Danse au bivouac

1896 Documentary 17 meters Directed by Alexandre Promio

About Danse au bivouac

Spanish soldiers dance in the open at a camp, with the ground and a distant town behind them. Alexandre Promio filmed them for the Lumière company between 24 May and 30 June 1896, near Madrid. A coat collar that swings close to the lens shows the number 38, the marking of an infantry regiment. Lumière catalog number 266.

Cast & crew

More about Danse au bivouac

Auguste and Louis Lumière produced it. The catalog length is 17 meters. The view was shown in Lyon on 30 June 1896 as Danse d’un bivouac espagnol. A New York Lumière show on 15 August 1896 billed it as Dancing soldiers. Wikidata lists the country as Spain. The company is French. The bracketed place-name in the catalog is Vicálvaro.

Themes

Making

Promio set the camera at a distance and let the regiment dance. One soldier walks close enough for the number on his collar to be read.

Look

One fixed Lumière setup holds the camp dance. The town stays soft in the background.

Preservation

A copy was screened for the Lumière catalog study that read the number 38 on a soldier’s coat.

Notes

  • Promio’s Spanish trip also produced Puerta del Sol and Lanciers de la reine.
  • The queen regent allowed him to film military views.
  • Maguire & Baucus handled an American listing of the view.
  • No performers are named.

Scenes

  • The regiment dances in a circle in the open field.
  • A soldier comes near the lens and the number 38 shows on his collar.

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