16:9- A Study of Manipulating Perceptions Through Movement

This thesis explores the concepts of editing and manipulating through the process of deconstruction. Inspiration sprung more specifically through researching the job of a film editor, and noting how this editing action takes place in every day life. Using Thelma Schoonmaker’s body of work, I researched this idea through choreographing my Senior Dance Project, titled 16:9. A film editor can take footage and edit the story to portray the series of events differently from how they actually happened. We in turn do this in our lives every day. It shows up in simple ways such as making slight changes in our dialogue based on who we are talking to, and can also present itself in big personality shifts. Another big avenue of exploration is social media, and how we sculpt an electronic reality, one which differs so drastically from the one we are actually living. In doing this, it changes people’s perceptions of us, and sometimes of ourselves, in the same way that tools film editors use change the viewer’s perception of reality. Deception is incredibly powerful. Using this motif of manipulation, my choreographic process was greatly informed, which showed in the end result of what was presented on the stage