One Day on Earth Premiere
UN in NYC
April 22, 2012

Choreographing since 1992 for dance, theater, stage and film . . .

Choreography for Film

Choreography for Stage


Concert Stage

Musical Theater

Theater

Artistic Director of Dance Company, Bitch Co.
Artistic Director, Choreographer and Costume Design
1995-2001

Bitch Co.: A progressive dance-theater company intent on exploring femininity through an abstract multi-influenced body language whom collaboratively construct performances based on the female perspective for the world's public.

Performed in Los Angeles & Las Vegas at venues such as Bergamot Station, Highways, The Brewery, The Henry Huang Theater, Cirque Du Soliel events (Santa Monica & Las Vegas), Cannibal Flower, The White Rabbit, UCLA, Track 16, The Democratic Convention Los Angeles, & The Hatch.

Click to Watch Bitch Co. Reel

*Complete list of works and performances by Bitch Co. available upon request.

UCLA Courses

Introduction to Video Production-Dance for Camera, WAC 180
Spring 2015
World Arts & Cultures Department

Introduction to Video Production-Dance for Camera, WAC 180
Spring 2014
World Arts & Cultures Department

Introduction to Video Production-Dance for Camera, WAC 180
co-taught with David Roussève
Spring 2013
World Arts & Cultures Department

Introduction to Video Production-Dance for Camera, WAC 180
Spring 2012
World Arts & Cultures Department

Social Media, WAC 78
Summer 2011
World Arts & Cultures Department

Dance for Camera, WAC 180
Spring 2011
World Arts & Cultures Department

Beginning Tap Dance, WAC 9
UCLA, Summer Session 2009
World Arts & Cultures Department

Introduction to Video Production-Dance for Camera, WAC 180
Spring 2009
World Arts & Cultures Department

Advanced Projects in Video: Dance for Camera
Installation & Experimental Documentary
Winter 2008, Spring 2009
World Arts & Cultures Department

Introduction to Video Production-Post Production as Choreography, WAC 180
Winter 2009
World Arts & Cultures Department

Classes in DANCE

Traditional West African & Caribbean Dance Practice with live drumming & Traditional Songs
Thursdays 8pm

This is an all level, high impact class with a 30 minute warm up and an hour of dance technique and choreography. Classes include learning traditional songs that accompany the dances and a circle for dance offerings. Live drums are present at all classes.

West African Dance Techniques: Lamban, Kuku, Manjiani, Kakilambe, Doundounba

Afro Caribbean Dance Techniques: Calypso, Rara, Jonkonu

$20 Walk-in, Special: $100 for seven classes OR $65 for four classes (cash or check)

Yoga Desa
120 North Topanga Canyon Blvd
Pine tree Circle Center
www.yogadesa.com
Yoga Desa on Facebook

New Class at Pieter   Dancing with Devices

A dance for camera studio lab with wild artist cari ann shim sham*
Feb 7-March 28th, Saturdays 11:00-1:00 Pieter Performance Space $20

An 8 week dance lab to learn how to move cameras, move bodies, to move minds

for: dancer people who never got to take dance for camera or dancer people who did and want to continue taking it

or

dancer people who want to practice dancing for the camera

and

wild artists, video geeks, musicians who want to jam for the class, filmmakers and anyone who thinks they might just have fun...

To reserve a space email cariannshimsham {at} gmail.com

Dancing with devices is an exploratory movement and practiced based experience for filming dance, and being filmed as a dancer using iPads, go pro cameras, cell phones and whatever is in your pocket.

Students will preregister and receive a weekly video tutorial that will inform the lab practice. Please sign up ahead of time with your device of choice please watch the tutorial prior to class and come prepared with a question you have. walk ins are also encouraged, video tutorials can be watched at beginning of class on smart devices for day of show ups. :-)

Class will be offered as a 8 part series that will focus on the following concepts:

Week 1 composing shots

Week 2 time, speed and trajectory

Week 3 choreographing the camera

Week 4 directing dancers

Week 5 steady cam effects: wagons, roller skates and office chairs

Week 6 working with light, white balance, iso, exposure, natural vs. tungsten

Week 7 sound: dancing sound, filming for sound, wild sound, foley

Week 8 multiple cameras, getting coverage, shooting for the edit

Participants will warm up with exploratory movement for all bodies, all levels. then will move with their devices working with the topic of the week through scores, prompts, tasks or strategies to make a film in groups or solo that they get to walk out the door with.

