Promo Video For Dance Artists | Joanna Kotze, Jack Ferver, Bebe Miller & Susan Rethorst At New York Live Arts
We’ve been making promo videos for dance artists at New York Live Arts for years. And we love it!
Each season, we work closely with the Marketing Director at New York Live Arts to create a calendar and plan for the full year of video marketing. Lili Dirks-Goodman is an excellent partner to work with on video. She is so open, so ready to create.
The reason we have room and space to be creative and have fun with the videos is because we have a process in place. We plan for the year ahead, we schedule time to interview the artists on camera, we schedule in time to film bits and pieces of rehearsal to get the work on film, and we go through an editing process that incorporates feedback from the artists in addition to Lili’s.
Before we schedule a shoot, we get input and ideas from Lili on what we want each video to say about NYLA and its programming. Once we have that in mind, we have the freedom to let narratives unfold naturally when we’re talking to an artist on camera.
Having a process gives us space to be creative on the spot!
NYLA Also Fills Us In On How Videos Are Working For Their Marketing Plan
Lili also lets us in on how videos are performing for NYLA, telling us which ones are getting lots of views on social media and how videos are helping artists communicate about their shows.
These promo videos are really driving engagement on NYLA’s social media. They introduce audiences to upcoming shows, but they also show the dance community what type of support artists in residence get from NYLA, expanding visibility for the organization’s varied and important programs.
We can take note of what’s working well, and what’s not! So we can constantly improve in our work together. We love NYLA. This is a beautiful longterm relationship!!
Below is a round-up of three different promos we’ve made for NYLA this winter. We love the individuality that comes out in each artist’s work and interview!
Photo Credit for Header Image: Jack Ferver by Michael Sharkey and Susan Rethorst by Ryan Collerd.
Joanna Kotze
“I can only hope that people sort of walk away with some sort of connection to the work and hopefully connect to us as people as well as artists.”
Jack Ferver
“He’s a figure skating Olympic Champion. World champion. US National Champion. He’s gay and I told him about this show. I hope he comes.”
Bebe Miller Company & Susan Rethorst
“We went along in parallel play and then made our own pieces and now we’re at a point where we’re like ‘Oh look! Here’s one and here’s another.’ They’re not intertwined, but they are in The Making Room together.”
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.