CAPTURING THE ART OF FLIGHT
Nikola Bradonjic x Eryc Taylor Dance
“First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our incredible team Nikola Bradonjic, Savannah Gaillard, Audrey Lipson, Christina Charny, Diamon Laurant, Nat Wilson, and Ian Robinson.
- Eryc Talyor, Artistic Director”
The inspiration for this photoshoot comes from a series of vivid dreams that have deeply resonated with me. In these dreams, I find myself flying, standing upright, and performing flips in mid-air. These experiences are a dance of freedom and vulnerability set against the vast expanse of the sky. The dreams always involve soaring up to the sky and falling, turning, and tumbling in the air, often with barely any clothes on or sometimes half naked wearing a black suit.
The duality of vulnerability and strength in these moments is something I wanted to capture through this project.
Thanks to our trampoline instructor, Ian, whose guidance and infectious energy were invaluable. The day before the shoot, Ian met with me to break down the four basic moves: the seated booty bounce, whole body bounce forward, total body bounce backward, and walking up walls horizontally.
These fundamentals set the stage for our artistic exploration. Additionally, Ian introduced me to parkour, an athletic discipline focused on navigating obstacles with speed and efficiency through movements such as running, jumping, and climbing.
On the trampoline he not only taught me the basics but also trained our dancers before the shoot even began. This foundation allowed them to slowly but surely find the “Rhythm of Flying”. The trampoline, taut and responsive, made it possible to soar high into the air with minimal effort, to jump horizontally, walk up walls, and fall gracefully onto their backs. The entire shoot was nothing short of spectacular.
Check out our Trampoline Instructor,
Ian Robinson, freestyling!
We are eagerly awaiting the photos from our talented photographer, Nikola Bradonjic. Nikola grasped my concept immediately, thanks to our previous collaborations. The initial results are magnificent and haunting, perfectly capturing the theme of falling.
Reflecting on past projects, I remember our previous work with Nicole Baker and Chris Bell. They performed stunning feats, falling off ladders onto mountain climbing pads. Their ability to understand and execute the vision was remarkable, demonstrating their immense talent and dedication.
I am deeply honored, humbled, and grateful for our incredible team. Thank you to our fantastic administrators, dancers, instructors, grant writers, collaborators, board of directors, patrons, and sponsors.
This project truly exemplifies the saying, "It takes a village."
Thank you all for making this dream a reality!
~ Eryc Taylor
ETD Masterclass Series:
Dance x Technology
WHERE INNOVATION MEETS ARTISTRY
