Panels Dance Film — Darling Street Pictures

Panels

THE STORY:
After the loss of a friend, a trio of dancers process their grief through distinct, yet parallel journeys as they explore an extremist form of empathy: wishing they could trade places with the deceased. Within a surrealist, horror-esque aesthetic, this film expresses the beastly, complex, and beautiful aspects of grief.

Director and Cinematographer: Eric Mann

Director and Choreographer: Tracey Lindsay Chan

Press Kit

Panels Trailer

Full Film Coming Soon

Stills From the Film

The Cast

Iva Dixson

Iva originates from San Francisco, California and trained at the Ruth Asawa School of The Arts with Elvia Marta and Andrea Hinman, as well as the Rome International Dance Academy, directed by Andrea Palombi and Sara Lourenco. She has d — **Iva Dixson**
Iva originates from San Francisco, California and trained at the Ruth Asawa School of The Arts with Elvia Marta and Andrea Hinman, as well as the Rome International Dance Academy, directed by Andrea Palombi and Sara Lourenco. She has danced and toured with Vangelis Dance Company of Oaxaca, Mexico, and has guest performed with Capacitor and Bellwether Dance. In 2023, she joined Robert Moses’ KIN as a company dancer.

Anna Gichan

Anna holds a BFA in Dance from Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts, and has a background in gymnastics, yoga, and circus. Through her movement, she aims to experience and expand her physical edges, sensations and emotions. Her ex — **Anna Gichan**
Anna holds a BFA in Dance from Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts, and has a background in gymnastics, yoga, and circus. Through her movement, she aims to experience and expand her physical edges, sensations and emotions.
Her experiences living within the dualities of hearing/deaf spaces, city/farm life, and heartbreak/love are her key points of inspiration.

Sarah Emmons

Sarah graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from Northern Kentucky University. She’s been a company dancer and soloist with Malashock, Khamla Somphanh, Alyssandra Katherine, PGK, Bad Dance Collective, Continuum, and a guest a — **Sarah Emmons**
Sarah graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance from Northern Kentucky University. She’s been a company dancer and soloist with Malashock, Khamla Somphanh, Alyssandra Katherine, PGK, Bad Dance Collective, Continuum, and a guest artist with Garrett and Moulton Productions, performing in works ranging from the rock opera One Hundred Days choreographed by Sonya Tayeh to Ólafur Arnald’s concert at Memorial Hall.

Zoë-Elise Quon

Zoë holds a BA in Performing Arts and Social Justice from the University of San Francisco, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary, with aerial experience. Her work stems from identity-driv — **Zoë-Elise Quon**
Zoë holds a BA in Performing Arts and Social Justice from the University of San Francisco, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She is trained in ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary, with aerial experience. Her work stems from identity-driven topics of queerness, mixed-race Chinese-American heritage, and familial grief. She is currently part Dance Generators, a multi-generational company, and a lighting technician.

Abigail Hinson

Abigail is an impulsive movement explorer who began dance at the age of 12. One of the most sought after artists in the Bay Area, she believes movement is the pulse of all living things and therefore, dance exists as the crafted, i — **Abigail Hinson**
Abigail is an impulsive movement explorer who began dance at the age of 12. One of the most sought after artists in the Bay Area, she believes movement is the pulse of all living things and therefore, dance exists as the crafted, intentional, human expression of life. She holds a BFA in Dance from the University of South Florida, and has performed in works by Robert Moses, Andee Scott, Michael Foley, and Jennifer Archibald.

Chisa Kobayashi

Chisa is a movement artist born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She primarily trained with Romi Beppu, Micki Kolberg, and Charlaine Katsuyoshi in classical ballet and contemporary. She is currently a student at Uni — **Chisa Kobayashi**
Chisa is a movement artist born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She primarily trained with Romi Beppu, Micki Kolberg, and Charlaine Katsuyoshi in classical ballet and contemporary. She is currently a student at University of San Francisco, pursuing a BA in Performing Arts & Social Justice. PANELS was her first profes-sional dance job. Since, she has been a guest artist with Robert Moses’ KIN.

