This post follows on from my brief discussion of certain parts of the the Papers of Coralie Hinkley, now in the collection of the National Library of Australia as MS 10753, After seeing in the collection photos of dance students under Hinkley’s direction at Fort St Girls’ High School, I enquired about the availability of a film Choros (I dance) at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA). The film was made while Hinkley was teaching at Fort St and the footage had been deposited with the NFSA. There was no viewing copy but the NFSA was quick to approve the transfer of the film into a publicly accessible version, available for viewing on request (with certain restrictions).
I have to admit that I was taken aback somewhat after watching the film just recently. It was made in 1971 on an early video format and, from my previous experience of such things, most early video footage does not transfer well to current formats. So often an ageing process affects the quality of such early video formats. The result is often of such poor quality that it is pretty much impossible to get a good idea of either the quality of the dancing or the choreography. But Choros was an exception with just a slight lack of sharpness, which in fact made it look quite theatrical.
Nor was the content what I was expecting. The young dancers (aged from around 14 in the early part of the film to 16 or 17 in the later sections) were totally committed to their work and danced exceptionally well. But the absolutely amazing aspect of it all was Hinkley herself who at various stages gave an explanation of what was happening. In speaking she focussed largely on her concept of the nature contemporary dance and the role of improvisation. She spoke of her aim to develop emotional, intellectual and imaginative capacities through dance and of the development of body awareness and body design. It was a singular experience listening to her and then seeing those concepts made visible through the choreography and the dancing.
Here is the NFSA link to Choros. I would love to hear from any of the dancers who appeared in Choros, especially if they have watched the film. I am sure they would be amazed to see what Hinkley was passing on to them and how they were absorbing her ideas.
MIchelle Potter, 27 March 2025
Featured image (detail): Coralie Hinkley rehearsing Choros. Photo: © Robert Walker. Inscribed on the back: ‘Caught in rehearsing for “Choros” ‘, which no doubt explains the smile on Hinkley’s face!
