Teaching
Mary John’s workshops, classes, and lectures support artists, students, and performers interested in implementing technology into their processes or learning camera and editing skills to document their works. Dance & Choreography for Camera, Dance & New Technologies, and From Movies To Motion Capture are some of the classes and conversations she leads.
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DANCE in 360 video, “Stand Up” a 360 film for middle schoolers created with Google Daydream & Harmony Labs.
Dance in 360 & Virtual Reality
Skills learned in dance like spatial awareness and mindfulness of the audience make VR a fitting and exciting medium for dancers interested in world building and transporting people to virtual spaces. Viewing work in VR headsets, learning to work the equipment, and choreographing in 360 worlds are some of what is covered in this workshop. These classes have been shared at university summer programs and dance studio spaces in New York & LA, and are open to all levels of creators.
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Amira Williams wears a Perception Neuron suit in preparation for her performance at the Movement Lab.
Guest artist & mentorship
Mary John creates performance opportunities and offers one-on-one mentorship with students. During her Research Artist Residency at the Movement Lab (2024), students from Barnard, Columbia, and NYU Tisch Dance participated in a multi-media experience that incorporated motion capture and film projection into live performance. Mary John also created opportunities for students to bring in their own creative projects, brainstorming and planning sessions, and discussions regarding career development.
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DANCE ON CAMERA, ACDA participants at University of Texas in MJ’s “Austin Film Project.”
Dance on Camera
These workshops cover choreographing for film and TV, scripting, storyboarding, videography, and/or editing. Courses range from beginner to advanced levels and have been shared as open workshops at dance studios, one-off classes at universities, and most recently as part of Gallim’s Dancing With The Camera series. The video project on the left was created at the American College Dance Association festival. The students, faculty, and Mary John had a few hours to create this fun video project focusing on blocking, lighting, and coordinating large groups, that was projected at the conference’s closing ceremony.
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Navarra Novy-Williams shares, “while you wait,” a 360 film at the New School.
Lectures & advising
These sessions encourage artists and students to think critically about the work they are making and to consider questions like: Whom is this work for? Why this technology? Advising includes reviewing scripts, project decks, fundraising goals, and discussions on why artists are using a particular type of tech or equipment. In lectures, Mary John shares insights from her own work, works of other multidisciplinary artists & filmmakers, tools for creating impact-driven projects, and/or feminist perspectives on art, AI & filmmaking.
