Jose Sebastian's life as a summer resident of East Hampton set the stage for his creation of the Hamptons Dance Project, which debuted at Guild Hall in the summer of 2019, featuring dance world stars such as Isabella Boylston and James B. Whiteside.
Mr. Sebastian joined the American Ballet Theatre in 2010. Now, fast forward to 2020, when he was appointed the director of the renowned ballet company's "incubator," in which the dancers are given the opportunity to choreograph their own performances.
Amid the pandemic, the incubator dancers kept busy in "ballet bubbles" that were in line with Covid-19 precautions. On Monday at noon, the A.B.T. Incubator will launch a series of dances on film -- choreographed and performed by the "bubbles" themselves. And for the five following Mondays, also at noon, new ones can be viewed for free on the A.B.T.'s website, abt.org, and on its social media channels.
"I think the pandemic has sort of provided this magnified scope on dance," Mr. Sebastian said in a phone interview this week. "We're so used to seeing dance in a proscenium from far away. Because everyone has been forced to go digital, we're doing a lot more films. You're seeing dance in a brand-new way. That's been really fascinating."
People have performed with masks on and in individual boxes. They have danced socially distant duets. What also emerged from the pandemic, creatively, were themes of isolation and loss, but also hope. There has been plenty of new content.
"They are creating for the sake of creating. It's been really nice to see. Absence sort of developed an opportunity for artists as well as audiences," Mr. Sebastian said.
In pre-pandemic days, there were always audience members who loved to sit in the front row at the ballet, not unlike the fans who sit courtside at pro basketball games. Mr. Sebastian suggested that film can give viewers a similar experience.
"It has been a really tough year, but I think dance has survived, thrived, and adapted through film," he said. He directed some short films himself earlier this year. One was inspired by psithurism -- the sound that the wind makes as it moves through the leaves of trees. (Not surprising for a dancer who, as a kid, once dressed as the wind for Halloween.)
Following last summer's intimate performance on an outdoor stage behind Guild Hall, local audiences can expect the Hamptons Dance Project to return this coming season. By way of a tempting preview, Mr. Sebastian said there will be a piece choreographed to the song "Like I Used to Do" by the country singer Pat Alger.
There's also the possibility that the A.B.T. Incubator will lend one of its works to the stage here this summer.
"Watching the artists develop their creations, always rising to the challenges with an 'I can do this' enthusiasm, was a privilege," Mr. Sebastian said. "I look forward to sharing these beautiful films with everyone."
