Breton Tyner-Bryan’s short interpretative dance film Delusione explores the mind, body, and self. The director uses her surroundings and body to express disappointment and self-reflection. A fascinating aspect of this artistic expression is the lighting and mood that have been created to expand one’s perspective and perception throughout the film. For example, a mirrored hallway, old dance shoes that appear to be remnants of a past life full of excitement, and expressions of dissatisfaction are edited together with somber mood music of piano and string instruments.
Although there’s a type of id versus ego expression, the two dancers featured throughout, Tyner-Bryan and Emily Ulrich, communicate in controlled, awkward movements, although they are entirely different. A reliving of a Victorian-influenced era in what appeared to be on the floor of a Victorian home had the dancers dressed in a long coat with a fur collar, street dresses, dancing shoes, and other elements of a past era collided with an everyday frustration or lack of interest. A simple exit down a staircase near the end is satisfying and well used.
“…uses her surroundings and body to express disappointment and self-reflection.”
Besides being an unusual and attractive performing arts story, Delusione boasts excellent camera work that captures angles and articulations without losing momentum. The breaking of dance to human expression is also very well done and thought out and one of my favorite design aspects. A routine that can survive starts and stops and manage to hold one’s attention has to be clever, artful, and impressive; all that applies here. I particularly enjoyed it when the two women danced side-by-side, revealing their reach as dancers.
As a thinking piece, I felt that Delusione was about accessing another person’s need to find an identity to escape their existence or roam around a past life. Feet movements, awkward hand positions, and peculiar arm bends were odd, yet, I learned to accept these movements. I also loved how facial expressions vacillated between happiness, intrigue, studious, and inquisitive, as if searching for something, as the film evolved.
A certain raw and real beauty of the women and their motivation through their placement and movement is captured by Delusione. The title suggests a state of feeling sad because something has not happened or because something is not as good as you hoped it would be. It proves a very fitting statement and one that has been interpreted in a stylish and crafted presentation.
"…an unusual and attractive performing arts story..."