Facebook event page
www.pieterpasd.com/classes/

Lectures

November 20-22, 2014

Stardust Pre-show talk with Rachael Lincoln

University of Washington

September 23, 2014

The Dance Process: Technology in Performance

The Carpenter Center, Arts for Life Program, Cal State Long Beach

Feb 4, 2014 7-9:30pm

Film Forum Presents: Cari Ann Shim Sham* Filmmaker, Choreographer and Video Artist

Montclair Peak Performances
www.montclair.edu/calendar/view-event.php?id=25623

Choreographing Pre Production:   Thinking from the edit backwards

How to turn a final image into a film.
Cari Ann Shim Sham*, an award winning dance film specialist in cinema, video art and installation leads a workshop on how to approach your work from back to front in pre production to prepare for production. We will work backwards from concept/visual ideas to create a tagline for your film, craft your narrative arc, visualize your idea through storyboarding, shot lists, set up lists and framing devices for dance and choreography to help you plan for and execute your shoot. Her very own storyboarding, shot list, setups and journals will be shared along with excerpts of her film work.

Post Production as Choreography:   The ART of the EDIT:

Editorial Strategies when Cutting for the Dancing Camera
Cari Ann Shim Sham* leads a workshop on the art of strategizing the edit by discussing the directors attachment to footage, how to watch and what to look for in your footage, finding your rhythm in the edit, and finding a visual through line in your edit to help progress your narrative. Through examining her processes in the creation of some of her films, Are you for real?, SAND, Chicken Boy, Two Seconds After Laughter and her video installation for a live dancer on stage, Powder Cari Ann will end upon the consideration of how we as choreographers know "when to say when" in dance film making and how the camera and the edit can also be useful knowledge in making these decisions of what to keep and what to cut in making dance for the proscenium.

2010   One Day on Earth, Educational Toolkits

Lecturer
Live Online Event with Classroom 2.0

2009   The Art of the Edit: Cutting for the Dancing Camera, Editorial Strategies and Post Production as Choreography

Lecturer for the Chew on this Series, World Arts & Cultures Dept
UCLA

2008   Moving Bodies, Moving Cameras, Moving Minds: A History of Dance Film

Guest Lecturer for Arts Enlightenment , Professor Judy Mitoma
UCLA May

2008   Post Production As Choreography

Guest Lecturer for Dance For Camera, Professor Anna B. Scott
UC Riverside

2007   Dance for Camera, Gorilla Style

Guest Lecturer for Chi Pei Gan
University of Malaysia & ASWARA University of Malaysia

Post-Show Talk David Roussève /REALITY
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
2014

Miss Shim Sham talks about creating video art for Stardust and marrying dance with technology at Jacob's Pillow youtu.be/AdazC21OfXA?t=4m5s

The MJDC is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2014 CHIME Grants...
MJDC.ORG
2014

Read more at hosted.verticalresponse.com/658462/83c251dbc0/281735475/ad54eb0ee4/

RUTH Doesn't Live Here Anymore Reviews:
Various Publications
2014

'Ruth Doesn't Live Here Anymore' memorializes modern dance's origins www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-ruth-doesnt-live-here-anymore-20140611-column.html

Opera In a Special Place,... www.ladowntownnews.com/arts_and_entertainment/opera-in-a-special-place-papal-theater-video-game-music/article_5d9f9a58-edc4-11e3-83b1-0019bb2963f4.html?fb_action_ids=10152247775468802&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=.U5ZSwVmFpGI.like

Stardust Reviews:
Various Publications
2013 - 2014

Flying with Broken Wings www.artsjournal.com/dancebeat/2014/02/flying-with-broken-wings/

Adversity, Relayed in Emoticons by a Troubled Gay Teenager www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/arts/dance/in-stardust-a-vortex-depicted-via-text-and-skype.html?_r=0

Film Forum Presents: Cari Ann Shim Sham- Filmmaker, Choreographer and Video Artist www.montclair.edu/calendar/view-event.php?id=25623

Dancing with an invisible partner www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2014/02/david_roussve.html

Best Dance of 2013 www.looseleafreport.com/again-with-the-end-of-year-lists.html

Best of 2013 www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-cm-laura-bleiberg-best-dance-2013-list,0,3440212.story#axzz2oDe4vKPM

David Rousseve's 'Stardust' a revelation at REDCAT www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-david-rousseve-dance-review-20130925,0,4435439.story#axzz2oPskxW8z

David Roussève to spread 'Stardust' at Radar L.A. www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-david-rousseve-20130915,0,7650500.story#axzz2mYeEitrk

Complicated Brew: 'Stardust' Explores Intimacy & Technology www.huffingtonpost.com/turnstyle/-complicated-brew-stardus_b_4024827.html

Los Angeles Dance Review www.stageandcinema.com/2013/09/25/stardust-rousseve-reality-redcat/

