Short Film: SAFE AND SOUND, 6min., Experimental

Directed by Taso Papadakis, Kevin Willamson
Contemplative and gripping, the short experimental film “Safe And Sound” explores the themes of solidarity, isolation, the individual and collective observer, victimization, racism, religious practice, love and compassion. The film is co-directed by Kevin Williamson and Taso Papadakis. Cinematography is by Taso Papadakis. The short film stars a diverse ensemble of Los Angeles-based dancers, all on the cutting edge of their craft of expression.

Watch the Audience Feedback Video:

Project Links

•  Website

News & Reviews

• “KEVIN WILLIAMSON+COMPANY PRESENT A GRIPPING “SAFE AND SOUND””LA Dance Chroniclehttps://www.ladancechronicle.com/kevin-williamsoncompany-present-a-gripping-safe-and-sound/
• “Safe and Sound Project””Dixon Place” Websitehttp://dixonplace.org/performances/safe-and-sound-a-meditation-

Director Biography – Taso Papadakis, Kevin Willamson

Taso Papadakis:
Taso Papadakis is a commercial art photographer and filmmaker.
He currently makes images for LA Opera, UCLA Opera, and AMDA. His photo work is often published in the LA Times.
Taso’s motion film work is in the collection of the Joseph Campbell Foundation.
His fine art photography has been featured as decor on TV sets, including the sets of the show “Sons of Anarchy”.
He has also worked on photo documentaries including assignments in El Salvador, in order to directly benefit the remote communities there.
Among the highlights in his documentary work , was an opportunity to be close to and photograph the Dalai Lama.
He has a degree in Religious Studies from the University of Southern California and is a large-scale painter for the sake of movement and celebration.

Kevin Williamson:
Kevin Williamson is an L.A.­based dance artist who received his MFA in Choreography from UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance. A Lestor Horton Award recipient and Center Theatre Group Sherwood Award Finalist, Kevin’s dance­ theater works explore aspects of contemporary queer life and have been presented nationally and internationally at venues such as Danspace Project, REDCAT, CounterPulse, LACMA, Salvage Vanguard Theater, and Beijing Dance Festival. Kevin has also created original choreography for UCLA Opera, The Juilliard School, Yale Repertory Theater, Geffen Playhouse, and Edinburgh Fringe. His performance credits include dancing and collaborating in the works of David Rousseve/REALITY, David Gordon/Pick Up Performance, Julie Taymor and Angelin Preljocaj for LA Opera, Robert Moses’ Kin, Stephen Koplowitz, Heidi Duckler, Maria Gillespie, Kate Hutter, Sebastian Prantl and David Bridel. Kevin is a certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst and a full­time faculty member at Scripps College in Claremont, CA.

Director Statement

Kevin Williamson:
Safe and Sound is a dance meditation on self-preservation and queer solidarity. We move through grief while refusing to ignore hate. Our sharing of these movements, which will be live and virtual, interrogates aural and physical violence fueled by white supremacy, anti-Black racism, transphobia, and homophobia. We try, through this dance, to build stamina and resilience against structures of oppression and violence in a process supported by cathartic movements and to raise questions for further discussion on queer solidarity, relationality, hypervisibility/invisibility, notions of allyship, the potential for collective endurance, and ultimately, self-care and love.