Daniel Arcé

The design challenge

Filmmaker Debra McCall wanted a new website for her 1982 film recreating Oskar Schlemmer’s Bauhaus Dances. The challenge was to reflect Bauhaus visual language without falling into generic arts-site conventions.

The visual direction grew out of the film’s Hoop Dance sequence, where white rings create stark geometric forms against a dark stage. I used that imagery as the basis for the site’s visual system and interaction language.

A subtle ring-based interaction, derived from the Hoop Dance imagery, adds motion without overpowering the content.

Implementation

I built a custom WordPress theme on top of Underscores so the client could manage content independently. The site also uses self-hosted video with caching optimizations to keep load times low without relying on third-party embeds.