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Choreography Duo Imagines 40 iPhone Text Tones as Expressive Interpretive Dances

By Sara Barnes on September 2, 2022

Phone alert tones are surprisingly expressive. Despite lasting for just a second or two, the distinctive sounds each have their own personality. Choreography duo Austin and Marideth Telenko, aka Cost n’ Mayor, are taking this idea a step further by reimagining all of the iPhone sounds as interpretive dances. In a comprehensive series featuring 40 dances, the couple (who are married) listen to a tone and then make up a movement that captures the essence of what they just heard.

If you’ve ever tried to find that perfect ringtone, you know how each sound has its own delightful idiosyncrasies. This is reflected in the Telenkos’ choreography, which has to match both the length and vibe of the chosen tone. Often, it involves the two moving like robots in order to mimic the mechanical sounds of an alert. In other instances, they appear to be tiptoeing (for the “Anticipate” tone) or performing a split second of a ballet move (for “Fanfare). Each dance is as distinctive as the tone it interprets, capturing the spirit of the sound while being a joy to watch.

Scroll down to watch the entire compilation.