DECADANCE

Decadance invites you to explore with us the steps and stages in the lifespan of a woman. Join us in perusing the views, opinions and values of a variety of women from varying backgrounds, lifestyles and decades of life.

When you've finished experiencing the richness of our women's lives we invite you, if you're a woman of any age, to participate in this ongoing project by emailing us your own answers to the questions we asked our respondents. A form is provided for your use. If you're a male, we invite you to send us your comments or feedback.

 Who is the "we" you talk about?

 Tell me about Decadance.

 What's the goal of this project?

 Who are the people involved in the project?

 What will you do with the information you obtain from the form on this website?

 Enough of this, I want to see the women involved and read their responses.

We're a group of nine students, 2 alumni, and one faculty advisor at Vancouver Film School Multimedia Production campus and we're working together to produce this group project which we will add to our respective portfolios.

1. Producer: June Campbell.
2. Director: Susan F. Janzen.
3. Interface Design: Ann Carey.
4. Camera:Vance Valach, Matt Dicus, Patrick Nepomuceno and June Campbell.
5. Interviewer: Ann Carey.
6. Video Editing: June Campbell.
7. Graphics Director: Susan F. Janzen.
8. Graphic Assistants: Ann Carey and June Campbell.
9. Programming: Nicole Curling and Patrick Nepomuceno.
10. Lighting:Wendy Farrow.
11. Sound Recording: Toby Carroll
12. HTML Programming and Web Design: June Campbell.
13. Content Collection and Supervision: Susan F. Janzen.
14. Faculty Adviser: James K-M.
    
    

Decadance is produced on CD ROM along with this companion Internet site. In Decadance, we sought to examine the developmental stages in the lifespan of a woman and to look at the differing attitudes, values and perspectives of women between and within the decades of a woman's life. We asked our respondents six questions and then recorded their answers. For the most part, the answers are recorded in the women's spoken words, although some responses have been shortened in the interests of brevity. Accompanying this, we interviewed a clinical counsellor who specializes in woman's issues. We videotaped her discussion of the traditional developmental theories and her opinions of how those theories do, or do not, fit the women of the nineties. Decadance is not intended to endorse nor oppose any theory, philosophy or political ideology. No valid research conclusions can be drawn from this small a selection of women. We merely seek to provoke interest, to initiate thought and, perhaps, to entertain our viewers by presenting stimulating content in this new, exciting multimedia format.

We agree with the conclusion reached by our therapist who points out that traditional theories are not relevant to today's woman and that meaningful research can only be accomplished by listening to women as they share the richness of their life experiences and tell their stories in their own words.

And because we're students of multimedia, we believe that information should be entertaining as well as informative. The CD ROM project, therefore, introduces each decade of life with a brief video of a contemporary dancer, incorporates art work and writings donated by our women respondents and is accompanied by background music recorded by three adolescent women who participated in the survey. Audio and video samples are, or will be, included on this site for downloading by those who choose.

We hope you enjoy our site and we encourage all of you to contribute to the project by submitting your own responses to the questions asked or comments regarding this project.

We have produced Decadance so as to make a contribution to women's multimedia programming, and to raise awareness of contemporary womens' outlook and approach to life. We have identified three specific goals for Decadance.

• First, we are concerned that there appears to be a dearth of meaningful women's programming, both on the Internet and in the multimedia field in general. We hope to increase and enhance women's content in new media and to attract women to this exciting new technology.
  
  
• Second, we hope to stimulate thought regarding women of the nineties. How do I compare, in values and attitudes, to my peers? How is the economic, political and social reality affecting women in my age group? How can my experience benefit other women, both younger and older than I am? And how can I benefit from hearing the experiences of others?
  
  
• Third, we hope to continue collecting information on this topic and reproduce Decadance as a commercial venture after graduation.
  
  

We extend special thanks and appreciation to the women who donated their time and energy to this project.

Louise Moreau, Registered Clinical Counsellor, North Vancouver, BC, who provided the background information regarding developmental research and who identified the need for contemporary research utilizing information obtained from the women themselves.

Sharon Ryan, of RNB Dance & Theatre Arts, North Vancouver, BC, who permitted us to videotape her dancers and who made available the use of studio, costumes and music.

Isabella Patyk, North Vancouver, BC, whose dancing we taped for use on the CD ROM and who is the model for the dancer animation and icons on this website.This link will download a brief .mov file (movie) of Isabella, in costume, dancing the opening of her performance.

Jasa Baka, Kaethe Sabr and Tyr Jami, (the musical group Babycakes)Vancouver, BC, who performed on violin, piano and cello to provide the background music for Decadance. This link will download a 814 k.wav file of Babycakes performing an excerpt from Oud lied.

Debora K-M, Vancouver, BC, mother of the three sisters mentioned above, who contributed to Decadance by organizing the musical selections and supporting Babycakes through the time consuming and tiring process of sound recording.

Rose Ann Janzen, Vancouver, BC, who allowed us to conduct our interviews in her Kitsalano studio.

And finally, special thanks to the women who participated in the project. Without their generous contribution of self, Decadance could not have been produced.

We also wish to acknowledge the contribution of Audrey Taylor, Port McNeill, BC, who provided the inspiration for Decadance.