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

Force of Nature Natalia follows a season in the life of dance superstar Natalia Osipova. With unique access to Natalia’s personal archive, we follow her preparations for her fifth season as a principal of the Royal Ballet as she continues to champion contemporary dance with some of the world’s greatest choreographers. We watch the rehearsal process of the new ballet. The Mother by Arthur Pita, a new commission with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and the Royal Ballet’s legendary production of La Bayadère directed by Natalia Makarova. Natalia opens up about her life and history, her childhood in Russia, her time with the American Ballet Theatre and her journey to the Opera House. It is an unparalleled opportunity to get up close and personal with the leading ballerina of our generation and understand why critics and audiences all over the world call her a force of nature of the dance world.

Force of Nature Natalia follows a season in the life of dance superstar Natalia Osipova.

Force of Nature Natalia

This meticulously restored 4K film captures a landmark moment in ballet history: the rise of 20th-century dance icon Rudolf Nureyev.

In 1964, Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," choreographed by the 26-year-old Nureyev, premiered at the Vienna State Opera. The young Russian also performed the lead role of the prince alongside prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn. The audience demanded a record-breaking 89 curtain calls.

Newly filmed conversations with Michael Birkmeyer and Gisela Cech, who danced alongside Nureyev that night, offer firsthand accounts. Additionally, principal dancer of the Berlin State Ballet, Polina Semionova, and choreographer Eric Gauthier provide a modern perspective on Nureyev's enduring influence.

Witness the birth of a legend in a painstakingly restored film that captures Rudolf Nureyev's electrifying 1964 performance of "Swan Lake."

Rudolf Nureyev's Swan Lake: Magic Moments of Music

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

Former principal of The Royal Ballet and Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell knows all too well what it takes to make it as a prima ballerina. In Darcey's Ballerina Heroines (part 1 of this fascinating two-part collection) she draws on her vast experience at the top of her game, providing an authoritative history of the best ballets and the finest ballerinas. Accompanying clips, which include some of Bussell’s most lauded performances, provide a feast for the senses and make this a must-watch for enthusiasts.

Darcey Bussell draws on her vast experience to provide an authoritative history of the best ballets and the finest ballerinas.

Darcey's Ballerina Heroines

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

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

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

Former principal of The Royal Ballet and Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell knows all too well what it takes to make it as a prima ballerina. In A Ballerina's Life (part 2 of this fascinating two-part collection) she gives an illuminating account of her own career from its earliest days. Accompanying clips, which include some of Bussell’s most lauded performances, provide a feast for the senses and make this a must-watch for enthusiasts.

Darcey Bussell gives an illuminating account of her own career from its earliest days.

Margot

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