Look Up and Let the Stardust Fall on Your Skin playwritinginthecity.com/2013/09/28/somanyfeels-look-up-and-let-the-stardust-fall-on-your-skin/

This Week's Hottest Events www.7x7.com/arts-culture/weeks-hottest-events-gordon-parks-centennial-black-star-and-more

ODC Show Brings Film to Dance for First Time missionlocal.org/2013/03/odc-show-brings-film-to-dance-for-first-time/

Two Seconds After Laughter wins Best Experimental Film Award at the Indie Grits Film Festival
Indie Grits
April 2013

Read more at www.indiegrits.com/film/film_festival_awards/

ODC's Pilot 62 first ever Dance For Camera with Mentor Cari Ann Shim Sham*
Mission Local
March 2013

Cari Ann Shim Sham* served as the Mentor for ODC's Pilot 62 program, overseeing six emerging San Francisco dance artists in bringing film to dance for the first time.

Read more at missionlocal.org/2013/03/odc-show-brings-film-to-dance-for-first-time/

Video Premiere: Kelli Scarr - "You Could Be So Great"
Paste Magazine
May 2012

Singer/songwriter Kelli Scarr is set to release her second album, Dangling Teeth, on June 5. After working and touring with Moby in 2009 and 2010, her pronounced country flair on this album establishes her as a solo artist. . . .

Read more at www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2012/05/video-premiere-kelli-scarr---you-could-be-so-great.html

One Day on Earth Press Kit

First offerings at the DocuWeeks documentary showcase
Los Angeles Times
August 2011

Over the next three weeks, 17 feature and seven documentary shorts will qualify for Academy Award consideration via the International Documentary Assn.'s 15th annual DocuWeeks Theatrical Documentary Showcase. . . .

Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/08/first-week-documentary-films-movies-docuweeks-showcase-los-angeles.html

Update on short film SAND, which screened at AFF 2010
Austin Film Festival blog
August 2011

SAND is screening as part of Docuweeks in Los Angeles Aug 19-25, which qualifies it for Academy Award Nomination!

Read more at austinfilmfestival.blogspot.com/2011/08/update-on-short-film-sand-which.html

Short films showcased at DocuWeeks Film Festival Los Angeles
Examiner
August 2011

In show biz vernacular the term, "shorts" is a reference to a short film as opposed a feature length one. In the case of the 15th Annual DocuWeeks Los Angeles Film Festival, there are several short films being presented for your consideration and the underlying theme . . .

Read more at www.examiner.com/film-institute-in-los-angeles/short-films-showcased-at-docuweeks-film-festival-los-angeles-review

Cari Ann Shim Sham*'s Documentary About Tap-Dancing on Sand
LA Weekly Blogs
August 2011

That's L.A. tap dancer Kenji Igus, on the right, watching as his father, Darrow, releases a fistful of sand. Darrow is readying the stage for a "sand dance," . . .

Read more at blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/08/carrie_ann_shim_shams_sand_doc.php

84th Oscar Documentary Short Updates (2011-2012 Awards Season) (7/13/11)
Never Too Early Movie Predictions
July 2011

Here are today's rankings for the 84th Oscar Documentary Short race, with previous ranking shown in parenthesis after each entry.

Read more at nevertooearlymoviepredictions.blogspot.com/2011/07/84th-oscar-documentary-short-updates.html

Cannes 2011 - Short Film Corner Preview
IndieWIRE
July 2011

It would be fair to say that you could easily spend the whole duration of 2011 Cannes Film Festival in the Short Film Corner.

Read more at blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/archives/cannes_2011_-_short_film_corner_preview/

DocuWeeks will give 17 documentaries, 7 shorts a shot at Oscar
Los Angeles Times
July 2011

A batch of documentaries that have yet to secure theatrical distribution deals will be coming to a screen near you soon -- and will have the chance to score the ultimate filmmaking accolade: an Oscar.

Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/07/docuweeks-theatrical-run-oscar-qualifying.html

FILM SAND TO HIT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL!
International Tap Association
May 2011

and will screen as a Finalist on Wednesday, May 18th at 10:30 - 12:30 in the American Pavilion Cannes Film Festival Emerging Filmmaker Showcase. . . .

Read more at https://www.tapdance.org/index.php?pid=178

SAND HEADS TO CANNES
Dance Camera West
May 2011

Local Los Angeles artist and filmmaker Cari Ann Shim Sham's short film SAND is going to Cannes! SAND was screened at Dance Camera West?s Dance Media Film Festival last year . . .

Read more at www.dancecamerawest.org/blog/2011/05/sand-heads-to-cannes/

OUR OWN CARI ANN SHIM SHAM* GOES TO CANNES
Topanga Film Festival
May 2011

Dance is transformative, it has the ability to change lives through bonds that are not easily altered, dance has heart. The short documentary Sand, recently selected as a Finalist in the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmakers Showcase at Cannes, tells the story . . .

