Pas de Deux

Pas de Deux, directed by the prolific filmmaker Norman McLaren in 1968, is an achingly beautiful avant-garde short film which blurs the lines between performance art, ballet dancing and moviemaking. This stunning cinematic piece, which harmoniously combines the mediums of film, music, and dance, stars ballet dancers Margaret Mercier and Vincent Warren.

For anyone unfamiliar with ballet terminology, 'Pas de Deux' translates as 'step for two.' This concept forms the backbone of the film, and the literal meaning of Pas de Deux is encapsulated within the performance and repeated continuously in the visually alluring dance repertoires throughout.

The film begins with a candid close-up of ballet dancers Margaret Mercier and Vincent Warren as they execute delicately poised dance moves on a stark, off-white stage. Gradually, the film quitely transitions from a pure and straightforward visual document into an entrancing balletic dream as filmmaker McLaren intricately applies his optical printing techniques to the performance.

The film earned a reputation, and rightly so, as a masterwork of technical prowess. McLaren utilizes the wonders of optical printing, rotoscoping, and multiple image layering techniques to create an almost hallucinatory, mesmerizing depiction of an idealized ballet performance. McLaren's film manipulates time and movement in such a masterful way that it gives the classical ballet an ethereal, otherworldly quality.

Margaret Mercier and Vincent Warren take center stage not just as performers but also as moving, breathing artistic forms, subjected to the magic of McLaren's camera. Their bodies become the canvas for McLaren's craftsmanship, highlighting the expressive potential of the human form. Both Mercier and Warren, who were distinguished soloists at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens at the time of the film's production, execute the ballet with lyrical, sensitive precision that only heightens the visual spectacle the film has to offer.

The dance repertoire in Pas de Deux captivates with its intricate complexity and visual rhythm, but the dance is just one dimension of the film. The musical score is an equally compelling companion, pairing seamlessly with the movement of the dancers, each beat resonating with each leap, twirl, and pirouette. The composition underscores the film's elegant sense of rhythm and elevates its ability to transport viewers into a captivating realm of aesthetic wonder.

In a brilliant display of synchronicity, the sound of the score and the steps of the ballet come together in harmony. The score, composed by Maurice Blackburn, takes the viewer on an auditory journey that complements the visual spectacle. Tension builds and ebbs in the music as the dancers cascades through choreographed steps, along with pulsating crescendos of melody that underline their movements and ghostly euphonic echoes that accompany their lingering afterimages.

Pas de Deux's cinematography is also effectively used to accent the ethereal choreography. The strategic use of fading, superimposition, and overstated shadows creates an otherworldly, dreamy essence which breathes life into the dance, uniquely capturing the grace, strength, and elegance inherent in ballet.

Pas de Deux is more than a motion picture carrying the qualities of a silent film or documentary. The viewers are offered a transcendent interplay of light, music, and movement that indulge them in an immersive experience beyond orthodox cinema and revealing the power of film as an expressive medium.

Despite its concise duration, Pas de Deux's innovation and enchanting visuals have been recognized worldwide. The film has garnered many awards, including the BAFTA Film Award for Animated Short Film.

Pas de Deux exemplifies the true power and potential of film as an artistic medium that transcends convention and transforms reality. It's a reminder of how art - in its purest form - can captivate, elate, and leave us yearning for more, which is exactly what Norman McLaren’s triumph of artistry does for those who witness this beautiful amalgamation of dance, music, and film.