In Room to Move, director Alexander Hammer paints an intimate portrait of acclaimed choreographer, performer, and teacher Jenn Freeman at a vulnerable moment: receiving a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder at age 33. Freeman is known for the physicality and expressivity of her choreography as well as for her impact as an educator. And yet […]

A new documentary from Adrenaline Films, The Sky Was on Fire: Ballet and War in Ukraine, follows National Ballet of Ukraine stage director Oleh Tokar and other ballet artists who had to make a difficult decision after the Russian invasion of Ukraine: to flee or to stay to fight—and also to perform. Tokar, one of many Ukrainian ballet […]

Obsessed with Light illuminates the groundbreaking artistry of dancer Loïe Fuller, who inspired the artists and intellectuals of her era—Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Auguste Rodin, Isadora Duncan, and Marie Curie—and continues to influence contemporary icons as diverse as Bill T. Jones, Taylor Swift, Shakira, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and William Kentridge. Fuller, who used the […]

Even when marking a move in rehearsal, Bobbi Jene Smith seems to dance with her whole being. “It comes from the pelvis,” she says while directing a few of her fellow dancers in an undulating phrase. Her lower body spirals, pulling her torso behind it in one swift, visceral motion. “Always keep a bit of […]

Elvira Lind’s documentary Bobbi Jene took the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival by surprise last spring, sweeping the awards for Best Documentary, Best Editing and Best Cinematography. For those of us who have watched Batsheva and Bobbi Jene Smith’s career, the film’s success is not unexpected. It is a validation of what we already know: Bobbi […]