Filmmaker Statement

In Catching Spirits I’m exploring the idea that dance for certain people, can become a power - a supernatural, bad-ass, telepathic, visionary ability. One that must be harnessed and used the right way. In many spiritual practices dance is used as a way to open oneself up to the spirit world - an act of worship to enter an altered state of consciousness. In the Southern Black church, the Holy Ghost can take over during a praise break. In Haitian Vodou, one catches a Lwa. In Balinese culture it’s believed that some dances are so powerful, that even the audience can come into contact with the spirit world and be possessed by god. Loosely based on my own experiences growing up in Haiti- a country with a complex relationship between the deeply religious and those practicing traditional African spirituality- this is a story with roots in folklores found around the world.