The Whirling of Lament

Dance: Lorenza Di Calogero
Music & Filmmaking: Blas Payri

“Whirling of Lament” is an experimental video that explores the expressive potential of a 360º camera, featuring the performance of dancer Lorenza Di Calogero. The video opens with Di Calogero seated in a state of deep lamentation, her movements deliberate and evocative, reminiscent of Martha Graham’s work.

As Di Calogero’s arms encircle the camera, the proximity of her body parts creates striking visual distortions, drawing viewers into an expressionistic journey. These distortions are further amplified through postproduction, transforming her surroundings into a surreal, emotional landscape.
Midway through the dance, Di Calogero appears isolated on a tiny, desolate planet, symbolizing her profound loneliness and despair. This scene then morphs into a world of continuous encirclement, trapping her in a looping, circular prison. The boundaries between her body and the space around her blur, reinforcing a claustrophobic atmosphere that mirrors her inner turmoil.

Enhancing this visual narrative is an expressionistic soundtrack composed by filmmaker Blas Payri. The music features relentless ostinatos and sudden bursts of energy, with moving binaural spatialization that envelops the listener. This auditory experience heightens the tension and disorientation of the distorted world, intricately weaving 360º imagery with 360º binaural sound.
“Whirling of Lament” blends innovative visual and audio techniques to explore sorrow and entrapment.