Monday, June 6
THEY ARE WE (2014)
Director: Emma Christopher
In Central Cuba, members of the Gangá-Longobá, a small Afro-Cuban ethnic group, have kept their unique heritage alive through decades of enslavement, independence wars, and revolution. Director Emma Christopher spent two years showing a film of the Gangá-Longobá songs and dances to several thousand people across Sierra Leone. Eventually, in an isolated village, one man looked at another in joy as he watched a recording and said, “They are we!” Then the villagers joined in with others of the Gangá-Longobá songs, still recognizing them clearly despite all the years of separation.
HORIZONTES (2015)
Director: Eileen Hofer
In run-down rehearsal rooms along the halls of the Grand Theatre of Havana, Amanda and Viengsay dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to their demanding routine: that of classical ballet. Their every step and aspiration echo the great achievements of their predecessor, Alicia Alonso, the prima ballerina assoluta, still invincible even at the grand age of 90.
Tuesday, June 7
A TIME TO DANCE: THE LIFE AND WORK OF NORMA CANNER (1998)
Directors: Ian Bronwell and Webb Wilcoxen
Presented in partnership with the American Dance Therapy Association
This documentary profiles Norma Canner, a pioneer in dance movement therapy, who found in dance a way to help those discarded by society. The film traces the evolution of Norma’s career from Broadway actress, through her ground-breaking work in creative movement with disabled children, to her work with adults as a dance therapist.
Director talk back following the screening!
AFTER THE CURTAIN (2016)
Director: Emelie Mahdavian
Four female dancers battle shifting cultural norms and face increasing disfavor in the Post-Soviet, predominantly Muslim nation of Tajikistan. The women weigh their love of art against economic hardship, loneliness, and social reproach in this intimate portrait, which also celebrates the rich dance and music culture of a Central Asian country largely unknown in the West.