Identify - Nephtali

This Animation absolutely makes me weep. It’s difficult to blog about this in the middle of the studio without calling attention to myself. The movement, expression and emotion of a dancer is so beautifully and powerfully demonstrated here. Glen Keane, who used to animate for Disney, created a very moving piece only using a ballet dancer, Marion Barbeau, as a model. 

Glen Keane created ’Nephtali’ for the launch of the Paris Opera’s 3rd stage. He was one of several artists who were recruited for the launching. Here is a brief description of Nephtali found on the Paris Opera website:

"His film “Nephtali”, which refers to Jacob’s blessings and Psalm 42, was born from the comparison between the grace of a dancer and that of a deer. In a choreography which Glen created with Marion Barbeau, he depicts the journey of a soul that is drawn towards a higher power, fights a struggle and is eventually liberated. 

By using both film and drawing, Glen Keane and Marion Barbeau manage to overcome the constraints of gravity and attain the freedom towards which a dancer’s body and spirit always aspire.”

Here is a quote by Glen Keane on the creation of Nephtali from AWN.com:

“It was a humbling experience for me to work as an animator in the Opera Garnier,” Kean said. “It is a palace steeped in the heritage of the craft and art of ballet. I was astounded by the expressiveness and power of the dancers I drew. There is a close connection between dance and animation. I was taught by my mentors at Disney to think in terms of "golden poses" that communicate the emotion and attitude of the character. I noticed in ballet the same use of these ‘golden poses.’ Working with ballerina Marion Barbeau I had the impression I was working with a great animator, only she expressed herself through her body's movements instead of a pencil... and with such rhythm and grace! I am truly grateful to Benjamin Millepied and the Paris Ballet for the invitation to step into their world and live my animation dream for a moment.”

Here are my favourite moments from Nephtali:

The captured movement is so elegant and graceful as well as accurate. The dancer and her movement are both very convincing. As mentioned on Opera De Paris, Glen Keane takes the dancer and pushes her movement even further by adding a weightlessness to it. 

Glen Keane (Animator). Opera De Paris, Nephtali - [Online] Available at: https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/3e-scene/nephtali. (Accessed 6/11/2015).

Jennifer Wolfe, Glen Keane Creates ‘Nephtali' Short for the Paris Opera. Wednesday, September 16, 2015 at 10:38am [Online]Available at: http://www.awn.com/news/glen-keane-creates-nephtali-short-paris-opera. (Accessed 6/11/2015)