FAQ

We mean an object that can withstand you placing some or all of your weight into. If you are questioning if what you have in mind counts, ask yourself these questions:

• Can you safely be on the object without touching the floor?
• Can you go safely upside down on the object?
• Does the object allow you to move in space in some way that would be impossible without it?

If you answered NO to these questions, it probably does not qualify for this competition. If you answered YES, it’s probably good to go! But remember, you don’t necessarily have to come fully off the floor or go upside down in your work.

A link to a video of your work that must be public or unlisted. The names and contact info of each person involved with the work, including all dancers and choreographers. If you have multiple people, the name of your team leader. A short statement about your work is optional. This is a good place to give context for the work, anything you would like to share about the process of creation, etc. These statements may get shared with your video if you are selected as a winner or honorable mention, so keep that in mind. 

No, but you must register in order to be a part of the curated aspect. Registration will be open for several months before the event. You will be able to register here. Please remember you must also pay your registration fee through Paypal to inanimatedance@gmail.com 

Yes. We encourage this! Please see the Host page or Guides page for more information on how to do that.

Yes! We think that is an awesome idea. Duos or groups must pay the base $30 fee and an additional $5 for each participant (dancers or choreographers). 2 people = $40, 3 people = $45, 4 people = $50, etc.

If your collaboration is selected for the monetary prize, the money will be sent to whoever paid the submission fee. It is up to you and your team to decide how to split that up.

You have a few options.

First, consider asking a local studio if they would be interested in hosting extra time for the event over the weekend. If you find several other local people who would be interested, banding together may be an effective approach to convincing the space to be open for extra time or split rental costs.

If there are no studios available, again, try asking friends who may have access to apparatuses if they are interested in participating and make it a collaborative effort!

Finally, if all else fails, get creative. Maybe you can’t participate on the apparatus of your choice, but we are willing to bet you have some kind of weight bearing object laying around at home or you could find something pretty neat to climb on at a local park. We are unspecific in apparatus choice for this reason! Get on a chair, a couch, a playground, whatever, and make some magic happen. (Although make sure it’s pretty sturdily built and exercise caution first).

There are several reasons for this:

Since this is something you do in your own time and space, we believe a small monetary investment may help people commit to completing the challenge.

The proceeds are split up to support artists in various ways, by either paying our curators, supporting the event in the future, or money going toward one deserving artist.

Part of the proceeds also go toward a charitable cause. We do this because we would like to use our collective time and effort to make change in the world, and also it means even if you don’t finish the challenge or receive a selection, it was not for nothing.  

There are no categories in Inanimate 48, or at least at this time. Our curation guide is designed such that difficulty or technical skill level is not that much of an impact on the curation decisions. Rather, the focus will be on creative effort and content. Please see the guide for more details.

No. Doing so will get you disqualified. Obviously, we can’t verify if your choreography was created exactly within the 48 hour window, but if it is obvious, such as a identical to a clip from a live show performed at an earlier date, you will be disqualified and not issued a refund. The spirit of the competition is to rapidly create something new and silence your inner critic so that you may grow as an artist. Everyone should choreograph an original work within the 48 hours of the challenge.

You are permitted to do this, however both the choreographer and dancer[s] must be named and paid for. The submission form will have a separate field for you to specify the choreographer.

Yes! This event is open and meant for all levels. You will not be evaluated for the difficulty of your routine, but moreso the content, creativity, and ability to express an idea.

Yes! We want very much for this event to be as inclusive as possible. We have arranged several guides to help you film your work in a DIY manner that looks as good as possible, even if you are just filming at home. Check them out here 

Of course! Keep in mind that if your video is poorly lit or the audio is difficult to hear, it may be difficult for the audience to experience your work as you intended it (unless you purposefully want a dark, difficult to hear video). Do your best to make the best possible environment to  support your content when you film. Check out our guide on some strategies for doing this

Your work can be of any length. If by the end of the weekend, you are only satisfied with 30 seconds of material, you can submit just 30 seconds. If you feel you need 20 minutes to get your point across, go for it. However, keep in mind your audience and the story you work tells in the length of time you have chosen. If you take longer, you will probably want to keep them captivated.

Yes, and we don’t expect most people to. You can spend as much or as little of the time as you want…if you only have a few hours, that is fine! Just do what you are comfortable with. Remember, your piece can be as long or as short as you want. 30 seconds of material is perfectly okay if that is all you had time for.

Yes. The submission deadline is midnight on Sunday in order to allow wiggle room for different time zones and start times.

Absolutely not. Edit away if you wish. (In fact, creative editing may really stand out).

No. Use that fact as a motivation to finish!

You can put anything here. You could put nothing. This is your chance to discuss your motivations, ideas, or process. If you write something here, it will be considered in the curation process and may be included if your video is shared on our page. 

You can wear (or not wear) whatever you damn well please. Just keep in mind community guidelines of the video hosting site you plan to upload it to. We will not be able to review your submission if your video is taken down.

This is tricky. Sometimes art, in order to do its job, needs to be a little offensive. It is impossible to please all the people all the time. But there are definitely lines, and Inanimate Dance aims to be inclusive and welcoming to all types of people, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or cultural background. Read this guide on cultural appropriation for starters. Think about what perspective you are coming from, and how your commentary fits into the larger narrative of your subject matter. Are there groups of people, particularly previously or currently oppressed minority groups, who would be hurt or deeply offended by your work? If yes, maybe you should reconsider your approach to the subject matter.