Read more at www.topangafilmfestival.com/our-own-cari-ann-shim-sham-goes-to-cannes?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TopangaFilmFestival+%28Topanga+Film+Festival%29&utm_content=Twitter

DANCE ARTS BREAKING INTERNATIONAL NEWS: SAND to screen at Cannes
Afrologica
May 2011

Los Angeles screen dance and dance filmmakers should be absolutely beside themselves with joy at the announcement that Cari Ann Shim Sham* is headed to Cannes. Her moving short film, SAND, has been invited to screen in The American Pavillion on May 18th, 10:30 AM. What does it take to get into the final 16 at the Pavilion?

Read more at afrological.com/dance-arts-breaking-international-news-sand-t

Portrait of a Dinner Guest: Cari Ann Shim Sham*, One Day on Earth
Idea Project
February 2011

Cari Ann Shim Sham* serves as the coordinator and lead writer of the Educational Tool Kits for One Day on Earth. Over 400,000 students received this free kit which outlines methods for capturing images and editing film. The kits were created to . . .

Read more at la-ip.com/portrait-of-a-dinner-guest-cari-ann-shim-sham

deFineArtsLA Exclusive: So You Think You Can Dance With Elephants?
Fine Arts LA
May 2010

When I heard about choreographer Lionel Popkin's There's an Elephant in This Dance happening at the REDCAT this past weekend, complete with interpretive dance and elephant costumes, my imagination went wild. Dancing elephants! Sign me up!

Read more at www.fineartsla.com/tag/cari-ann-shim-sham

Dance Review: Lionel Popkin's 'There is An Elephant in This Dance' at REDCAT
Los Angeles Times
May 2010

Drunks allegedly see pink ones. The white ones of the species are hard to unload. Then there's the mascot of the Republican Party. We're talking elephants, those lovable beasts with steel-trap memories. . . .

Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/05/dance-review-lionel-popkin-at-redcat.html

Bringing Sand to Light
February 2010

Cari Ann Shim Sham* started an advanced youth tap group called the Tappa Tappa Tappas while chair of the Dance Dept. at the Culver City Academy of Visual & Performing Arts. In 2003, the academy and the group drew the attention of a young man by the name of Kenji Igus who's father "played the hambone and could sand dance" as she would later find out . . .

Read more at https://www.tapdance.org/index.php?pid=311

Artist's Bio

Cari Ann Shim Sham* is a magical manipulator of digital, celluloid and moving things, residing in Topanga Canyon where she hunts mushrooms and makes art.

Known for strong surreal images, precise manipulation of the edit and cinematic musicality, her visual artistry akin to poetry, opens up the viewer's body through emotional sensation, powerful visuals, provocative sound and engaging movement.

Starting off her career as a dancer & choreographer for dance, opera, theater & musical theater she found her way into film & interactive media in the late 90's as the artistic director of her dance company, Bitch Co.

Awards include Best Director from the First Glance Film Festival and Best Mini Doc from the St. Louis International Film Festival for her film SAND, the Vimeo Social Media Award for One Day on Earth, and Best Experimental Short from New Orleans Film Festival and the Indie Grits Festival for Two Seconds After Laughter; a dance film collaboration with David Roussève.

Her recent experience as one of the editors and associate producer for One Day on Earth, the first feature doc filmed in every country of the world on the same day, involved working with over 3,000 hours of footage shot on 10.10.10. ODOE was screened in over 170 countries, the largest premiere ever, including a screening at the UN General Assembly on Earth Day, 2012.

Her live work and video art has shown at Jacob's Pillow, PS 21, Krannert, Clarice Smith Art Center, Peak Performances, the Joyce Soho, & Danspace in NYC, Dance Place, DC, REDCAT, Highways Space, the Belagio: Las Vegas, The Brewery, The Henry Huang Theater and Bergamot Station in Los Angeles, and film work namely at the Laemmle Sunset 7, Mann Chinese Theater, and the United Nations General Assembly as well as 160+ festivals internationally.

She is currently touring video art with shows by Lionel Popkin and David Roussève, serves as the Director for the Topanga Film Festival, passionately teaches Dance for Camera at UCLA, was the first Multi Media/Dance for Camera Mentor for ODC's Pilot 62 program and is the recipient of the Surdna Arts Teachers Fellowship and Chime's Choreographer Mentorship Exchange with Miss Ally Voye. She's enjoyed technical residencies with the Krannert Center, Dance Place, Montclair Peak Performances & multiple times at the beloved REDCAT and is in humble service to her community.