Tap Noir
Tap Noir is the newest project of tap dancer / choreographer Janne Eraker in cooperation with light and sound designer Jorg Schellekens (NL). In this work the rhythm and movement vocabulary of tap dance are combined with dark soundscapes and optical illusions. Janne and Jorg are inspired by film noir and Japanese horror movies, fusing their aesthetics with tap. The result is an experience on the edge of the extreme, which feels less like Puttin' on the Ritz and more like The Ring.
Tap Noir is a piece for one dancer and three stroboscopic lights, connected by contact microphones and piezo pickups. Together they work like an instrument of sorts, enabling the dancer to “play” the light and sound in a variety of ways.
The project had a research phase of several weeks exploring and developing the artistic possibilities within the technical framework, during residencies in Oslo (Notam), Rotterdam (Dansateliers) and The Hague (Bureau Dégradé).
Beware, this piece is not suitable for people with epilepsy or those who are prone to migraines.
Tap dance Helen Duffy Choreography Janne Eraker Light and sound Jorg Schellekens Dramaturg Erik Kaiel
Premiere on April 2., 2022, at Oslo Teatersenter
Supported by Notam, The Hague City, Oslo City, The Norwegian Arts Council (FFLB), FFUK, Scenekunst+ and Dansateliers.
The video below is from the research period in The Hague. A video from the premiere will be ready soon.
Disclaimer: Tap Noir is exclusively lit with stroboscopic light and is therefor difficult to film. It’s not possible to experience the optical effects that occur when watching in real life. We hope the trailer can still give you an impression of this work. A big part of what you see when watching the piece in real life is caused by a physiological phenomenon called the ’afterimage’ effect. It is described as ’an image continuing to appear in one’s vision after the exposure to the original image has ceased. One of the most common afterimages is the bright glow that seems to float before one’s eyes after looking into a light source.’ Because it’s caused by a physical reaction in your own eyes it’s almost impossible to reproduce in video. Please keep this in mind when viewing.
Tap Noir is a piece for one dancer and three stroboscopic lights, connected by contact microphones and piezo pickups. Together they work like an instrument of sorts, enabling the dancer to “play” the light and sound in a variety of ways.
The project had a research phase of several weeks exploring and developing the artistic possibilities within the technical framework, during residencies in Oslo (Notam), Rotterdam (Dansateliers) and The Hague (Bureau Dégradé).
Beware, this piece is not suitable for people with epilepsy or those who are prone to migraines.
Tap dance Helen Duffy Choreography Janne Eraker Light and sound Jorg Schellekens Dramaturg Erik Kaiel
Premiere on April 2., 2022, at Oslo Teatersenter
Supported by Notam, The Hague City, Oslo City, The Norwegian Arts Council (FFLB), FFUK, Scenekunst+ and Dansateliers.
The video below is from the research period in The Hague. A video from the premiere will be ready soon.
Disclaimer: Tap Noir is exclusively lit with stroboscopic light and is therefor difficult to film. It’s not possible to experience the optical effects that occur when watching in real life. We hope the trailer can still give you an impression of this work. A big part of what you see when watching the piece in real life is caused by a physiological phenomenon called the ’afterimage’ effect. It is described as ’an image continuing to appear in one’s vision after the exposure to the original image has ceased. One of the most common afterimages is the bright glow that seems to float before one’s eyes after looking into a light source.’ Because it’s caused by a physical reaction in your own eyes it’s almost impossible to reproduce in video. Please keep this in mind when viewing.
Comments from the audience
“Tap Noir is a delightful blend of tap dance, electronics and the supernatural. I get the feeling that the performance is happening in another dimension, while it’s happening right in front of me.” Håkon Sigernes, tap dancer
“Tap Noir was a cool experience where dance, light and sound were laced together in a fascinating way. There were several passages that I would love to see again, because I want to experience how the elements connect and interact. I’m sure I’ll discover more!” Kevin
“A work that triggers many thoughts about art, and how we express art today. In an eternal blinking light we get everything from Japanese horror imitations to memories from our own childhood, from when we drew little, jumping stick men in the corner of some schoolbook. The forever flashing light never lets us rest, and sometimes I had to close my eyes and just listen. Tap Noir is a show I’d love to see again, as no performance is the same as the other.” Vegar Vårdal, fiddler
“For me, Tap Noir was an organic experience of a photographic art installation, with sounds and stroboscopic light being triggered by Helen Duffy’s tap shoes. A rewarding experience!” Magne A. Bauge, Technical Training Manager
“I was at the Tap Noir premiere. Wow. Never have I seen anything like it! Eyes and brains were challenged, since the show is lit with stroboscopes only. It results in a performance that can almost be described as a “live” slideshow. The tap dancer's performance is very impressive, as she is triggering light and sound up on a stage, staring into either complete darkness or very bright lights. Tap Noir is an experience far from the ordinary!”
“Tap Noir manages to trick the senses again and again. Short flashes of light let the brain fill in what it thinks it’s seeing, and fragments of the dancer seem to hang on the wall and retina, like some kind of reversed shadow theater. While knowing how the installation works, and how the dancer makes tap dance sounds and triggers light and sound, the senses still get so misled that one starts to wonder what’s really going on. With a landscape that reaches from dark, serious and even creepy, to funny and psychedelic, Tap Noir is an exciting and peculiar work.” Kristoffer, el. musician
“Tap Noir is a delightful blend of tap dance, electronics and the supernatural. I get the feeling that the performance is happening in another dimension, while it’s happening right in front of me.” Håkon Sigernes, tap dancer
“Tap Noir was a cool experience where dance, light and sound were laced together in a fascinating way. There were several passages that I would love to see again, because I want to experience how the elements connect and interact. I’m sure I’ll discover more!” Kevin
“A work that triggers many thoughts about art, and how we express art today. In an eternal blinking light we get everything from Japanese horror imitations to memories from our own childhood, from when we drew little, jumping stick men in the corner of some schoolbook. The forever flashing light never lets us rest, and sometimes I had to close my eyes and just listen. Tap Noir is a show I’d love to see again, as no performance is the same as the other.” Vegar Vårdal, fiddler
“For me, Tap Noir was an organic experience of a photographic art installation, with sounds and stroboscopic light being triggered by Helen Duffy’s tap shoes. A rewarding experience!” Magne A. Bauge, Technical Training Manager
“I was at the Tap Noir premiere. Wow. Never have I seen anything like it! Eyes and brains were challenged, since the show is lit with stroboscopes only. It results in a performance that can almost be described as a “live” slideshow. The tap dancer's performance is very impressive, as she is triggering light and sound up on a stage, staring into either complete darkness or very bright lights. Tap Noir is an experience far from the ordinary!”
“Tap Noir manages to trick the senses again and again. Short flashes of light let the brain fill in what it thinks it’s seeing, and fragments of the dancer seem to hang on the wall and retina, like some kind of reversed shadow theater. While knowing how the installation works, and how the dancer makes tap dance sounds and triggers light and sound, the senses still get so misled that one starts to wonder what’s really going on. With a landscape that reaches from dark, serious and even creepy, to funny and psychedelic, Tap Noir is an exciting and peculiar work.” Kristoffer, el. musician