WATERS

Experimental, Dance Film, Contemporary Dance, Contemporary Music, Contemporary Art

United States

2024

Runtime, min

Waters is a 16-minute dance film shot at Vatnasafn (the Library of Waters) in Stykkishólmur, Iceland, featuring an international cast and comprising choreographic material from the performance "Are We Ok?", which premiered in Iceland in 2021 as a dance-music performance at Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland. The element of water, which is our most abundant yet precious resource, determines the sustainability of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, soil, and arctic regions; the disappearance of the glacier Ok in Iceland in 2019 made world headlines and deepened the focus on water—its presence in gaseous, liquid, and solid forms— and how changes to Earth’s rising temperatures affect all conditions of life, including movement and sound. Waters is partially inspired by writer Andri Snaer Magnuson’s work On Time and Water, and celebrates artist Roni Horn’s installation of Icelandic glacial waters, which are captured within the 24 glass pillars inside the museum.

Director:

Daniel Roberts

Selections and Awards:

Dark Days Music Festival Reykjavik January 25, 2025 International Premiere Iceland Cleveland Dance Festival Cleveland November 8, 2024 North American Premiere United States

REVIEWS:

Pure poetry in motion. The connection between the liquid water, the ice, and the fluid movements of the dancers is mesmerizing. I haven't read Andri Snaer Magnuson’s book yet, but this film makes me want to. The choreography feels very organic, almost like the water itself is dictating the movement. It’s a quiet, contemplative piece that stays with you.

Kobayashi Rika

Beautiful, evocative dance. However, for me, it was too drawn out; I started to get tired and look for hidden meanings.

Live Screenings Attendee

Too long but great dancing technique

Live Screenings Attendee

very long, very repetitive

Live Screenings Attendee

It is suspenseful and relaxing but it got slightly monotonous over time.

Live Screenings Attendee

Visually very pretty, but a bit too long for me. I liked the dancing, but I think I missed some of the deeper meaning about the glaciers without reading the description first. The venue looks amazing though!

Tan Mei Ling

A stunning use of location. Roni Horn's library is such a specific space, and Daniel Roberts uses it to its full potential. The reflection and refraction of the dancers through the water columns create layers of meaning about transparency and loss. Sometimes the pacing felt a bit slow, but I think that is the point is to make us stop and really look at what we are losing.

Anaïs Laurent

Stunningly beautiful! The dancers are graceful and each move flows into the next. The collaborative ease from one movement to the next makes it enjoyable to watch. I found myself sighing with release. Well done!

Lena Armstrong-Strober

Incredibly moving. Having followed the news about the Ok glacier, seeing this tribute filmed at Vatnasafn feels very significant. The way the dancers interact with the glass pillars, containing the very water of the melted glaciers, is profound. It's not just a dance film; it's an elegy for our changing planet. The natural light in the space is used beautifully. A must-watch for anyone who cares about climate change and art.

Lars Johansson