description Pas de deux Overview
Norman McLaren’s *Pas de Deux* (1968) is a pioneering Canadian short film from the National Film Board. Utilizing innovative techniques of high-contrast photography and optical printing, the film visually replicates dancers' movements through multiple layers. This experimental work demonstrates groundbreaking advancements in animation and filmmaking, primarily appealing to those interested in dance history, motion graphics, and the evolution of cinematic visual effects.
help Pas de deux FAQ
How did Norman McLaren create the multiplied dancers in Pas de deux?
Pas de deux used high-contrast black-and-white 35 mm photography and optical step-and-repeat printing. The dancers' movements are repeated in trails, sometimes multiplied up to about 10 images.
Who dances in Pas de deux?
The 1968 National Film Board of Canada short features Margaret Mercier and Vincent Warren. Its title refers to a ballet duet, but the film first isolates and multiplies Mercier's solo movement before the male dancer joins.
What music is used in Pas de deux?
The dance is choreographed to Romanian pan pipe music arranged for the film. That music gives the 13-minute short a ritual, suspended quality rather than a conventional narrative ballet structure.
Why is Pas de deux associated with the National Film Board of Canada?
Norman McLaren made the film at the National Film Board of Canada, where he developed many of his animation and optical-printing experiments. Pas de deux is one of his best-known works combining dance and film technology.
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