Try not to break into dance while watching these amazing documentaries ahead of next month’s release of Ailey!
CUNNINGHAM
CUNNINGHAM is an immersive cinematic experience about the legendary American choreographer, Merce Cunningham, orchestrated through his iconic works and performed by the last generation of his dancers. This poetic film traces Merce’s artistic evolution over three decades of risk and discovery (1944–1972), from his early years as a struggling dancer in postwar New York to his emergence as one of the most visionary and influential choreographers worldwide. 3D technology weaves together Merce's philosophies and stories, creating a visceral journey throughthe choreographer's world.
DANCER
Blessed with astonishing power and poise, Sergei Polunin took the dance world by storm and became the Royal ballet’s youngest ever principal. At the peak of his success, aged 25, he walked away, driven to the brink of self-destruction by stardom - his talent more a burden than a gift. Here is an unprecedented look into the life of a complex young man who has made ballet go viral. Urban rebel, iconoclast, airborne angel, Sergei is transforming the shape of ballet as we know it. But virtuosity comes with a high price. How can you be free to be yourself when you are ballet’s ‘hottest property’?
PINA
The boundless imagination and physical marvels of the work of the German modern-dance pioneer Pina Bausch leap off the screen in this exuberant tribute by Wim Wenders. A long-planned film collaboration between the director and the choreographer was in preproduction when Bausch died in 2009. Two years later, Wenders decided to go ahead with the project, reconceiving it as an homage to his late friend. The result, shot in stunning 3D, is a remarkable visual experience and a vivid representation of Bausch’s art, enacted by a group of staggeringly talented dancers from her company, the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. PINA is an adventurous work of cinema that highlights the bold legacy of one of the world’s true creative visionaries.
RESET
A riveting documentary on the creative process, RESET depicts renowned choreographer and dancer Benjamin Millepied (best known for choreographing the dance sequences in Black Swan) as he creates a ballet for his first gala as artistic director of the Paris Opera Ballet.
La Danse - Le Ballet de L’Opera de Paris
The Paris Opera Ballet is one of the world’s great ballet companies. The film follows the rehearsals and performances of seven ballets and shows the work involved in administering the company and the coordinated and collaborative work of choreographers, ballet masters, dancers, musicians, and costume, set, and lighting designers.
BALLET NOW
Dance sensation Tiler Peck, one of the principal dancers of the New York City Ballet company, curates a three-day dance series entitled ‘Ballet Now’ which seeks to push boundaries and integrate unexpected elements into performances which will not only delight ballet’s devout followers but also create new fans. Produced by Emmy-winning Elisabeth Moss and directed by Steven Cantor (Dancer) this feature-length film captures the creative process behind the scenes at the famed Dorothy Chandler Pavilion – bringing dancers, choreographers and styles from all over the world together for three magical nights of performances.
first position
Six young ballet students, all from different backgrounds, prepare for the Youth America Grand Prix, a competition in which dance schools and companies from around the world scout for new talent.
ailey
Alvin Ailey was a visionary artist who found salvation through dance. An immersive profile of ground-breaking and influential choreographer Alvin Ailey, founder of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Sensorial and archival-rich, AILEY captures the brilliant and enigmatic man who, when confronted by a world that refused to embrace him, was determined to build one that would.