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Contemporary Color

Name: Contemporary Color
Director: Turner Ross, Bill Ross, Laura Obiols
Released: 2016
Duration: 96 min

Representation Score

9.1/10

Excellent

2016

PG-13

Director

Turner Ross, Bill Ross, Laura Obiols

Runtime

96 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Contemporary Color succeeds as a meditative study on identity rather than a mere musical spectacle. Using the stylized movements of Color Guard, the film creates a space where performers can navigate and challenge social power dynamics and gendered expectations. The documentary excels at using performance as a metaphor for visibility. It explores how underrepresented perspectives interact with broader cultural frameworks through art and synchronized movement. While the film offers a sophisticated look at intersecting identities, it remains somewhat limited in its specific focus on disability. The narrative prioritizes aesthetic abstraction and movement over explicit depictions of neurodivergence or physical impairment.

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Category Breakdown

Does Contemporary Color have LGBTQ+ representation?

Good

The film uses the movements of Color Guard to explore queer identities, providing a platform to critique social structures through synchronized performance.

How does Contemporary Color portray gender?

Good

Performers challenge traditional gender roles through athletic and expressive movements, emphasizing personal ability to act over societal norms.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Contemporary Color?

Good

The documentary showcases diverse color guard teams to represent a multi-ethnic North American landscape, examining how individuals of color navigate social categorization.

How does Contemporary Color represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The work focuses on individual experiences and flexible identity connections, critiquing systemic structures that sideline non-conforming identities.

Does Contemporary Color include disability representation?

Fair

The film touches on physical realities through movement but does not center specific narratives about neurodivergence or chronic illness.

Present on Screen

Uses non-normative physical expression to disrupt traditional gender expectations.
Provides a sophisticated exploration of queer identity through synchronized movement.
Reflects a multi-ethnic landscape by featuring diverse color guard teams from across North America.

Limited or Absent

Lacks a central narrative arc specifically addressing disability, neurodivergence, or chronic illness.
The focus on aesthetic abstraction may limit the depth of specific racial and ethnic political discussions.

Official Synopsis

In the summer of 2015, legendary musician David Byrne staged an event at Brooklyn's Barclays Center to celebrate the art of Color Guard: synchronized dance routines involving flags, rifles, and sabers. Recruiting performers that include the likes of St. Vincent, Nelly Furtado, Ad-Rock, and Ira Glass to collaborate on original pieces with 10 color guard teams from across the US and Canada, Contemporary Color is a beautifully filmed snapshot of a one-of-a-kind live event.

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