Choreographers/Choreography
Alvin Ailey: Memories and Visions
"Presents selections from the major works of choreographer Alvin Ailey as performed by his City Center Dance Theater to background music ranging from modern blues to classical music to traditional spirituals. The choreography is a reflection of the many varied influences in Alvin Ailey's life, influences that are both seen and felt through the vivid performance of the company, which includes the world-renowned artist Judith Jamison."
Anna Sokolow Tribute 2004
"A tribute to the lasting legacy of Anna Sokolow."
Beth Woronoff
"Includes excerpts of ice skating dance numbers by Frozen Feet Theater, NYC: Fire & Ice, and Viva La Vida the Life of Frida Kahlo, as well as Volcano, and Persephone & the Birth of Winter and Beth Woronoff, the choregorapher and Director of Saugerties NY Boundless Edge Ice Dancing Ensemble, speaking to this dance form with Linda Diamond.
Choreography: Linda Diamond Letters E-I
"Interviews with and comments by Linda Diamond about her choreography and selected productions."
Choreography: Linda Diamond Letters J-P
"Interviews with and comments by Linda Diamond about her choreography and selected productions."
Choreography: Linda Diamond Letters R-V
"Interviews with and comments by Linda Diamond about her choreography and selected productions.
Choreography: Linda Diamond Titles A
"Interviews with and comments by Linda Diamond about her choreography and five productions."
D. Anna Sokolow
"Unedited footage of Anna Sokolow in her final years working with classes and rehearsals."
"The dancers of the Ballet de l'Opera company of Paris learn to perform choreographer Trisha Brown's seminal 1979 dance Glacial Decoy."
"[This film] tells the riveting story of one of America's most important artists. In 1962, as a founding member of Judson Dance Theater, Rainer, revolutionized modern dance by introducing everyday movements like walking and running into the dance lexicon. Abandoning choreography in the '70s, Rainer introduced narrative techniques into American avant-garde film, turning that genre on its head, too. [W]e follow Rainer, returned to choreography, as she continues to create vibrant, courageous, unpredictable dances that invite audiences to question basic assumptions about art and performance."
"Monday morning, two choreographers show up in a High School in San Sebastiàn, Spain. They have five days to get a classroom full of teenagers on stage and perform a dance theatre. The dance forces the teenagers to break their social roles right at the moment of their lives when such predetermined cultural positions are being solidified. As the saying goes, 'If people can dance together, people can live together.'"
Getting Your Kicks! A Beginner's Guide to Choreography
"An incomparable resource for creating an endless number of choreographic combinations."
Gus: An American Icon
"An honest look at the life of Gus Giordano, the founding father of jazz dance and master of choreography. From his early years as the son of immigrants in New York to his most successful moments as the founder of the Jazz Dance World Congress, Gus Giordano's love for dance took him to places he never imagined, where he was to touch the lives of many talented dancers and artists."
Haunting Douglas
"A critical examination of the choreographic works of Douglas Wright, with some biographical information."
How to Choreograph
"This two-volume set presents the basic principles of choreography. Everything I Learned In School illustrates basic principles of good composition through excerpts from dance performances. It teaches how to use time, space, energy, quality of movement, dynamics, and formation design as expressive tools. Everything I Never Learned in School explains that true masterpieces transcend the rulebook and encourages viewers to develop an individual style. It warns against cliches, shows how to incorporate elements of surprise, and explores ways to tap into personal experiences."
Interview with James Klosty on Merce Cunningham
"James Klosty, actor, writer and photographer speaks with Linda Diamond about his book on Merce Cunningham and the Cunningham dance group, and Klosty's friendship with musician John Cag
Interview with Jayson Durivou about Anna Sokolow, 2010
"Durivou speaks with Linda Diamond about his career and their experiences with the choreographer Anna Sokolow
Interview with Joseph Pehrson, Composer, and Linda Past, Dancer and Choreographer
"Joseph Pehrson, new music composer, and founding director of Composers Concordance, speaks to his career and work and with Linda Diamond which includes excerpts of his music and, interviews with dancer and choreographer of his work, Linda Past; and with Joseph's mother, Virginia Pehrson, about his early interest in music. Some footage of choreography by Linda Diamond and Linda Past of his music includes Beyond Noah's Ark, Levitations, and On the Nature of the Universe."
Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About
"Examines the life of the controversial master of the Broadway musical and ballet choreographer Jerome Robbins. Features excerpts from Robbins' work, including never-before-seen rehearsal footage, and interviews with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jacques d'Amboise, Suzanne Farrell, Arthur Laurents, Peter Martins, Frank Rich, Chita Rivera, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harrick, Joseph Stein, and others."
