Dance Video Spotlight in BC: Making Chi

I’m back again — and after revisiting Black King and Forrest Gump Jr., I’ve decided to roll out a little summer blog series to celebrate a few memorable dance videos from over the years. First up: The Making of Chi (2016), featuring the wildly creative and loveable AV Club.

This dance video is less about the final performance and more about everything it takes to put on a full-length theatre production — acting, scripted dialogue, live microphones, custom digital backdrops, and of course, Streetdance choreography. What makes it extra special? None of the answers were scripted, and neither were the laughs.

This post gives you a peek behind the curtain of this special dance video. Enjoy!

Dance Videos Built for Film and Built for Families

By now, some of you know what the Dance Video Collection is about — but for the newcomers or anyone who’s been curious, here’s the scoop from a different angle.

The DVC Project is a body of over 30 short dance films that I produced, directed, wrote, choreographed, and edited across four major seasons between 2010 and 2017. Most of the choreography started out as stage or competition pieces. But every time I knew we’d be filming a DVC season, I made sure the routines were cinematic-ready — designed to be adapted for the dance video version.

Here’s why studios love these dance videos:

Dancers get to become stars of their own dance video — not just a number on stage.
Parents see their child shine in a unique, high-quality production and get to be part of something bigger.
Studios benefit from premium visual content that elevates their brand and draws in new, engaged families — a key component of dance studio marketing today.

Producing a full film with animation, visual effects, and choreography would normally cost six figures or more. But I’ve always believed in making these dance videos accessible — managing lean, efficient productions that don’t sacrifice quality.

Let Your Dancers Star in Their Own Dance Video

Book your free discovery session now — space is limited!

Inside the AV Club’s Creative Universe

Between 2008 and 2016, I had the privilege of teaching at Vibe Dance Studios — and that’s where this journey began. Over the years, simple routines evolved into full themes. Then themes became concepts. Then, with a little leap of faith (huge shoutout to Serra Stewart), I turned our Streetdance class into a full-blown scripted production.

The AV Club was made up of 36 dancers, ages 12 to 17, who rehearsed with me once a week for three hours. We trained like clockwork — one group working on dance while another rehearsed lines and scenes. Because I’d worked with each dancer for years, I was able to cast specific roles based on their strengths, personalities, and movement styles.

What made this dance video next level was the village that helped bring it to life:

Ben Friday, one of the parents and an incredible artist, built set pieces that helped bring the world of Chi to life.
Wendy Faulkenberg, one of our most dedicated dance moms (and who we sadly lost in 2022), personally promoted the show to every school in Nanaimo.
Katherine Ikona (who passed in 2017) crafted specific dance costumes.
Carol Fry served as our backstage MVP, keeping everything smooth during the show.
The AV Club parents — from makeup to props to food to moral support — truly made it a family.

And on the digital side, Wyldie Maxwell, my long-time collaborator, created all the animated backdrops for this dance video. Unlike the practical sets we used in previous productions like Neverland, we were able to work with 4K projection, opening up a new world of possibilities.

I wrote the full play myself, drawing from my scriptwriting days in film school, and tied everything together with Street dance, character arcs, and theatrical storytelling. From September to April, we built it piece by piece — and in spring, performed it to a full house. Another standing ovation. Always humbling.

Filming the AV Club Meant Reinventing the Process

Filming this dance video was tricky. There was no realistic way to shoot a traditional version of the entire show. So I did something different: I decided to craft a featurette.

Instead of restaging the full production, I interviewed the dancers on our rehearsal process and experiences. Their personalities jumped through the lens — candid, funny, and filled with that unique energy only youth and community can bring.

The dance portion of the film was shot in a barn just outside Nanaimo, BC. Thanks to Jesse and Kim Chalmers, we suspended 64 handcrafted blocks in mid-air, with four sheets of paper glued to each one. That’s 256 pages in total — a huge amount of prep and a true labour of love.

For the final dance scene, I wanted to challenge myself and the team. We shot it as a oner — a continuous one-take sequence. It was a first for the DVC, and it paid off beautifully.

A Studio, a Family, and a Dance Video We’ll Never Forget

Vibe and the AV Club were special. This was my seventh (and second-to-last) year at Vibe. Those years weren’t just about dance; they were about building community. The relationships I formed with these dancers and their families still hold strong today.

Dance Videos like Chi aren’t just dance recitals caught on film. They’re living proof of what’s possible when a studio believes in imagination, collaboration, and heart. And this film stands as a tribute to that time in our lives — a gift that lasts forever. I’m proud of these kids — now adults — and thankful we made something that will always matter.

Let’s talk about your next dance video – Does this project inspire ideas for your studio’s next big move? Chi is just one example of how the DVC format can showcase your dancers, your studio culture, and your unique story in a cinematic way.

✨ Let’s make your next season unforgettable with your own dance video. Book your free discovery meeting today — spots are limited!

The Making of Chi Trivia

Chi: Unlocking the Super Powers of Dance wasn’t Marc’s first play — that honour goes to 2013’s Neverland.
The “oner” dance sequence in Chi was actually shot in four segments and blended seamlessly in post.
Chi is the second largest DVC Project (36 dancers), behind 2014’s Circus (48 dancers).
At just over 20 minutes, Chi is the longest DVC film to date.
It was shot over 3 days: the dance scenes in a barn, the interviews at Vibe, and the end credits at the studio.
Final editing happened the same day as the Vancouver screening, with Marc and the DVC team rendering on a laptop en route via BC Ferries.
The story draws from X-Men and Street Fighter, featuring dancers as super-powered beings at odds over humanity.
The end credits required the most visual effects of any DVC film, with custom VFX for every dancer and four-hour render times.
None of the dancers had prior acting experience beyond DVC, but years of trust made them eager to dive into their roles.
The suspended paper-block backdrop totalled 256 pages and was constructed entirely by Jesse Chalmers and glued together by Marc, Wyldie, and Cuyler.

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