Local Dance Film accepted into Houston Dance Film Festival

Rae Collins and her daughter Tinsley recently received the news that their efforts to support the stopping of the Permian Highway Pipeline through their summer dance video project “Relation. Ship.” will be featured at 14 Pews on Saturday, October 5, 2019 as part of the three-day Frame X Frame Film Fest by Frame Dance of Houston.

Rae Collins wanted to have a way to get the word out about the pipeline, support organizations like Wimberley Watershed Association, showcase the natural beauty of places such as Cypress Creek, Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole and the Blanco River, while also showing her daughter and other young ones the importance of becoming a steward of the sacred waters and land here in Wimberley.

“Dance has an ability to heal. It is a way to convey a message without the need of words, which I think can easily be misunderstood quite often,” Rae said. “I felt the urge to sift through a lot of feelings I felt from our community, and this was the obvious answer when I felt called to move it into a creative, healthy outlet. I believe it was a real learning experience for all of us, myself included.”

The short six-minute film can be found on You-Tube by simply searching with “DraeDesigns” and was edited by Videographer Emilio Villanueva, also of Houston. Other dancers featured in the short dance film include

Bella Knox of San Marcos, and Celeste and Marjorie Zavala, both of Austin.

“The pipeline covers much of the Central Texas territory, so it is lovely that dancers from all areas feeling the feels were represented. I thought it was important to get dancers who were open to doing site-specific dance, which is a very modern, outsidethe-box dance approach to staging,” Rae continued. “I am extremely humbled by this experience, and these efforts and dancers have inspired me to continue pursuing thecollaboration of my passions of mixing stewardship with 21st-century art to gain awareness and the ability to educate others on conservation, preservation, kindness in action and other extremely important issues.”

Lynnsey Jones Hastie of Cypress Falls was a big supporter of Rae’s vision when she initially approached her about filming at Eagle Rock earlier this year.

“How could I not help be a part of something that supported local arts, dance, and the waterways that I have been so close to for so many years?!” Jones Hastie declared. “Being a steward of a water property has been something I have always felt strongly to uphold,” she continued. “Rae and Tinsley are so passionate about donating their talents to amazing causes in the form of art.”

Beginning September 30, Rae will be teaching a series of classes at Blue Cypress School of Holism called “Dance of the Goddesses.” In October, another series titled “Dance Open” will begin at Open Space. More information about these series can be found at Blue Cypress School of Holism bluecypressschool.org and at Open Space: Music Lessons in Wimberley openspacewimberley.com . You can also follow Rae on Instagram @draedesigns or on Facebook to find more.