Raychel Hatch

Raychel is a queer, Chinese-American dancer who, from a young age, trained at East West Music and Dance in San Jose in contemporary, ballet, jazz, and hip hop. She earned her BA in Performing Arts & Social Justice, and Dance, from t — **Raychel Hatch**
Raychel is a queer, Chinese-American dancer who, from a young age, trained at East West Music and Dance in San Jose in contemporary, ballet, jazz, and hip hop. She earned her BA in Performing Arts & Social Justice, and Dance, from the University of San Francisco. She was a selected artist for ODC Pilot 74, and is a resident at SafeHouse Arts, leveraging her experience in improvisation and partnering.

Tajh Stallworth

Tajh studied dance at West Michigan University. In Chicago, they danced with The Seldoms and Project Bound, and spent 3 years with Norwegian Cruise Lines, working on musicals like “Footloose!” and "Priscilla". In California, they’ — **Tajh Stallworth**
Tajh studied dance at West Michigan University. In Chicago, they danced with The Seldoms and Project Bound, and spent 3 years with Norwegian Cruise Lines, working on musicals like “Footloose!” and "Priscilla". In California, they’ve danced with companies like AXIS, Mark Travis Dance, and Detour. Also a dance educator, model, and actor, they’ve been featured in ads from local stores to large brands like McDonald’s.

Alex Foy

Alex is a queer and versatile artist with a lifelong pursuit of the weird. While pursuing her BS in Psychology and Dance at California Polytechnic University, she danced with Orchesis Dance Company, a pivotal experience to which she owes — **Alex Foy**
Alex is a queer and versatile artist with a lifelong pursuit of the weird. While pursuing her BS in Psychology and Dance at California Polytechnic University, she danced with Orchesis Dance Company, a pivotal experience to which she owes her life.
This film has ignited her dance career in the Bay Area, leading to a half dozen new jobs since being cast. In her movement exploration, she seeks to embody a fearless spirit.

Kat Brault

Kat is an ever-emerging queer & trans dance artist hell-bent on healing the hearts of this and other worlds. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz in 2019 with a major in Feminist Studies, they are a beloved dance educator, creator, and performe — **Kat Brault**
Kat is an ever-emerging queer & trans dance artist hell-bent on healing the hearts of this and other worlds. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz in 2019 with a major in Feminist Studies, they are a beloved dance educator, creator, and performer in the community. Creating is their way of trying to understand the deeper questions they have about life and love, with their art centering vulnerability, relationship, resonance, and multiplicity of self.

Leila Massoudi

Leila holds a BA in Dance from CSU Fullerton. She loves immersing in improvisational prompts and playing with intricate articulation. She is trained in Persian Dance, Modern, Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz. As a member of dNaga Dan — **Leila Massoudi**
Leila holds a BA in Dance from CSU Fullerton. She loves immersing in improvisational prompts and playing with intricate articulation. She is trained in Persian Dance, Modern, Ballet, Contemporary, and Jazz. As a member of dNaga Dance since 2018, she’s performed at the World Parkinson’s Congress in Portland, Kyoto & Barcelona. She’s also worked with New York Dance Project, Natasha Diamond-Walker, and Michael Nickerson-Rossi, to name a few.

Trask Reinhart

Trask began his movement background in Northern Michigan with hockey, baseball, and martial arts. He began ballet at the age of 18 and has since obtained a BA in Dance from Western Michigan University with a tri-focus in ballet, ja — **Trask Reinhart**
Trask began his movement background in Northern Michigan with hockey, baseball, and martial arts. He began ballet at the age of 18 and has since obtained a BA in Dance from Western Michigan University with a tri-focus in ballet, jazz, and modern dance. During his time at WMU, Trask extended his studies to the world of Ballroom, instructing American Smooth and Rhythm, and achieving DVIDA’s National Certification in Ballroom Instruction.

San Francisco Premiere And Live Show

On February 9, 2024, PANELS premiered at the historic Great Star Theater in San Francisco, attracting a sold out audience of 410 attendees. The event was enhanced by a 40-minute live performance by the cast, co-created between Tracey and the movement artists.

The success of selling out the theater was a testament to our grassroots marketing efforts. While people voiced concerns about the appeal of the film's “silent” narrative and sensitive theme of grief, we defied expectations and were thrilled by the positive reception.

Throughout production, we built a social media following by sharing behind-the-scenes content to generate buzz. To sell out the theater, we also utilized cold email outreach, Instagram ads, and posted about the event across digital and physical platforms throughout the Bay Area.