A Dance for A - Pandemic Dance No. 1

Mom is in her last days. She is there; I am here. I made her a dance.

  • Richard Daniels
    Director
  • Richard Daniels
    Producer
  • Richard Daniels
    Key Cast
    "Richard Daniels"
  • Richard Daniels
    Choreographer
  • Richard Shulman
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 10, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    iPhone
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • FilmFest by Rogue Dancer
    Raleigh, NC
    United States
    June 21, 2020
    World Premiere
    Film of the Month
  • FilmFest by Rogue Dancer
    Durham, NC
    United States
    November 8, 2020
    Film of the Month - June
  • Bridge Fest
    Vancouver
    Canada
    May 6, 2021
    Canadian Premiere
    Overall Monthly Winner Cell Phone Films
  • Košice International Monthly Film Festival
    Košice
    Slovenia
    January 11, 2021
    European Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Wallachia International Film Festival
    Bucharest
    Romania
    August 12, 2021
    Romanian Premiere
    Best Pandemic Film
  • Dublin Smartphone Film Festival
    Dublin
    Ireland
    January 30, 2021
    U.K. Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Athens International Art Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    November 20, 2020
    Greece Premiere
    Honorable Mention
  • New York Movie Awards
    New York, NY
    United States
    January 15, 2021
    New York Premiere
    Best Mobile Short
  • Golden Bridge Istanbul Short Film Festival
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    January 29, 2021
    Turkish Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Mindfield Film Festival - Albuquerque
    Albuquerque, NM
    United States
    August 26, 2021
    Finalist Gold Award @home COVID-19
  • Montenegro Online Smartphone International Film Festival

    Montenegro
    May 18, 2021
  • SounDance Film Festival
    Barcelona
    Spain
    April 20, 2021
    Spain and Argentina Premiere
    Finalist - Dance Films
  • WICA - World Independent CInema Awards Los Angeles
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    July 12, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Dance & Media Japan International Dance Film Festival
    Japan
    Japan
    October 15, 2021
    Japan Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Anatolia Film Festival
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    May 23, 2021
    Turkey Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Festival Art 2021
    Bergamo
    Italy
    June 12, 2021
    Italy Premier
    Official Selection
  • Mile High Film Awards
    Denver
    United States
    June 15, 2021
    Best Short Film
  • New York City IO Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    July 10, 2021
    Official Selection
  • TRAme Indipendenti
    Pisa
    Italy
    June 25, 2021
    Semi-Finalist
  • The Macoproject Film Festival
    New York City
    United States
    July 24, 2021
    Honorable Mention Smartphone Films
  • Forum Film Festival
    Barcelona
    Spain
    July 30, 2021
    Special Mention - Experimental, Dance, New Media
  • Sao Carlos Videodance Festival
    Sao Carlos
    Brazil
    September 26, 2021
    Brazil Premiere
    Official Selection
  • World Independent Cinema Awards
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    September 5, 2021
    Official Selection
  • International Moving Film Festival
    Abadan
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
    December 27, 2021
    Iran Premiere
    Semi-Finalist
  • Mabig Film Festival
    Augsburg
    Germany
    November 4, 2021
    Quarter Finalist
  • OutFest
    Santo Domingo
    Dominican Republic
    December 2, 2021
    Dominican Republic Premiere
    Official Selection
  • All that Moves International Film Festival
    São Paolo
    Brazil
    December 4, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Venice Indie Film Festival
    Venice
    Italy
    January 20, 2023
    Semi-Finalist
Distribution Information
  • Richard Daniels
Director Biography - Richard Daniels

"The Pandemic Dances” is a product of the times and limitations through which we’re living. Two films are complete and in circulation: “A Dance for A – Pandemic Dance No. 1;” and “Zooming – Pandemic Dance No. 2.” Three more films are in production. This series is made with at-hand elements: smart phones, portable lighting, computers, green screen, and shot entirely within the confines of my apartment. The series aims to capture elements of the experience of this time through close-up footage of body movements and gesture work, and is a natural outgrowth of my previous Dances for an iPhone films. Yet this will be a first effort in capturing autobiographical work on film. In the brief time in which the series has been released, it has already been accepted into 14 film festivals and won 6 awards.

“The Pandemic Dances” follow two other award-winning documentaries by Richard Daniels. “Reuven Does the Neighborhood One Last Time,” is a short about Reuven's last journey around his first neighborhood before moving away to a new one. Places he used to love, things he used to do, where he would eat and play, memories and curiosities about his origins explored together with his parents, blend together to shape up Reuven's universe, defining the first six years of his childhood. 8 Film Festival Awards; 17 Film Festivals

"silently, a bloom...," is Mr. Daniels’s short 2016 documentary on the work of artist photographer Stanley Goldberg. The film follows Mr. Goldberg as he finds inspiration in two gardens, prepares work for an exhibition, and allows us to him accompany to the opening. 6 film festival awards; 13 film festivals

Daniels is perhaps best known for his series of Dances for an iPhone Apps, which used technology as a medium in order to transmit modern dance to the general public and which contain 28 short dance films by Richard Daniels. Its volumes have acquired more than 18,000 downloads in over 110 countries. The award-winning DANCING SONDHEIM (Volume 4) encompasses 7 short dance movies with choreography by Daniels and Christopher Caines, all employing the music of Stephen Sondheim.

Dances for an iPhone's Apps and short dance movies were celebrated in public events at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Lincoln Center Dance on Camera Festival, and others. Dancing Sondheim was given an Award of Merit for Dance, Drama, Entertainment and Variety at the IndieFEST Film Awards, the Award of Merit for Choreography at the Accolade Global Film Awards, Honorary Mention Award at the Colortape International Film Festival (Australia), and an International Award of Excellence from the International Film Festival for Peace, Inspiration and Equality. Its movies have also been screened in 15 film international film festivals.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"The Pandemic Dances” flows from my previous dance-on-camera pursuits. Sheltered at home due to pandemic, miles apart from and grappling with my mother’s final days, I created a small dance for her utilizing at-hand elements of lighting, sound, set. This first film is leading into a series seeking to capture the character of the moment in which we're living through intimate dances in interior settings - my first effort to capture autobiographical work on film in movement and imagery.