Essential viewing, this meticulously crafted biography captures the power, spirit, and heartbreak of ballet’s most captivating star.

From Rudolf Nureyev's dramatic Cold War defection to his meteoric rise as a global sensation, complete with adoring fans, to his iconic partnership with Margot Fonteyn, this documentary traces an extraordinary career. Nureyev’s magnetic stage presence—marked by panther-like grace and fierce intensity—comes alive through newly unearthed footage of his collaborations with legends Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, and Murray Louis. With an evocative original score by Alex Baranowski and mesmerizing dance tableaux by Russell Maliphant, Nureyev’s performances are vivid and spellbinding.

Offstage, intimate moments reveal the poignant reunion with his mother after years in exile and his complex relationship with fellow dancer Erik Bruhn. Nureyev lived as he danced—boldly, passionately, and without limits.

From his daring defection to his meteoric rise, this portrait of ballet’s first global superstar is as captivating as the man himself.

Nureyev: Lifting the Curtain

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

Can dance be the key to unlocking mental well-being? Dame Darcey Bussell investigates the science behind the remarkable impact of dance on mood and behavior.

Since retiring from professional ballet, Darcey has championed incorporating dance into every stage of life. Believing that Britain faces a mental health crisis, she argues that its potential to enhance well-being is vastly underestimated.

In this documentary directed by Pamela Gordon, Darcey meets young people struggling with mental health issues, dances with a gentleman living with Parkinson’s disease, and observes young girls blossom with newfound confidence through carefully curated choreography that reflects their personal experiences.


Former ballerina Darcey Bussell is on a mission to prove dance can boost everyone’s mental wellbeing in “Dancing to Happiness.”

Darcey Bussell: Dancing To Happiness

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

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

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

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

Get to know famed contemporary choreographer Hans Van Manen in this rare  documentary. 

Hans Van Manen is considered to be one of the great "grand masters" of contemporary ballet. Known for his provocative themes and unconventional, humorous, and often controversial movements, he choreographed over 150 works throughout the course of his career. 

 With reflections from friends and colleagues about his time with the Nederlands Dance Theatre and the Dutch National Opera and behind the scenes look of photographer Erwin Olaf’s exhibition, Dance in Close-up, which reveals details of van Manen´s choreography one does not grasp at first sight. 

Hans van Manen has striven all his life to create meaning by marrying movement to music.

Hans van Manen: Moving to Music

In this heart-warming autobiographical documentary, get to know Welsh composer Karl Jenkins as he celebrates his 80th birthday.
 
With his roots in Jazz Rock's ''Soft Machine,'' his trademark friendly moustache, and gentle demeanor, Karl Jenkins is an unassuming giant of the choral world.  His choral works, with his made-up Adiemus language, have the unique ability to convey an emotional message to a mainstream audience, going beyond the boundaries of traditional classical music. His most famous work ''The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace'', is performed twice a week on average across the world.  

Discover a new appreciation for the world of choral music and the genius of Karl Jenkins. Sit down with Jenkins as he reflects on his unconventional career path and meet some of the people who have supported his music throughout his journey. 

In this heart-warming autobiographical documentary, get to know Welsh composer Karl Jenkins as he celebrates his 80th birthday.

Karl Jenkins: The Composer Behind the Moustache

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

Filmed on location with Cirque Du Soleil performers, this documentary offers an intimate look at their lives on and off the stage. 

A behind the scenes look at people chasing their dreams and pushing their bodies to the limits.

An intimate documentary following the world-renowned performers of Cirque Du Soleil.

Grazing The Sky - The Art of Cirque Du Soleil

Join Maestro Leonard Bernstein for his 1971 performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic. 

In a way only he can, Bernstein takes us through the entire symphony sharing insight, listening guides, and a peek into the rehearsal process for such a monumental piece. Filmed in 1971, just five years before his landmark performance with the London Symphony Orchestra in Ely Cathedral, this concert documentary is a rare glimpse of Bernstein in his prime. 

Join Maestro Leonard Bernstein for his 1971 performance and discussion of Mahler's Ninth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic. 

Leonard Bernstein: Four Ways To Say Farewell

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 documentary reveals the fascinating life, mind, and work of John Cage, one of the 20th century's most influential composers and thinkers.

Renowned for his groundbreaking work, including his controversial 1952 composition 4'33'', Cage was not only an artistic pioneer but a deep and philosophical thinker. When filmmaker Frank Scheffer first met Cage, their short conversation says Scheffer, ''changed my life as an artist.'' Over a decade, Scheffer collaborated closely with the composer, collecting a treasure trove of historical audio-visual material. This unique archive, comprised of interviews, musical performances, and evocative 16mm footage from Cage’s life comes together to capture the essence of this influential artist who had such a profound impact on the filmmaker. 

An essential watch for creatives, expect to learn some of Cage's creative techniques and guiding philosophies like the old Chinese methods based on the I Ching, and dive into the world of boundary-changing creativity. 

This intimate documentary reveals the fascinating life, mind, and work of John Cage, one of the 20th century's most influential composers and thinkers. 

How To Get Out Of The Cage - A Year With John Cage

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

Marking 100 years since the end of the First World War, Magpie Dance presented their flagship performance and exhibition exploring the ‘Hidden Impact’ of people with learning disabilities, their journeys and contributions to the First World War.

Magpie Dance presented their performance exploring the ‘Hidden Impact’ of people with learning disabilities, their journeys to the First World War.

Rudolf Nureyev's Swan Lake: Magic Moments of Music

Subscribe now to watch

Cast & Crew

You may also like