In this short experimental film, poetry and movement, two sources of distinct rhythm, come together to embody an abstract but all pervading force: time. Time is the constant, the heartbeat of the universe which creates both life and chaos, and a concept that we can only grasp occasionally through science, philosophy, art, and experience.
The original poetry that underscores this film was written by Paul Sutter, a research professor in astrophysics, a powerful attempt to capture the known and unknown, weaving together the multiple facets of time. It combines our scientific understanding of time—special relativity, entropy, and so on—with the ineffable human experience of it: memory, loss, anticipation. This poem builds on and continues to explore themes that Sutter has explored in his previous work with Dark ‘n’ Light, particularly his essay The Now That Never Is.
Sutter’s poetry is brought to life by the dancers of SYREN Modern Dance, choreographed by the Artistic Director of the company, Kate Sutter.
Time is a Dancer is an exploration of poetry—of words, time, and movement—centering dance and the dancer. Filmed in the Alvin Ailey Center by Nel Shelby Productions, the film begins in the lobby and traverses through the space, moving between the stage and the seats—encapsulating the full experience of a dancer. The process of filming was designed so that movement remains the focus. The company’s movements and interactions, with each other and the space itself, invite the audience to listen and resonate with the spoken word poetry, and to reflect on the past, present, and anticipated future that the arrow of time will carry us to.
Time is a Dancer is our first film to be selected at a film festival. It is an Official Selection of the Rethink Dance Film Festival Season 7, and will be screened at various locations through 2025. It is also an Official Section for the 2025 Experimental Film Odyssey, and will be screened in November 2025.
Read Paul Sutter’s poem here.