Premiere: Taylor Bradshaw’s award-winning “Slow Dance” video is an intensely visual emotional rollercoaster
Photos by Jurate Veceraite
Originally published by Alt Citizen
Hot on the heels of the release of his well-received debut LP, Twine, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Taylor Bradshaw brings the retro-tinged “Slow Dance” to life in a vividly produced video recently awarded Best Music Video at the Garden State Film Festival. Exploring the darker side of romantic courtship and influenced in equal parts by the paintings of Renaissance master Caravaggio, the classic doo-wop stylings of Sam Cooke and The Flamingos, and the psychedelic terror of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Bradshaw channels very personal emotions into a visual depiction of a passionate relationship’s full cycle.
At its core, “Slow Dance” is about disconnection, words left unsaid and feelings left unexpressed that ultimately lead to helplessness and eventual surrender to the overpowering weight of suppressed emotions. As the video begins it is immediately apparent that something is not right, opening with Bradshaw’s intense, multilayered depictions of anguish against a black background. “The 'black-space' is especially important. It represents a place where fear and desire are personified in space and figures,” says director Travis Jones, and serves as an ominous bit of foreshadowing before moving on to the wholesome and comforting visuals of a young couple meeting for the first time on the polished gymnasium hardwoods of a school dance. Frequently the stage for pivotal moments in the plot or development of characters in everything from Pretty In Pink to Carrie, a school dance is the ideal setting to frame the tale of these star-crossed lovers.
Cautiously approaching one another, the dance begins innocently as the pair come together with an air magnetic anticipation and perceptible hesitation. The couple embraces more closely and begins to fall into the rhythm of the dance before the scene shifts abruptly. Gone are the familiar surroundings of the gym, replaced with inky blackness and looks of genuine fear and uneasiness. From the moments following the initial rendezvous, Bradshaw’s partner Kerry McManus is visibly overcome by feelings of uncertainty. This will not have a happy ending. The fresh, bloody slice at her throat indicates that she has lost her ability to speak out, her freedom of expression stolen from her by the manipulative machinations of her increasingly unhinged partner. As the dance continues, the pair are forced together and pulled apart by a sea of arms, external forces exerting their sway on the lovers. Flashes of Bradshaw’s face reveal voluntary interactions with the faceless forms, intimate glances and physical contact with the void that stand in stark contrast to McManus’ fear and confusion. She most certainly does not want to remain in this situation but has lost the ability to escape, caught in the intense gravity of an emotional black hole and spiraling towards oblivion. Unable to resist any longer, she eventually gives herself over to the dance, fully lead and manipulated by her partner until, unceremoniously, he drops her to the floor, empty, emotionless eyes downcast upon her akimbo form as he turns away into the blackness.
The duality of Bradshaw’s performance is striking as he becomes a monster of his own creation. While his intentions begin pure enough upon meeting McManus, his inability to communicate his own feelings in the face of her silence and confusion results in the grotesque transformation he undergoes throughout the dance. Not entirely reactionary, the continual suppression and inability to express his own emotions forces a mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll to become the monstrous Mr. Hyde, a victim of emotional poisoning that leads to the complete destruction of the self, a soulless husk with empty eyes is all that remains. Thinking back to the opening sequence of the video it becomes apparent that Bradshaw is not without remorse over the outcome of this relationship, reliving the memories in his mind and tortured by the pain he inflicted and the shade of a person he had become. There is hope, then, that he learns from his mistakes and will grow to become a worthy partner in a future dance rather than repeat the cycle.
“I was in an intense relationship where we had a lot of trouble with communication. The medium of dance seemed a good metaphor” says Bradshaw, discussing how the concept for the video came together. The task of replacing verbal communication with meaningful physical movement fell on choreographer Megan Roe who was very keen on conveying “…the fear of losing yourself in the multilayered dance of passion.” Bradshaw himself had little prior experience as a dancer, but his partner Kerry McManus is a seasoned professional. Her fantastic performance and intense physicality throughout the sequence builds a deeply human portrayal of this emotional rollercoaster that serves as a powerful foil to Bradshaw’s menacing presence as he slips further away from humanity.
The level of polish on the video is impressive, especially considering it was produced on a tiny budget and with a true DIY ethos. “Once we put the word out about the idea of the video and shared the song demo, we were overwhelmed with the response from friends” notes Bradshaw, as his network of creatives clamored to get involved with the project. The collaborative environment encouraged the team to play off each other and strive for the best possible quality production, bringing together a wide range of skills in a perfect storm of talent and creativity that absolutely shows, but never overshadows the passion each collaborator brought to the table. Thinking about the production, Bradshaw is deeply appreciative of all the effort that went in to making “Slow Dance” a visual reality; “It was a unique experience, having…these talented friends who just needed to be given a playground to create in. Travis and I are very lucky in that regard.”
Twine is available now on vinyl and streaming on Spotify. Keep up with Taylor Bradshaw on Instagram and don’t miss his energetic live set when he resumes touring in the coming months.