Put Your Dancing Shoes On!

By Abby Popper, JBFC Public Relations

It’s that time of year again–our annual Dance on Film series opens on October 29 for a little over a week’s worth of films and shorts that run the gamut from flamenco to Fred Astaire to tap and even a Free Member Event. (And that’s only a taste of what’s in store!) I can’t wait to see the spectacular Misty Copeland in the opening night film, A Ballerina’s Tale. It’s the story of how this American Ballet Theatre dancer (who starred on Broadway this summer in On the Town) overcame many hurdles to get where she is today as the first female African-American principal to achieve such stature in the company. The evening features a Q&A with Copeland’s friend and mentor Raven Wilkinson, formerly of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, who will be interviewed by Rose-Marie Menes, Artistic Director of the Westchester Ballet Center. A light reception follows.

Your heart will go out to dancers in Shake the Dust, a film about young people living under the direst of circumstances, in places like Yemen and the slums of Brazil, who express themselves through breakdancing.

If you love spanish culture, see Flamenco, Flamenco which immerses you in music and 21 glorious dance pieces that range from traditional to flashy new fusion styles.

Then there’s a special program on November 1, free to JBFC members and dedicated to the man Balanchine called “the greatest dancer in the world,“ Fred Astaire. We’ll show clips from Astaire’s musicals and hear behind-the-scenes stories from Joan Kramer and David Heeley, who made several documentaries about Astaire and wrote a about him, Ginger Rogers, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, and others in their new book, In the Company of Legends. A screening of the classic film Top Hat follows.

Tap World will surely make you put on your dancing shoes and join young and old of all nationalities as they interpret tap as done in their part of the world.

And then there is the pain of being a dancer in the story of Lauren Drake who was forced out of her company before she was ready to leave, and willing to risk everything to make it back on stage. Fall to Rise gives us a look at a dancer coming to terms with the unrelenting demands of her profession. A Q&A follows the screening with Katherine Crockett who will speak dancer-to-dancer with choreographer Peter Pucci. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our Dance on Film series page.