Musicians and Manon Bal in “Odeon” at Jacob’s Pillow; photo by Christopher Duggan
Telling Stories | The Importance of On-Camera Interviews With Artists
Recently, I was interviewing Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie here at Jacob’s Pillow.
If you don’t know her, check her out please!
Pam Tatge, the Director of Jacob’s Pillow asked us to create a story about Ephrat, because she is the epitome of the beautiful stories that take place here at the Pillow. Ephrat came here years ago to perform on the Inside/Out stage, then returned in a mixed show with other artists, then was back onstage with Michelle Dorrance, and then Pam invited her to talk more about her next steps. Ephrat was given space and support by Jacob’s Pillow to create new work and just premiered it here a few weeks ago.
Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie in “Odeon” at Jacob’s Pillow; photo by Christopher Duggan
Ousmane “Omari Mizrahi” Wiles in “Odeon” at Jacob’s Pillow; photo by Christopher Duggan
When I was interviewing Ephrat, I got the chills as she told her story. She shared that Pam is her guardian angel, and she cried a bit talking about the path of being a B-girl and the lineage of her dance form. Behind the camera, I listened, I asked more questions, and I opened my ears to hear the nuances of what makes her tick as an artist. After the interview, I ran into my husband, Christopher Duggan (we are so lucky to work together) and I told him I wish I could interview artists all day long.
I guess you can say I have the gift of gab – I like to talk, but most importantly, I LOVE to tell artists’ stories. Telling stories brings people closer together, it shows our humanity, it shows our flaws and our triumphs. This is what I love to do and I will do it for as long as I can.
Linda “LaNaija” Madueme and Sergio Krakowski in “Odeon” at Jacob’s Pillow; photo by Christopher Duggan
Thank you for continuing to tune into the stories that we tell at Nel Shelby Productions. Keep your eyes and ears ready for more. By the time you ready this, we will be telling more stories from Vail Dance Festival. Magic happens through these stories, and I am so grateful to have the privilege to tell them. If you know someone that should tell their story, reach out to me. I would love to help.