In The Making, Longlist - Dance

Past and Present

Zach Hagy

Zazu Creative Studio

I have always loved dance and find it to be one of the only things that frees my anxiety of the future. Although I typically dance alone or with my loved ones, working with professional dancers who access their flow state so quickly is truly incredible. There are moments in here that reflect my emotions over the years and during COVID. Sometimes I dwell too much on the future and think about what I could be doing better in the present or what I did wrong in the past and why is the future (or now) different than I expected? Having ADHD my brain is constantly travelling and exploring new terrains. Much like dance and the beautiful chaos that somehow makes us calm. This piece is the story of my past and present colliding together to create our future. Giving direction to the dancers was a very refreshing experience. There wasn't a lot of choreography that was involved; instead they were given an emotion or a tone and feel for that moment. So fluidly they can transition to a different ton, it felt like I was watching Jazz. This is my first dance film and has been one of the most exciting things I've done. For me, sometimes it’s difficult to relate to such a literal narrative but making something more abstract leaves room for interpretation.

Growing up in a small town of 2,000 residents in central Michigan created a very unique childhood for me. Without a lot of friends and resources nearby, my siblings and I often made up games or created a fictional world to be a part of. I was encouraged to go out and explore, be curious and make mistakes, and play outside, and be inventive and creative in the way that a lot of kids today aren't because of the environment they grew up in. Even though that looks much different now than it did growing up, my foundation is rooted in me. As the future is both exciting and scary, I will continue to explore the depths of my creativity and international collaboration with other artists.