Mettler Films and Videos
The following films and videos, produced by Mettler Studios, have been converted to digital format and posted on the Mettler playlist on the Hampshire TV channel in YouTube.
Mother and Daughter: ca. 1945. Shot on 16 mm film, this film does not contain audio. Three min. Mother and Daughter shows the sweet dynamic between Barbara Mettler and her mother as they enjoy each others' company on a beautiful day.
Mrs. Mettler's New Hampshire: ca. 1950. Shot on 16 mm film, this film does not contain audio. Mrs. Mettler's New Hampshire shows some of the beauty of New Hampshire's natural world as seen through the eyes of Barbara Mettler. View Reel #1, Reel #2 or Reel #3 of Mrs. Mettler's New Hampshire.
Drum Dance: 1957. Shot on 16 mm film. Seven min. Drum Dance is an improvisation in sound and movement performed by three dancers with percussive instruments.
Sound and Movement: 1957. Shot on 16 mm film. Seventeen min. Sound and Movement is narrated by Barbara Mettler, and explores the possibilities that abound in using sound in conjunction with music or creating sound-based on movement. This technique is examined via the framework of the rhythm of the breath and expression of the self through sound combined with movement.
Movement Improvisations: 1957. Shot on 16 mm film. Nineteen min. Movement Improvisations is narrated by Barbara Mettler, and explores the different ways one can improvise with movement, whether that be with single parts of the body (i.e., arms, legs, heads, hands, and feet), with the whole body, or as part of a duet or trio or larger group. Mettler also discusses design techniques in improvised dance.
Aqua Viva: 1961. Shot on 16 mm film, this film does not contain audio. Eleven min. Aqua Viva is a visual study of color and motion through the framework of the interplay between light and water.
The Art of Body Movement: 1970. Shot on 16 mm film. Sixty-eight min. The Art of Body Movement documents Barbara Mettler leading children, teenagers, and adults in a program of creative dance improvised before an audience at the Tucson Creative Dance Center. View the Art of Body Movement Part 1 or Part 2.
Group Dance Improvisation: 1976. Shot on 16 mm film. Thirty-four min. Group Dance Improvisation is an example of Mettler's philosophy of group dance. Members of the group make up their own movements expressing individual feelings and at the same tim they relate their movements to the movements of others, creating group movement forms.
Creative Dance for Children: 1977. Shot on 16 mm film. Creative Dance for Children showcases a series of dance workshops for children led by Barbara Mettler at her studio. View Creative Dance for Children Part 1 or Part 2.
A New Direction in Dance: 1978. Shot on 16 mm film. Fifty-eight min. A New Direction in Dance showcases a group improvisation done by dancers who rely entirely on their movement sense to communicate with one another. Every movement of the dance grows out of the feeling of the group at the moment of creation. View A New Direction in Dance Part 1 or Part 2.