For 21 years, Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema has brought the art and creativity of dance cinema to the heart of Boulder. The organization hosts 10 – 15 screenings in the community each year, highlighting a diverse array of movement and creative expression from all over the world. As one of the longest-lasting dance cinema festivals in the country, Sans Souci has helped elevate Boulder as a premier hub for screen dance.
Executive Director Michelle Bernier first got involved with Sans Souci as a volunteer usher while attending graduate school at CU Boulder for a Master of Fine Arts in Dance. Ever since then, she’s been hooked. “Going to the festival was my first exposure to dance cinema, and I was mesmerized,” said Bernier. “It really took me by surprise as a genre. The unique part of cinema is that it allows you to manipulate space and time – the playground for expression gets so much larger. As a dance educator and filmmaker myself, I value the visual breadth of screen dancing.”
Sans Souci highlights all styles of dance films in its festival. “We look for diversity in every sense of the word – from body type and physical ability to geographic location and type of movement, we work to give our audience a vast display of the art of dance.” In addition to hosting film screenings, Sans Souci also provides educational programming for kids and older adults alike. “We offer a creative aging program called ‘Dance is Like a Fine Wine’ at the West Boulder Age Well Center, which includes a film screening, group discussion and low-mobility friendly dance class. We want to make movement accessible for all.”
Boulder has remained the primary home for Sans Souci because of close collaborations with the CU Boulder Dance Department in addition to the artistic presence within the city. “People in Boulder are open to experimental work, which has been essential for the evolution of our festival over the years. Our goal is to bring folks together and build community around dance and cinema. We provide meeting spaces for those looking to feel inspired.”
The Sans Souci Festival has received several different types of Boulder Arts Commission Cultural Grants over the years, including General Operating Support and Community Project grants. “I would advise those thinking about applying for grant funding to consider the uniqueness and community impact of their offering. Create something that both fuels your interest and meets a need for the community. And don’t be afraid of rejection. Learn from the times you don’t receive a grant and use it to refine your applications in the future!”
For more information about upcoming Sans Souci screenings and opportunities, visit their website at SansSouciFestival.org and follow them on social media @sanssoucifest.
Image credit: J. Akiyama, festival premier at the Museum of Boulder.