The DOGTOOTH dance

This dance sequence from the 2009 Greek film DOGTOOTH, directed by GIORGOS LANTHIMOS, is a good shock to the system, like the film itself.

I heard Ms. AGGELIKI PAPOULIA did her own choreography...

STORYBOARD P

From Brooklyn, NY, "mutant" dancer STORYBOARD P.

Pina in 2D

In the new film PINA by WIM WENDERS, the dance company of the late PINA BAUSCH is featured, along with a number of pieces.

The short bits of her dances translate well to film, and although the filming is done in 3D, I might like the 2D better.

The Serpentine Dance

A hand-painted film of pionner modern dancer LOIE FULLER, circa 1896.

Although shot in black and white and later colored by hand, for the live performance, I am told, these dancers were shone with colored lights to achieve a similar effect.

The Spirit Was Gone

In this videoclip for ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS, the famed Japanese Butoh dancer KAZUO OHNO is resurrected via archival footage. Mr. OHNO, who appeared on the cover of ANTONY's 2009 album THE CRYING LIGHT, is given a fitting memorial here.

The Wayward Cloud

The Taiwanese filmmaker TSAI MING-LIANG's 2006 film THE WAYWARD CLOUD didn't get much U.S. distribution, perhaps because American audiences are not ready for an off-the-wall, porn-u-topia, song-and-dance art film...

NYC's Museum of Modern Art plays the film this week.

Oh, Calypso

A scene from Taiwanese director TSAI MING-LIANG' s 1998 film THE HOLE. Throughout this poetic urban fairytale, the characters re-enact musical numbers from legendary Chinese actress GRACE CHANGE. The original, below:

Epilepsy is Dancing

This is what happens if an epileptic walks near the WACHOWSKI BROS's warehouse...

The press release accompanying this music video for ANTONY AND THE JOHNSON's current single asks you to "enjoy the fruits" of this "San Francisco art party."

Kids Run Wild

Among the current crop of new hipster synth bands, THE PRESETS stand out for their attention to sonic details and a serious gothic streak. This new music video for the song IF I KNOW YOU shows what happens if kids run wild on the streets of L.A. with dancing on their minds.

The results are much sweeter than what could happen in France, if you remember JUSTICE's infamous STRESS clip:

Some company on the dancefloor

A little slice of Swedish backwoods dancefloor heaven. THE KNIFE, famously reclusive in performance, cast Sweden's most public transvestite to act as the artist in their clip for PASS THIS ON. The actual band members, a real-life brother and sister duo, can be spotted in the crowd. (The narrow-eyed dancer is THE KNIFE's OLAF). A masterpiece of setting and mood (and dance moves), this video rewards repeat viewings.

The clip for this song turned out so well, in fact, that they recreated it for a "live" television performance. Everybody dance:

Township Funk

This incredible and gloriously timeless-looking clip from South Africa is actually the flagship single from the Kwaito scene's heavyweight DJ MUJAVA. The word on the street is that WARP RECORDS found this clip on YouTube and is now putting TOWNSHIP FUNK out as a single.

I love the energy and the fluid endless melody in this record, and amazingly it mixes quite well with today's NYC electro scene (I heard it in a club just last night).

Raise your hands up to the sky

When I think of dancing on film, a longtime favorite music video has been NICK CAVE AND THE BADSEEDS' unholy dance party with FIFTEEN FEET OF PURE WHITE SNOW. The unsettling and darkly comic cinematography is reminiscent of DAVID LYNCH, but the attitude is pure CAVE.

When I saw his punkier outfit GRINDERMAN perform in Chicago last year, the electric antics of NICK CAVE's lanky frame served by the mid- to upbeat music were the highlight of his performance. Here, we are also treated to a cameo appearance from JARVIS COCKER of PULP.

Let it guide our feelings

French post-wave stylist LEOS CARAX likes to use pop music to guide his scenes, often from DAVID BOWIE, and often with his favorite actor DENIS LEVANT jumping around and/or dancing.

This clip, from the 1986 film MAUVAIS SANG (Bad Blood) might just be one of my favorite scenes ever. The spirit of the New Wave and the deep romanticism of CARAX anchor the scene, but LEVANT's exuberant run down the street to MODERN LOVE is what made it famous.

Don't Follow Me

The duo known as GNARLS BARKLEY can be counted on to make creative and singular music videos to match their uncompromising R&B esoterica music. This clip for their great recent single GOING ON was shot in Jamaica, and features its fair share of choreographed dancing, against a classic metaphysical tall tale.