Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative journeys of dynamic dancers and choreographers in this short film series. Produced with Sadler's Wells, each episode offers an intimate look at an artist's journey, process, and inspirations as they overcome challenges and seek new artistic heights.  Feel enriched, enlightened, and deeply moved by the passion and dedication of today's most talented dance artists. 

Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative journeys of dynamic dancers and choreographers in this fascinating short film series. 

Danceworks

This documentary takes you inside the creative world of Australia's visionary choreographer, Meryl Tankard as she crafts a new work - Aurora.  

As the Artistic Director of the Australian Dance Theatre, Meryl Tankard became known for her out-of-the-box, innovative, and humorous works. This biographical film reveals Tankard's boundless creativity and satirical flair through extracts from her seminal works like ''Two Feet,'' ''Furioso,'' ''Songs With Mara,'' and ''Chants de Marriage 2.''  From rehearsals to the stage, watch her creative process unfold as choreographs her new take on the classic ballet Sleeping Beauty, Aurora, and join Tankard as she reunites with her former mentor, the legendary Pina Bausch.  

This documentary takes you inside the creative world of Australia's visionary choreographer, Meryl Tankard as she crafts a new work - Aurora.  

The Black Swan: Meryl Tankard - Choreographer

Witness the transformative power of dance as a group of inmates participate in choreographer Angelin Preljocaj's dance workshops behind bars. 

Sylvie, Lili, Sophia, Annie, and Malika are serving long sentences in Marseille's Beaumettes prison. For four months, they are visited by renowned choreographer Angelin Preljocaj whose dance classes are a welcome reprieve from life behind bars. Together they choreograph a new work to be performed "outside the walls" at prestigious venues like the Pavillon Noir in Aix-en-Provence and Montpellier's International Dance Festival.  

This moving documentary chronicles their profound journey as they discover the unyielding spirit that emerges when art meets confinement, revealing a gripping tale of human expression and liberation through dance.

Witness the transformative power of dance as a group of inmates take part in choreographer Angelin Preljocaj's dance workshops behind bars.

Dancing Free

Mats Ek and star dancer Stéphane Bullion revisit their artistic relationship through the experience of the creation and interpretation of Another Place, but also of "Bernarda's House" and "Apartment", two Mats Ek ballets that Stéphane has danced throughout his career.

“I could only bid farewell with a creation by Mats Ek” explains star dancer Stéphane Bullion, a way for him to pay tribute to the great choreographer, one of the most influential in modern dance of the 20th century. ""This duet contains my entire career. With this duet, I conclude what I started more than twenty years ago.”

Echoing the mythical duet of Ana Laguna and Mikhail Baryshnikov in Place performed at the Stockholm Drama Theatre in 2009, Mats Ek composed Another Place at the Paris Opera ten years later. A couple gravitates around a simple table and a carpet. Love, its impulses, its exhaustion, time, wear and tear, the attempt at a new approach between a man and a woman, their anguish, vulnerability and madness... everything is played out carnally, straightforwardly, with humour and harshness in the immensity of a bare and completely open stage, on the uninterrupted thread of Franz Liszt's Sonata in B minor written in one piece. A couple's dialogue as only the Swedish choreographer knows how to portray them.

Mats Ek and Stéphane Bullion revisit their artistic relationship through the experience of the creation and interpretation of Another Place.

Another Place by Mats Ek: Documentary

This documentary is a fascinating window into the incredible creative process behind Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's moving piece, ''Secrets of the Bamboo Grove.''

Choreographer Lin Hwai-min is a visionary of the dance world.  Follow along as he creates a new piece for Taiwan's Cloud Gate Dance Theatre. Follow along behind the scenes of the rehearsal process and see how the dancers implement strict regimens of tai chi and martial arts to help shape their bodies and movements. 

A fascinating documentary that reveals the incredible creative process behind Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's ''Secrets of the Bamboo Grove.'' 

Secrets of the Bamboo Grove

What is creativity? Join Award-winning choreographer Alexander Ekman as he explores the mysteries of the creative process in this fascinating documentary.  

Choreographer Alexander Ekman is known for his out-of-this-world creative works like Hammer, Eskapist, and A Swan Lake.  In this new documentary, Ekman explores the elusive nature of creativity by speaking to people like film director Lone Scherfig, professor Shelley Carson, choreographer Mats Ek, performance artist Marina Abramovic, Joffrey Ballet’s artistic leader Ashley Wheather, film director Tran Anh Hung, professor Linda Hill, film director Tiffany Hsiung, the CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, Bob Roth, and several others. 

