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 Pleasantville, NY - The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) will begin its annual film series Dance on Camera on May 9 and run until May 13.
This year the series will present a range of guest speakers from dancers to filmmakers and a variety of films from around the world including Belgium, Peru, and Germany—and as nearby as Croton-on-Hudson. The Dance on Camera series is made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
The series opening film Water Flowing Together will play on May 9 at 7:30pm. The documentary gives a glimpse into the life of New York City Ballet Dancer Jock Soto from his Navajo Indian and Puerto Rican ancestry and openly gay identity to his plans for life after dance, at the ripe old age of 40. He now teaches at the School of American Ballet and runs a catering business. Filmmaker Gwendolen Cates, award-winning photographer and author, who makes her filmmaking debut with Water Flowing Together and Jock Soto will be in attendance for a Q&A following the film.
“To be able to discuss the films with dancers and filmmakers is a great opportunity to explore how movement is presented and captured by methods specifically unique to film,” said JBFC’s Associate Director of Programming Lois Dino. “This year's series really does pay tribute to the special art form that marries dance and film, with guests from both artistic communities.”
The opening weekend will also feature the film Soy Andina with filmmaker Mitch Teplitsky and dancer Cynthia Paniagua, who will perform live for the film audience an original dance piece that mixes modern dance moves with the traditional Peruvian style. Legendary documentarian Albert Maysles and filmmaker Kristen Nutile will also speak with dancer/choreographer Sally Gross and producer Tanja Meding about a film chronicling the dancer’s newest piece. The speaker series will also feature a unique collection of short films created by Croton-on-Hudson residents choreographer/dancer Jeannie Zusy, writer Marcy B. Freedman and filmmaker Susan Todd, who is also JBFC’s Director of International Understanding through Film.
Ticket prices are $6 for members, $10 for nonmembers and $8 students except where indicated. Senior citizen ticket price Monday – Thursday is $6.50. Group sales are available by calling 914-773-7663 x10.
Listed below are the films, speaker events and receptions:
WATER FLOWING TOGETHER
May *9: 7:30 - May 10: 2:45 - May 12: 5:15
Barely 16 when George Balanchine selected him to join the New York City Ballet, Jock Soto was quickly hailed as one of the greatest partners of his time. Featuring partners and colleagues from Heather Watts to Peter Martins along with powerful dance sequences, this compelling documentary is a glimpse into Soto’s life from his Navajo Indian and Puerto Rican ancestry and openly gay identity, to his plans for life after dance at the ripe old age of 40.
*OPENING NIGHT w/Jock Soto and filmmaker Gwendolen Cates. A reception follows the discussion.
Tickets: $12 (members), $16 (nonmembers)
SOY ANDINA
May 10: 4:30 - May *11: 6:30
The delightful story of two women raised in different worlds who are both drawn to Peru through dance. After 15 years in New York, Nelida Silva returns to her birthplace in the Andes to fulfill her dream of hosting the village’s fiesta patronal—an eight-day celebration of dance, music, and ritual. Cynthia Paniagua, a modern dancer raised in Queens by a Peruvian mother, meets Neli and is inspired to travel through Peru to learn about its dance tradition. Their cross-cultural trips lead each woman to a new understanding of her own history and artistic expression.
*Q&A w/filmmaker Mitch Teplitsky and dancer Cynthia Paniagua, who is featured in the film.
Performance: Cynthia Paniagua will perform Despierta Peru, an original theatrical dance piece that mixes traditional and modern dance. DVDs will be available for signing.
Tickets: $6 (members), $10 (nonmembers)
VSPRS SHOW AND TELL
May 10: 7:00 - May 11: 4:30
Called by one critic "the weirdest, most shocking and provocative dance performance you will ever see," the piece called VSPRS employs religious, psychological, and graphic sexual imagery in a frenzied performance. From acclaimed Belgian choreographer Alain Platel and Les Ballets C de la B, who have never shied away from controversy, the piece is a modern interpretation of Monteverdi’s Maria Vespers, one of the most important works of European religious music. Iconoclastic filmmaker Sophie Fiennes captures the ecstasy and trauma at VSPRS’ core and illuminates its process with interviews with Platel and the dancers.
SALLY GROSS: THE PLEASURE OF STILLNESS
May 10: 8:45 - May *13: 7:15
Acclaimed dancer and choreographer Sally Gross has been weaving her spell in groundbreaking dance over the past half-century. When she decided to create a new piece, legendary documentarian Albert Maysles teamed with filmmaker Kristen Nutile to learn how she does it. The life and work of "the most poetic of minimalist modern-dance choreographers" (New York Times) are revealed in this intimate portrait, featuring excerpts from 50 years of performance, as well as interviews with critics, collaborators, and friends.
Shown with the 6-minute short Stopped in Her Tracks by Susan Brockman & Sally Gross.
*Q&A w/dancer/choreographer Sally Gross, filmmakers Albert Maysles and Kristen Nutile and producer Tanja Meding.
Tickets: $9 (members), $13 (nonmembers)
SHORTS PROGRAM
May 11: 3:00 - May *12: 7:15
PINA BAUSCH
A hugely influential figure in the performing arts, Pina Bausch is widely praised for work that blends idiosyncratic movement, speech, song, visual imagery, and astonishing sets. But "the undisputed Queen of European dance theater" (The Times, London) didn’t always enjoy acclaim. Here she recalls the tumultuous beginnings of her Tanztheater Wuppertal in the 1970s. Mesmerizing excerpts of her dances are interspersed with commentary from the dancers.
THE GUARANTEE
A young dancer named Charles is shocked when one of his ballet teachers asks him to consider undergoing plastic surgery on his prominent nose to further his career. A tour-de-force of hand-drawn animation, The Guarantee humorously addresses the sometimes dangerous pursuit of physical perfection.
THE MOTHER IS THE ONE WHO STRETCHES
A collaboration between three local artists, this work uses dance and spoken word to explore a mother’s capacity to stretch—both physically and emotionally—and the often humorous realities of birthing and raising kids.
*Q&A w/filmmaker Susan Todd, choreographer/dancer Jeannie Zusy and writer Marcy B. Freedman. Susan Todd is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker and the JBFC’s Director of International Understanding through Film. Marcy B. Freedman is an artist and art historian who teaches and exhibits in Westchester and New York City. Jeannie Zusy, who is also a playwright, performs regularly throughout the region. All three are mothers and live in Croton-on-Hudson.
The Jacob Burns Film Center is a not-for-profit cultural arts organization in Pleasantville, New York dedicated to: presenting the best of independent, documentary and world cinema; promoting visual literacy and making film a vibrant part of the community. The programs are inspired by the power of film to challenge, educate and inspire; to transport us to worlds beyond our own; and to create community through shared dialogue and cultural experience. Since the opening in June 2001, over 1,000,000 people have seen over 3,000 films from more than 40 countries. From students learning critical viewing skills and discussing films with the filmmakers, to creating their own animated shorts, the Film Center uses the visual imagery of film as a catalyst for learning. To learn more about the Jacob Burns Film Center, visit www.burnsfilmcenter.org.
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