Documentary Films
Dancing Sun Multimedia has created many short and long-form documentaries since 2000. The five major documentaries and several of the shorter docs can be found below.
The five major documentaries are:
Striving for Peace on Horizon’s Brim: The Poetry and Sculpture of Mac Gimse
Harvest: A Community’s History Founded in Bronze – featuring the artistry of Ray Jacobson
Genesis: The Art of Creation – featuring the artistry of Fred Somers
Rain on Mars – Northfield High School art students create a public sculpture
Valley Grove: A Living Tapestry – documenting the history and development of the Valley Grove Preservation Society. Now playing on Twin Cities Public Television’s Minnesota Channel. It will be shown through 2025.
Promotional videos include:
Believet Canine Service Partners
Heartwork Yoga Studio
Ruth’s House of Hope
The Northfield Arts Guild
Northfield Hospital and Clinics
Other Videos include:
The Legacy of John and Ann North – Central Park Northfield
Faithful Unto Death – Defeat of Jesse James Days
On Paths to Freedom with Helping Hands and Guiding Feet – sculpture and poem by Mac Gimse
Searching for Peace on Horizon’s Brim: The Poetry and Sculpture of Mac Gimse. For over 40 years, Mac was a Professor of Art at St. Olaf College in Northfield. During that time he created many sculptures for visiting Nobel Laureates. Several of these are featured here. For each piece he wrote an accompanying poem and these are included in the documentary. All were spoken by Mac.
To listen to an interview with Paula Granquist of KYMN radio in Northfield, click on the button below. Paul and Mac discuss the film and its origins. Very good question posed by Paula.
Valley Grove: A Living Tapestry – Two historic Norwegian immigrant churches sit on a hill in the farm valley south of Northfield, Minnesota near Big Woods State Park in a panorama of prairie and oak savanna. The Valley Grove Preservation Society is a steward for the two Valley Grove churches, the 1862 stone church and the white clapboard church built in 1894 and also for the surrounding 50 acres of rolling prairie grasses and trees. The film combines several “threads” to form a “Living Tapestry” The threads include: The Historian’s thread, The Geologist’s thread, The Artists’ threads, the Visitors’ threads, the Volunteers’ threads, the Naturalists’ threads, the Weaver’s thread, the Board Member’s thread, the Preservationist threads, and the Community’s threads. The film includes on-site interviews, still and aerial photography and several animated segments. Over fifty hours of film have been edited down to 57 minutes of beautiful, moving sequences. A companion video featuring a detailed explanation of the tapestries created by Robbie Lafleur can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/rSW-lwLVxxo
In Full Circle: The Japanese Garden as a Work of Art in Progress is my most watched documentary on YouTube. There is a significant audience for Japanese Gardens and this documentary gives you an in-depth look at the principles for creating a Japanese-style garden.
The garden is located on the campus of Carleton College in Northfield Minnesota and was designed by David Slawson, one of America’s most celebrated garden designers. This film is dedicated to his memory. For more information here is a link to the Carleton College site.
Genesis: The Art of Creation features the artistry of Fred Somers and the creation of this masterwork.
Harvest: A Community’s History Founded in Bronze features the artistry of Ray Jacobson and follows the creation of a bronze sculpture of the same name.
Believet does a fantastic job training service dogs for veterans. Very inspiring work and a rewarding project.
World class sculptor Mac Gimse reads a poem he created to go with this remarkable sculpture.
Heartwork Yoga Studio is in hiatus, but this promotional video was fun to make and view.
The history of the famous Defeat of Jesse James bank robbery in 1876.
Promotional video for the Northfield Arts Guild
Promotional video for Ruth’s House of Hope in Faribault, Minnesota.
Promotional film for the Northfield Hospital’s Cancer Care and Infusion center. Featuring musician Steve Kelly and his personal story.
One of the videos included in the Northfield Community Video project. Features John and Ann North and North’s creation of Central Park
From Dust to Dust a performance piece created by Liz Brindley. Performed at the Northfield Arts Guild in 2016.
A fun piece thanking Becca for her time as a Barista at Goodbye Blue Monday Coffee House.
Dancing Sun Multimedia
214 Fremont Street East Northfield MN 55057
507-581-3069