We knew that modernising the Dance Passport would also mean changing his visual identity to make it more relevant and inspired. We thus decided to work with Talata Studio – with which we already work with on the BTAP campaign – to create the new visual identity of the tool. Discussing with this talented team of designers, we concluded that we would need the visual identity of the Dance Passport to be a bridge between the different types of dance. This why we have decided to pay a tribute to a figure from the dance world at the crossroads of many disciplines: Loie Fuller; a great combination of tradition and modernity.
Loie Fuller was an American actress and dancer who was a pioneer of both modern dance and theatrical lighting techniques. She achieved international recognition for her innovations in theatrical lighting, as well as for her invention of the "Serpentine Dance", an outstanding variation of the "skirt dances’ of the day. Born in 1862, she began her performing career in Chicago as a professional child actress and later choreographed and performed dances in burlesque, vaudeville, and circus shows. She began experimenting with varying lengths of silk and different coloured lighting and gradually evolved her "Serpentine Dance’, which she first presented in New York in 1892. Later in the year, she travelled to Europe and opened at the Folies Bergère. She quickly became the favourite of avant-garde Paris, being a muse for Toulouse-Lautrec or Rodin. She lived and worked mainly in Europe thereafter.
We believe that most dancers can in one way or another recognise themselves in Loie Fuller’s career. Fuller was dancer, an actress but above all she was a creator. She created her own type of dance, the "Serpentine", but also made innovations in theatrical lighting. She was born during the 19th century but she was also deeply modern. Also, like many dancers, she mainly made her career outside of her own country.
