Thank you, Swanson Studio!

I could never have made Ebb and Flow without the amazing talents of all the folks at Swanson Studio. Thanks to my incredible Director of Photography Marcus Swanson (we go way back to the very first film I ever directed on Ghanaian drummer Obo Addy), Nikki Berlin (underwater coach), Brandon (our AC), Chris Hackett (tech guru), and all the crew members.  Ebb and Flow was a peak experience for me, Tracey Durbin and the dancers. Follow the link to their blog post about the experience.

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Oregon ArtsWatch Names Ebb & Flow as Best of 2015

Following a sold out weekend at BodyVox, Ebb and Flow was selected as one of the top events of 2014. A roaring kickoff to the Second Dance Season. Reviewer Bob Hicks wrote: "Tracy Durbin (choreographer) and Janet McIntyre's Ebb & Flow was the heavyweight of the evening..one big, ambitious work that lowered the emotional boom, demanding that the night be taken seriously and poetically." Featuring Eown Emerald Barrett, Anna Hooper, Alexandra Maricich, Franco Nieto, Claire Olberding, Rachel Slater and Emily Zarov. Director of Photography: Marcus Swanson. Technical Director: James Mapes. Made possible in part with support from the Regional Arts and Culture Council.   52 pickup: reshuffling the 2014 deck | Oregon ArtsWatch

A fusion of dance, music, speech and film, Ebb and Flow mingles a sense of downing with a sense of dreaming. It was perhaps the most creatively ambitious and satisfying project I've ever done - definitely the most personal. Not to mention that I lost 2 pounds in the course of shooting, since I had to tread water for 8 hours straight. Reviewed in  Oregon ArtsWatch. 

Technical details: We shot the underwater footage on the 5Dmk3 w/ an AquaTech housing, 60 fps RAW at 1920 using Magic Lantern. At that frame rate and at 1920 x 672, the camera could only roll 4 seconds continuous with a downtown of one second before it could roll again. It meant that the dancers, director, DP and crew had to be on the same page at all times. Chris Hackett of Swanson Studio was the genius behind sorting out the on-set and post-production tech details.

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A KICK ASS OPENING AT CARGO!

I had my first official art opening at CARGO's new fantastic space at 81 SE Yamhill off Water Street. It was Cargo's official opening as well and Dia De Los Muertos. Great people, great food, great music - a very soulful evening. Most of the paintings you see here were sold. I couldn't have had a better virginal experience having just rediscovered my love of painting through the encaustic medium. Thanks to everyone for coming out! And special thanks to Patty, Bridgid and Amy for making it happen. I love you guys...

SISTER HELEN TESTIFIES IN BOSTON →

Anti-death penalty advocate and author Sister Helen Prejean testified for the defense in the penalty phase of Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's trial on Monday, May 11. She is tireless in her efforts to end the death penalty, the subject and author of Dead Man Walking. Courtney Hermann, Kerribeth Elliott and I will continue in our quest to complete our documentary on this amazing woman. Excerpts from one of our interviews with her is included in my doc page. She was eating fried chicken at my house that day by the way...

Sister Helen getting bombarded by media outside the Boston courthouse on Monday

We've lost "The Father of Jazz Dance"

Eugene Louis Facciuto, aka "Luigi", "The Father of American Jazz Dancing", one of Broadway's most beloved choreographers and my beloved teacher, died at the age of 90 on April 11th.  He got the nickname Luigi from Gene Kelly who he danced with in the films "Singin' in The Rain" and "An American in Paris". His students included Liza Minnelli, Ben Vereen, Tony Roberts, Robert Morris, John Travolta and Susan Stroman. His jazz warm-up, which is the foundation for so many jazz teachers today, was a direct result of the rehabilitation routine he created after a devastating car accident left him nearly paralyzed. When doctors told him it was likely he'd never walk again, he snapped back "Not only will I walk again, I'm going to dance again!" And boy, did he.

I consider myself truly lucky to have not only studied with Luigi but laughed with him. He had a deliciously bawdy sense of humor. While at NYU, I directed a short documentary shot on 16mm film about his life.  Follow the link to the film.

Luigi Film - 8 min. short
https://vimeo.com/124665155

Read The New York Times article about Luigi's life:  LUIGI ARTICLE