Professor Jody Weber鈥檚 dance company is the subject of a recent documentary titled, Finding Heaven Under our Feet: Making Modern Dance. It will be shown at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard on Oct. 10 at 8 p.m., followed by a discussion of art as a means of change in meeting today鈥檚 challenges, including climate change.
The film鈥檚 director, Chris Engles, was familiar with Dr. Weber and her Somerville-based dance company, having photographed them over the past decade. When he wanted to make a documentary about the activism achievable through dance, he contacted Dr. Weber, who just happened to have a production 鈥 titled 鈥淥f Loons and Lilies鈥 鈥 in the works that addressed issues surrounding climate change.
鈥淗e traveled around with us quite a bit to shows, attended rehearsals, and spoke with students,鈥 Dr. Weber said. 鈥淗e was expecting the documentary to take a year, but four or five years later鈥︹
The film premiered in March at the Somerville Theatre, and subsequently included in this year鈥檚 Providence Film Festival. The Brattle Theatre in Cambridge also ran the film over the summer, as part of the Dance for World Community Festival.
The film provides a history of the modern dance scene in Boston, focuses on some of its pioneers, and also highlights Dr. Weber鈥檚 interest as an artist interested in climate change 鈥 something her work has focused on for much of the past 14 years.
鈥淚鈥檓 interested in asking questions about why we are making the decisions we are making and why we are ignoring the evidence,鈥 she said. 鈥淢y work is in conversation with these larger issues.鈥
The conversation following the film鈥檚 Oct. 10 showing will include Dr. Weber; science and social/environmental policy expert, Bina Venkataraman; and Mr. Engles. It will be moderated by WBUR鈥檚 Lisa Mullins.
(Story by John Winters, G 鈥11, University News & Media)