For several years Daniel Belton and Good Company have been winning international awards for their films which merge the moving image with dance.
Their latest work Matchbox is described by Belton as an evocative partnerships game’ played out on a jazzy dance floor with dazzling physicality and sheer fun. Eight dancers pitch themselves at each other in a rollercoaster ride to love. At the heart of this story a magical jukebox sets pace and direction. Dancers adapt, couple and sort each other with hilarious emphasis.
Featuring a cast of acclaimed performance and moving image artists from Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Matchbox began filming in October 2007 after a workshop period to develop the dance. Belton directed the structure of the workshop process but asked the artists to bring their own 'nature' to the whole.
I dont like to tell my dancers what to do, because they have their own minds and in order to draw out brilliant performances I must be open enough with them, to let them and me grow the ideas together, so that we all have ownership in it. In the same breath if its all going off the rails I have to see it and quickly haul the train back onto the tracks - or let the idea go and not flog it. Let it go and move on to the next thing. I am very specific, in a round about way.
The actor/dancers are Emmett Hardie (ex RNZB soloist), Richard Huber (writer of plays/dramaturg/Theatre Studies Otago University Lecturer etc), Caroline Claver (also ex RNZB/theatre director/tutor, etc), Tim Fletcher (ex NZSD/Commotion Co, and currently dancing in Europe for various companies), Donnine Harrison (teacher/dancer/choreographer/producer), Courtney Poulier (ex NZSD), Kilda Northcott (ex Limbs/dancer/teacher etc), and Daniel Belton.- Commedia dell'arte.
Matchbox is the third film in a trilogy after Game and Reset. Belton’s wife Donnine Harrison co-wrote the story with Belton. Matchbox was recently selected for October’s VAD Festival (Festival de Video i Arts Digitals) in Girona, Spain.