See creativity and the creative process from every possible angle as Ekman demonstrates his talent for creativity as he choreographs a career-defining dance piece for the Paris Opera Ballet.  

What is creativity? Join Award-winning choreographer Alexander Ekman as he explores the mysteries of the creative process in this fascinating documentary.

Kreativ: A Study in Creativity by Alexander Ekman

Explore the rich history of American tap dancing, from its roots in the fusion of African rhythmic traditions and Irish step dancing to its vibrant present-day expression, in this fascinating documentary. 

Let the electric energy of America's tap dancing legacy put a pep in your step and some twinkle in your toes. Uncover the origins of tap dance, tracing its evolution from the streets to the stage, and its enduring impact on American culture. From its intertwined evolution with the syncopated beats of jazz music to the heyday of Vaudeville and Broadway and the postwar resurgence led by trailblazers like Gregory Hines and Savion Glover, this documentary reveals the intricate steps that have woven the tapestry of tap dance throughout the ages.

Explore the rich history of American tap dancing in Mark Wilkinson's documentary. 

American Tap

An intimate portrait of the life, art, his genius of jazz pianist  Chick Corea, with performances filmed live at New York City’s Blue Note Club. 

In celebration of his 70th birthday, Chick Corea takes a look back over his five-decade music career. Follow Chick around during his month-long engagement at the Blue Note in New York’s Greenwich Village. From on-stage collaborations with famous friends like Herbie Hancock, Bobby McFerrin, and Gary Burton, to backstage chats and family photos, this documentary is an intimate peek into the legacy of the famed jazz pianist.

An intimate portrait of the life, art, his genius of jazz pianist Chick Corea, with performances filmed live at New York City’s Blue Note Club.

Chick Corea: The Musician

With unprecedented access to choreographer Carolyn Carlson's personal archives, this French documentary chronicles her notoriously unique creative process. 

Over the last 40 years, Carolyn Carlson has created an impressive repertoire of innovative and artistic dance works that have made her one of the stand-out names of her generation. Through intimate behind-the-scenes footage and insightful interviews, this documentary peels back the many layers of Carlson's artistic vision. From the choreographer's idyllic childhood in Southern California to her life as a French national, see firsthand the passion, dedication, and artistic genius that have made her a true icon of contemporary dance. 

With unprecedented access to choreographer Carolyn Carlson's personal archives, this French documentary chronicles her notoriously unique creative process. 

Carolyn Carlson - Dare to Risk

This film reflects on over 60 years of John Neumeier’s life and career as a dancer and choreographer who has revolutionized the world of ballet.

Director Andreas Morell travels to Milwaukee to explore Neumeier's origins, drawing a portrait of a man deeply rooted in religion and art. Personal insights from friends, colleagues, and his husband, Hermann Reichenspurner, illustrate Neumeier’s genuine compassion and commitment to nurturing the next generation of dancers.

Fly-on-the-wall footage captures rehearsals for new pieces in Hamburg, Paris, and Chicago, intercut with excerpts from some of the 170 dance works that have shaped an extraordinary career.

Step into the world of John Neumeier, who revolutionized modern-day ballet by seamlessly blending the dramatic with the abstract.

John Neumeier - A Life for Dance

Follow along with Paris Opera's fascinating creative program where young apprentices from various professions come together to learn about the world within the opera house.

What can an ordinary person gain from the world of opera and dance? The answer might surprise you. In this fascinating artistic experiment young apprentices, including pastry chefs, mechanics, sales professionals, and jewelers, come together at the illustrious Paris Opera to learn about the many jobs and skills found within the opera house. 

Through a series of exercises including musical training, dance classes, and set design courses, these young professionals unveil the unique synergy between artistry and craftsmanship that transforms their outlook and skill set. Along the way, director Cyril Leuthy highlights the individual experience of each student revealing the importance of this unique cultural education program. 

Follow along with Paris Opera's fascinating creative program where young apprentices from various professions come together to learn about the world within the opera house.

OpérApprentis

Get to know legendary jazz and R&B singer Al Jarreau in this intimate documentary. 

As one of the key figures in Los Angeles’ unique pop and R&B sound, Al Jarreau has left his mark on the music scene. Discover a new side of Jarreu’s legacy with exclusive interviews with Al. 

In this documentary, Jerrau takes us through the pivotal moments in his life. From his European tours during the summers of  2011, 2012 & 2013, to his hometown of Milwaukee, his start in Los Angeles, and to San Fransisco, the city that shaped him.

Singer Al Jarreau travels across a part of the American territory, looking for his past with emotion.

Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

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