husband on their honeymoon vacation. However, the short trip soon becomes an extended holiday, and the siblings are left to fend for themselves.
The idea came from a series of dance films Claire made as part of her studies and where her love of dance film begun.
What is dance filmmaking and what made you choose this path?
Dance filmmaking is often referred to as dance film or screendance. My understanding of dance film is dance made for the screen, that requires consideration of both the dancing/choreography, and cinematic conventions of film – for example, how the location is used, consideration of the cinematography (framing, the lens etc) and editing. In December I finished writing a 20,000-word thesis on the importance of these cinematic conventions in the field.
I didn’t set out to make a dance film or to be a dance filmmaker, however it was an organic and cathartic evolution. My first dance film, Pulse, occurred through a creative development supported by Ausdance Queensland and Brisbane Powerhouse. Given all the immersive work I had been making, it was hard to document the movement, with the audience often being in the way of the camera, so I wanted to develop movement without an audience and to document it.
Why do you love dance film?
Dance film allows an audience to be up close and surrounded by screens and performers. It gives people multiple perspectives and is interesting because different audience members can have diverse interpretations depending on where they are viewing the show.
I also think people are keen to see more dance, and during COVID most productions were viewed on a small screen like a mobile phone or laptop.
Since graduating what role have you most enjoyed and why?
In terms of my practice, I enjoy editing as much as being in the studio. Editing is a significant part of the choreographic process for me – both in crafting the work and editing it.
In terms of my most enjoyable projects, some of the music videos that I have choreographed for artists such as Savage Garden, Megan Washington, Kate Miller-Heidke, Powderfinger and more have been enjoyable, but it depends on the artists. Darren Hayes has been my favourite person to work with. www.clairemarshall.com.au
You can find out more about the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