Laban's Legacy
"A collection of interviews with artists and teachers from the Laban heritage. In The Inner Ring Jean Newlove discusses how actors study movement and the usefulness of Choreutics, Valerie Preston-Dunlop discusses Laban's early years in Europe, Geraldine Stephenson discusses creating dances with meaning and the usefulness of Efforts, Warren Lamb finding meaning in movement patterns and Anne Hutchinson Guest discusses the value of notation. In The Second Ring, Sam Thornton shows his process of building a movement choir, Peggy Hackney discusses the development of body concepts in LMA, Carol-Lynne Moore discusses the metaphysical threads in Laban's life and William Forsythe discusses the value of Laban's theories to a dancer's art.
Last Dance
"Documentary on the genesis of A Selection, a dance work created in collaboration by Pilobolus Dance Theatre and Maurice Sendak and Arthur Yorinks of the Night Kitchen Theater. Beginning with the first rehearsals for the work, the film explores the complex and occasionally troubled interaction between the dance company, known for its innovative collaborative approach to choreography, and Sendak, an eminent author and illustrator. Archival footage from Nazi Germany depicts the inspiration for the work, a dance of death evoking the evils of the Jewish Holocaust. The film follows A selection from its presentation as a work-in-progress at Purchase College's Performing Arts Center to its world premiere at the American Dance Festival in Durham, N.C., and its New York premiere at the Joyce Theater. A sequence of performance excerpts from the work conclude the film."
Lisa Hahn Speaks on Doris Humphrey
"Lisa Hahn discusses with Linda Diamond the ideas and legacy of Doris Humphrey.
Margo Sappington & Footage Choreography
"Sappington speaks about her experiences with dance and choreography, Joffrey Ballet in NYC, visual art themes such as Rodin's Mis en Vue and other works based on Rousseau, the painter, and Toulouse Lautrec, includes pictures and film excerpts of her work."
Movement One: A Dance Documentary
"...is a dance documentary that follows producer/composer Jon Arpino and Emmy-nominated choreographer Teddy Forance as they create an original dance production for film. In just 8 days, 20 dancers collaborated to choreograph and perform a 30-minute dance production set to an original score. The film takes viewers into the studio to witness the entire creative process--from choreography to music composition--concluding with a performance that pushes the boundaries of dance on film."
Mr. Gaga: A True Story of Love and Dance
"Enter the world of Ohad Naharin and the Batsheva Dance Company. A man with an extraordinary vision, Naharin is regarded as one of the most important choreographers in the world today. He is known for developing 'Gaga'--a movement language that resists labels, highlights somatic experience, emphasizes improvisation, and pushes dancers to use their body in ways that are ignored or overlooked by other dance techniques. ... Mr. Gaga explores how Naharin's movement has not only shaped contemporary Israeli dance, but has redefined the modern dance world at large ... viewers meet Naharin at a critical turning point in his personal life; filmed over eight years, it mixes intimate rehearsal footage with previously unseen archive ... dance sequences."
A New Dance for America: The Choreography, Teachings and Legacy of Doris Humphrey, 1895 -1958
"The story of the life and works of modern dance pioneer Doris Humphrey (1895-1958) is the focus of this documentary. It leads from her birth in Oak Park, Illinois, to growing up in a theatrical hotel in Chicago where she supported her parents as a dance teacher at the age of 18, the launch of her professional career in the Denishawn Company, establishing her own company with partner Charles Weidman, to serving as artistic director and choreographer for José Limón. Historical and contemporary performance excerpts cover the span of her career from her earliest composition, Valse Caprice (1920), to her last, Brandenberg Concerto (1958), and represent some of her finest pieces such as Soaring, Passacaglia in C Minor, New Dance and Day on Earth. Attention has been paid to placing her growth as a dance artist and her contribution to the development of modern dance within the context of twentieth century history. Interviews with former dancers who worked with her and with her son complete the picture of this indomitable woman who, along with Charles Weidman and Martha Graham, forged a new art form growing out of the national experience of pioneering, freedom of expression, wide open spaces and democratic values."
One Day Pina Asked = Un jour Pina a demandé
"Chantal Akerman's look at the work of choreographer Pina Bausch and her Wuppertal, Germany-based dance company."
Pina: Dance, Dance, Otherwise We Are Lost
"Originally conceived as a collaboration between filmmaker Wim Wenders and choreographer Pina Bausch, Pina ultimately turned into a tribute to Bausch following her death in 2009. Consists primarily of performances of Bausch's works by Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch with brief interviews with Bausch and members of the dance group."
Understanding Pina: The Legacy of Pina Bausch
"This program profiles Pina Bausch, explores her dance background, and offers insights into her creative legacy. It features interviews with dancers who worked with Bausch through the various phases of her career."
A Woman Who...Selected Works of Yvonne Rainer
"This 2-DVD collection features five early films, a historically important dance and a recent work by media artist and choreographer Yvonne Rainer, and a documentary portrait by Charles Atlas. The collection includes a booklet featuring writings on the artist's work by Bill Horrigan, Carrie Lambert and Sally Banes, as well as a detailed biography, bibliography and videography of Yvonne Rainer."
(PINA: DANCE, DANCE, OTHERWISE WE ARE LOST)