Watch Trailer

BÖDÄLÄ - Dance the Rhythm

By

Gitta Gsell

A fast-paced film about people whose feet are their primitive and powerful instrument of artistic expression.

Documentary

Cinema

78

Min.

Format

35mm, 1:1.66

Sound

Country

Switzerland

Languages

Swiss German, English

Subtitles

German

Synopsis

A fast-paced film about people whose feet are their primitive and powerful instrument of artistic expression. Beginning with “Bödälä” in Central Switzerland, this film journeys from tap dance and flamenco to Irish dance. The rhythmic stamping of the shoes is reminiscent of ethnic ritualistic folk dances. Evolving from the “dances of the folk” are show and competition dance. The film provides insight into passionate dancers and people who express joy, desire and sadness through rhythm with their feet. Starting in Switzerland, a journey from tap dance to flamenco and Irish dance.

Five years ago, when I visited the tap dance school for dancers 60 and above, I was amazed. With great passion those 60-90 year-olds were beating a rhythm on the floor with their feet. What is it that makes people stomp on the floor with so much enjoyment?


During my search for stamping and stomping in Swiss dances, I discovered the folk dances of Central Switzerland. Dance forms such as Bödälä and Gäuerlen are hardly known in Switzerland although they originate from our own cultural tradition. Only in recent years has a recollection and rediscovery of the folk culture taken place, as a result of globalization and «western cultural unity». I have tried to assemble some of these «treasures of the primitive folk culture» before they are totally lost through modernization. There are varying opinions as to whether the folk dance should be maintained in its original form or if and how it should and must develop further. For the «modernizers» the folk dance must not grow stiff and stale and become a museum piece. For the «traditionalists» it must not be misused as a show for the public or for competitive purposes. In «Bödälä – Dance the Rhythm» I have sought out dancers who move within this area of tension.


When we look at the four dance forms presented in the film, the question quickly arises – what is tradition and how do we as modern human beings deal with it? We come closest to the original folk dance with the archaic Bödälä dancers in their traditional costumes. Here we perceive its ritualistic aspects through the repeated stomping of the shoes as their feet move in circles. With each of the other dance forms, we are removed a bit more from the roots of the dance. When the competitors perform the Irish dance at the world championship, dancing and jumping to the limits of their abilities, it reminds us of serious sport competition. When the tap dancers in glamorous costumes synchronously dance their complicated step routines and figures, we find ourselves in the midst of show dancing. And when the Flamenco dancer plays her Xala, the acoustic floor, in the turbine room of the Grimsel power plant, we feel the meditative and artistic spirit of her performance. Yet with each of these dance forms we can feel the origins.


Forms of dance that do not belong to ballet or modern dance are often considered unimportant in terms of aesthetics and beauty and thus are given little recognition. But dance forms like ballet are still very young compared to the «primitive, natural» folk dances. The folk dance is full of energy and power. No matter how the dances portrayed in the film are performed, their origins are perceptible and have, through their loud stomping, something archaic about them – even today – striking a nerve in our innermost being.

Crew

Director

Gitta Gsell

Script

Gitta Gsell

director of photography

Hansueli Schenkel Peter Guyer Patrick Lindenmaier Gitta Gsell Heidi Hiltebrand

Music

Peter Bräker Werner Haltinner

Sound

Christian Beusch & Guido Keller

Editing

Bernhard Lehner

Picture Design

Producer

Franziska Reck

More Crew Members

Original Sound

Dieter Meyer

Patrick Becker


Assistant Editor

Rebecca Siegfried


Sound Design & Mix

Christian Beusch

Magnetix Tonstudio Zürich


Color Correcting

Patrick Lindenmaier

Andromeda Film, Zürich


Lighting

Salvatore Piazzitta


Assistant

Benjamin Weiss


Title Graphics

Peter Volkart


Production Management

Franziska Reck & Gitta Gsell


Production Manager & Stage

Marisa Koch


Assistant to Location Manager

Michael Seger


Make-up

Sophie Reck


Redaktion SF

Urs Augstburger


Redaktion SGR SSR idée suisse

Alberto Chollet


A production of RECK Filmproduction Zurich

in coproduction with Swiss television

and SRG idée suisse


With the support of


Zürcher Filmstiftung

Kulturförderung Kanton St. Gallen / Swisslos

Aargauer Kuratorium

Berner Filmförderung, Kultur Stadt Bern, Stadt Biel

Kulturförderung Kanton Schwyz

Kulturförderung der Kantone Luzern, Zug, Uri, Nidwalden, Obwalden

Suissimage

Ernst Göhner Stiftung

Victorinox

swissTAP

Succès Cinéma

Succès Passages Antennes

Cast

No items found.
No items found.

Festivals

2009

Dance on Camera

New York

USA

2010

Filmfestspiele Biberach

Biberach

Germany

2010

Warsaw International Film Festival

Warsaw

Poland

2010

Filmfest Prag/Brno

Prag/Brno

Czech Republic

2010

Filmfestival «Der neue Heimatfilm»

Freistadt

Austria

2010

Filmfestival Locarno

Locarno

Switzerland

2010

Musikfilmfestival Oberaudorf

Oberaudorf

Germany

2010

Galway Film Fleadh

Galway

Ireland

2010

Filmfest München

Munich

Germany

2010

Doc Outlook Nyon

Nyon

Switzerland

2010

45. Solothurner Filmtage

Solothurn

Switzerland

Awards

2010

PRIX DU PUBLIC

Solothurner Filmtage

Filmstills

DVD bestellen

Der finale Preis sowie die Verfügbarkeit der DVD wird per Mail kommuniziert.
Die meisten DVDs kosten ca. 20 CHF + Versandkosten von ca. 7 CHF.

Thank you. Your order has reached our inbox.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.