Featured videos: You are Inside the Cat

Our featured videos this month for Madeline’s Madeline tackle the central premise of our Oct. 12 film: You are not the cat; you are inside the cat.

In collaboration with the Fresno City College Dance Department, we got together with eight students from instructor Cristal Tiscareno’s Dance 20B contemporary dance class, watched the film’s trailer together, and talked about the main themes of the experimental theater drama. The trailer is a work of art in itself and has been called one of the most original trailers of the 21st Century so far.

From there, Tiscareno’s dance students developed, wrote, and choreographed three original short compositions inspired by the trailer. They developed “little work studies” together, as described by their instructor, and created three kinetic performances that we filmed on an iPhone in one afternoon with a minimal number of takes. Here are the results:

“Havoc” is written, choreographed, and performed by Maria Avalos, Sumartra Presley, and Elseana Skowronski.

Artists’ statement: In this animalistic piece, the dancers move in a ritualistic fashion. Through various styles and accenting different sections, the dancers depict someone who is out of control or being possessed. Though the meaning is left open, the movement still portrays a story.

“Koi” is written, choreographed, and performed by Angel Flores and Aubrey Ludlow.

Artists’ statement: This piece juxtaposes the shy and forceful energy created to contrast the confusion and the unknown of realities within Madeline. This movement is the opposition of perception vs. reality — like a koi in a pond. The koi can be perceived as a symbol of culture, beauty, or strength, yet in reality, it is just a fish.

“Pulled Away from Reality” is written, choreographed, and performed by Phoenix M. Flores-Gonzalez, Gianna McCurry, and Dallas Rodriguez.

Artists’ statement: This piece chooses to immerse the dancers in the physical embodiment of a person’s mental health. As the line between reality and imagination blurs, they explore how the person experiencing this confusion would constantly bounce between leaning into the imaginary and trying to find their way back to reality.

The videos are now airing on our YouTube channel.

Jefferson Beavers serves as president of the Fresno Filmworks board of directors.