Week 2_Video Response_Haley Wilson

Kiesza — Hideaway

This particular video consists of one long, continuous shot that essentially follows the subject around—panning with her movement. It begins with her getting out of a cab, and from that point she embarks on her journey through the city as any person would--but with the exception of doing it in the form of dance. In the process, she interacts with people and objects around her; so it is as if everything comes together and becomes incorporated into the dance—creating an overall work of art from the movement of the cars in the background, to the graffiti on the walls, and to the gestures of her body. The more you watch the video and look at the background rather than the dances, you begin to realize how artful it is that the city is just as lively as the dance movements that the subjects of the video are making; life just continues on without skipping a beat, and a city rather than a rural area has the energy to go along with the beat of the music. The combination of the rhythm, beat, and energy also help to give meaning to the lyrics of the song in general; the upbeat sound and the way the subject appears makes it seem as if the song could have something to do with the way life goes on and our interactions with people. She says “you’re just a feeling, you let my heart escape beyond the meaning” and “I love the way that there’s nothing sure”; this almost makes me feel as though she is expressing a love for the spontaneity in life and how our communication and relationships with people are what make life interesting. Our environment overall impacts our emotions and feelings in everyday life. The bystanders in the background watch the dancing crew from afar—some even recording with their phones; and I can’t help but wonder how they interpret what is going on or what the dancing might look like from their point of view. Surely, the dancing that they are watching from a distance is a spontaneous event bringing feelings of interest and excitement to whatever their daily routine may look like. The end of the video sort of comes full circle as the main subject gets back into a cab and leaves at the end of her dance—possibly symbolizing the cycle or routine of life within the overall idea that life is unpredictable.