Artist Spotlight - Jennifer Akalina Petuch

Throughout the years we’ve met incredible people within the dance film community. We have decided to do an interview series to spotlight these individuals. 

Jennifer Akalina Petuch is a Co-Director, Cinematographer, Editor, and Videographer based out of Tallahassee, Florida. Her film “Liminality” was an official selection of our 2020 film fest.

What are 3 adjectives that describe you as an artist?

Playful, Fearless, Balanced

Is there anything that you would like us to know about your work?

I feel that the ever-growing field of digital technology has had an increasing presence in dance and theater productions. As an artist, I see interactive performance technology incorporated into choreographic and staged works as a prime site of access for multigenerational audiences. Multimedia theater pieces tap into the rapidly changing times, keeping abreast with new developments, as an integral part of helping to maintain its cultural relevance. As a Dancer, Choreographer, Projection Designer, Filmmaker, Multimedia Artist, and Educator, my goal is to use the necessary tools to embrace, explore, and cope with new challenges and opportunities in artistic works. From my own experiences, I firmly believe that providing a strong foundation in performance technique, coupled with an introduction to a new genre of digital choreography and movement exploration, enriches our artistic vocabulary and sense of inclusion. My own research focuses on exploring the synergistic relationship between movement techniques and multimedia works. Technology is constantly changing and developing, and my continued investigations allow me to stay connected to this evolution of our field. I want my artistic endeavors to provide another vehicle to express equity in social and global messages through the universal language of dance, the love of live works, and our cultural dependence on technology. By striking a desired balance between technology and movement invention, I can inspire future choreographers, students, and artists to explore these digital techniques and designs that could result in new and innovative works that stimulate and reach diverse audiences. My life-long mission as an artist and digital choreographer is to create work that resonates with the audience members. My goal is for them to walk out of the theater thinking back on their experience feeling stimulated and inspired.

What is your favorite quote?

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." Mahatma Gandhi

You can learn more about Jennifer and her work here http://www.japetuch.com/about

Instagram @jennie.petuch

Images provided by Jennifer Akalina Petuch