Matthew Bourne on dance made for film

"In my work, I use imagery from my favourite movies t create vivid and familiar pictures but creating dance for camera offers a completely different but equally rewarding challenge.

Dance and television are natural companions but theatrical dance can often appear constrained by a 2-dimensional TV screen. This series [4 Dance] escapes these confines by making the camera the motivation for the choreography. These pieces couldn’t be performed in the theatre.

Some films tell a clear story and place us in a real world with recognisable characters and situations. Others have a less clear narrative but evoke potent emotions and feelings. And some take pleasure in the movement itself and its relationship with the camera and space. Because dance is not a literal art form, its secrets and meanings are revealed gradually - the interpretation often personal and unique to the viewer. You don’t need to be an expert in contemporary dance to enjoy it – far from it. Each film communicates in its own special way.”