Janet Panetta
Film Portrait
As an expression of artistic research, this film explores the enduring impact of Janet Panetta (1948-2023), a revered figure in the realm of ballet education who worked closely with contemporary dancers from all over the world in a variety of contexts, particularly in the United States and Europe.
Through meticulous research and thoughtful reflection on the contemporary embodiment of classical ballet, this film delves into Janet’s pedagogical approach as recounted by her former students. Their voice, image and perspectives will be used as material to create a poetic archive of Janet's pedagogy.
Led by Andrew Champlin, one of Janet’s former students and assistants, the film intends to offer viewers a nuanced understanding of Janet’s teaching and philosophy of technique.
The film explores…
Janet’s experiments with ballet and how they were embodied.
Aspects of Janet’s approach that attracted dancers of different artistic interests and backgrounds to integrate ballet into their practice.
How learning Janet’s technique changed the movement (and knowledge) of her students in the long term.
The film’s aim is to highlight her inclusive practices and expose different ways her work was addressed to dancers who were drawn to technique as a politics of care for self and other. This film will be placed into the wider social and political context of ballet practices in North American and European dance studio environments through the research project Technique Concerns: Ballet Practices Against the Western Archive, the practice-led PhD project of Andrew Champlin.
As a gesture of artistic research, the film accounts for Janet’s teaching and poses questions of its legacy; it also serves as a resource for further study on ballet pedagogy.
BERLIN
JULY 21, 2024
In coordination with former students Liz Williams and Howard Katz, founders of Q Space.
VIENNA
AUGUST 4—10, 2024
THE UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED ARTS VIENNA
In coordination with the memorial event Put me on a planet where everyone sounds like Janet at Impulstanz Vienna International Dance Festival.
NYC
AUGUST 15—30, 2024
In coordination with the exhibition Janet Panetta: Repertoire hosted by The American Dance Museum.
While there is some institutional support for the film production thanks to Zurich University of the Arts, the project is is largely self-organized and subsidized by Andrew Champlin, a freelance artist researcher. If you wish to donate to the project to support the quality of the archive you are welcome to do so through the following channels:
PayPal: andrewchamplin@gmail.com
Venmo: @Andrew-Champlin
In the case you are not available to be in one of the cities at the dates when the film sessions take place but wish to contribute your perspective to an archive, please get in touch for alternative ways of contributing.