
Dance Performance Videos | James Whiteside at The Joyce and More!
Photo Credit: James Whiteside by Andrea Mohin for The New York Times
Our Fall season is always a busy one. We’re able to film as much as we do, because I have an amazing team of women who work with me.
Even though I still love filming dance and feel at home behind the camera in a dark theater, it’s not always possible for me to film every show we book. I’ve spent years building a team of passionate, professional women (and a few good men!) who I’ve trained to capture artists’ work with intention and integrity. Doesn’t hurt they’re all dancers themselves, so they just get it!!
Below are dance performance videos my team has filmed recently – James Whiteside in The Tenant at The Joyce Theatre, Faye Driscoll at Alexander Kasser Theater and Jennifer Nugent and Paul Matteson at New York Live Arts.
Caroline, Brittany and Amber each shared a little bit about the dance performance they filmed and edited – enjoy!!!
James Whiteside

“This show had a really cool set that was used in a very powerful way. It created a cool atmosphere and gave audience members the feeling of mystery. The set, lighting, acting, and dance were cohesive and told an incredibly engaging and spooky story. Since there was a set, we wanted to keep a large part of it in the wide shot during the shoot to make sure to document the different projection and lighting effects that happened throughout the show. Because the show was quite dark, it was important to try to find a balance of exposure in the video so that you could see important parts of the stage that were not lit as well as other parts. We wanted to make sure we didn’t miss out on any of the action that was happening, even if it was darker than other areas on stage!” – Amber Schmiesing
Faye Driscoll

’”I’ve spent three of my summers at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in which I was able to either see, direct, or film the documentation of the first and second installments of Faye Driscoll’s Thank You For Coming trilogy. When she brought both sections to New Jersey last fall, I felt completely comfortable with documenting the work. I knew the work very well, so I felt very trusted. This is the case for many performances I have been exposed to while working for Nel Shelby Productions. My exposure and knowledge for concert dance deepens every show I take part in! It’s hard to believe that my very first professional concert dance performance I had ever seen was my intern summer at the Pillow! I’m so excited for Faye’s third installment of this trilogy to premiere.” – Brittany Pace
Jennifer Nugent & Paul Matteson

“I captured a wide shot for Jennifer Nugent and Paul Matteson’s performance at New York Live Arts while Nel was positioned house right. Nel was practically on stage to get an up, close and personal angle!! The duet was intimate and tenacious, so we wanted to make sure we captured the essence of the work in the best way possible! Since there were no curtains or wings, the black box was completely exposed and left the audience to focus on the performers’ beautifully raw movement.” – Caroline Haidet

Nel Shelby is Owner & Filmmaker for Nel Shelby Productions, her New York City-based company dedicated to dance videography and editing. Nel shares her mission to preserve and promote the art of dance with her husband, Christopher Duggan, a dance and wedding photographer. They collaborate on projects with dance companies of worldwide renown, up-and-coming choreographers, dance educators, dance schools and more. Nel is Video Producer at Jacob’s Pillow and Vail Dance Festival and is also the proud Director and Producer of PS DANCE! — a New York Emmy-nominated documentary about dance education in NYC’s public schools.