About
photos by Scott Shaw
filmmaking and photography
Julia Discenza is a cinematographer, director, and editor living in New York City who uses her experience as a dancer to inform cinematography and storytelling through film. Julia’s interested in filmmaking was sparked while pursuing a BA in Dance and Biology at Barnard College where she directed 2 dance films that became part of her evening-length live dance production. Upon graduating, Julia began a career as a freelance contemporary dancer in NYC, supplementing that with work as freelance photographer and videographer. In 2015, she joined the Gibney, one of NYC’s biggest dance non-profit organizations, in their newly created Digital Media Initiative, a program designed to provide affordable, high-quality multimedia production and educational resources to the dance community. There, she taught herself to produce, shoot and edit videos using Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects. She filmed live performances and created 100+ short video pieces for the dance community. Eventually she began to design and teach workshops aimed for dance artists to learn video production basics, editing, and dance filmmaking. During this time she continued her freelance film work, shooting and editing digital marketing content, dance pieces and short docs. She also taught workshops in dance filmmaking to children and adults at several outside institutions. In 2020 she transitioned out of professional dance and her role at Gibney to become a full time freelancer working in film and video production. With that transition came the decision to focus on cinematography. Since then she has developed a particular interest in working on more narrative short film and music video projects. She continues to be passionate about dance film and serves as co-curator at CreateART, a performing arts non-profit, where she curates and hosts interactive dance film screenings throughout the year. When she is not working as a cinematographer, director, AC, or editor, she develops her filmmaking skills through spec projects, reading American Cinematographer, learning new skills at DaVinci Resolve webinars, conducting lighting and camera tests at home, and dreaming up her next dance film. When she feels like she can’t stare at a screen any longer, you’ll find her sketching, watercolor painting, or cycling around NYC.
PROFESSIONAL CLIENT LIST:
Monica Bill Barnes & Company, Gallim Dance, Gibney, Springboard DanseMontreal, Colleen Thomas Dance, Harlem Arts Festival, Earl Mosley's Institute of the Arts, Columbia Ballet Collaborative, PunchDrunk NYC - The McKittrick Hotel, Barnard College, LoudHound Movement, Fund for the City of New York, QUINNStyle, EBY fashion brand, Leela Ryan Dog Treats.
PUBLICATIONS:
New York Times, EVERYGIRL Blog, Dance Magazine, Dance Studio Life Magazine, HerCampus Columbia Blog, Columbia University Spectator, Choate Bulletin
dance performance
Julia Discenza was born in Connecticut. She holds a B.A. in Molecular Biology and Dance from Barnard College, Columbia University. She studied contemporary dance in Paris through in Barnard College and University of South Florida Dance, and trained in contemporary dance, Flying Low, and Gaga at Dance Italia in Lucca, Italy. She received additional training at Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts and Springboard Danse Montreal. She has worked and collaborated with Gibney Dance Company, NobleMotion Dance (Houston, TX), Pilobolus Dance Theater, Bryan Arias’ ARIAS Company, Gregory Dolbashian’s DASH Ensemble, Stefanie Nelson Dancegroup, Nicole Von Arx/NVA & Guests, MICHIYAYA, Mary John Frank, Soluq Dance Theater and Trainor Dance. Julia has also performed as a dancer and singer with nathantrice/RITUALS Dance Theater. She has appeared in music videos featuring musical artists AYA JACK, Noah Souder-Russo and performed in several dance films.