My documentary follows a dancer who has spent years teaching. It explores how her relationship with dance has changed because of complicated relationship of having a passion versus having a job. This film fits the participatory mode of documentary because I engaged directly with the subject. I didn’t stand back and observe or let the story tell itself but instead I took a large part in the conversation and shaped the story. 

 

Being a dancer and a teacher myself influenced the way that I wanted to make this documentary.I have spent a little over half of my lifetime in dance spaces. I’m definitely not a professional dancer, but I know what it feels like to try and balance passion and work. Again, this background heavily shaped the way I approached this subject. I did not just ask her about teaching, I understood, at least in some ways, what she had left behind as a performer and what she had gained in her new role. My involvement with dance allowed our conversations to go deep and further than surface level answers.

 

Because of this connection, my role in the documentary is more than that of an interviewer. I relate to the dancer’s experience in a way that makes the film feel more like a dialogue than a strict question and answer format. This goes with the participatory mode because my background influences the way I shape the story.

 

Sherman’s March (1985) is a strong example of this approach. Ross McElwee includes himself in the film and makes his journey part of the story, and eventually becomes key to the film.  I wanted to take a similar approach by letting my own perspective shape my documentary. Rather than simply recording her words I tried to interact with her and have a real conversation. Even though the documentary is edited to just hear her voice, I think it still reveals how teaching dance has affected her passion for the art in a deeper way rather than if I simply didn’t share my own thoughts with her.

 

In a participatory documentary, the filmmaker’s role is more obvious. In Sherman’s March, McElwee’s presence is a key part of the film. I wanted to take a similar approach, even though my focus is different. My conversations with the dancer help shape the story, but the film isn’t about me. Instead, I wanted show how her relationship with dance has evolved and what that change means for her. This is why I wanted to remove my voice from the film. Even though we had some great conversations with each other, I felt it was best to have her voice be the only dialogue to emphasize that it was her story and not mine.

 

In participatory documentaries the filmmaker and the subject are both involved in telling the story. My film follows this approach, using genuine conversations to explore the teacher’s experience. It’s not just about her but it’s also about how we tell stories like hers. Like Sherman’s March, this documentary shows that personal stories come to life through dialogue, not just through observation.