LIVES BEYOND MOTION, a documentary film centered on men in contemporary dance, is a love letter to every creative across the arts. Filmmaker, modern dancer and choreographer, Keith Glassman, follows his passion to explore the lives of an intergenerational group of celebrated men who have made their mark on and off the stage. Some of our most treasured dancers and choreographers, including Kennedy Center honoree, BILL T. JONES, Alvin Ailey Associate Artistic Director, MATTHEW RUSHING, Guggenheim Fellow, LAR LUBOVITCH and MacArthur Genius, KYLE ABRAHAM, gift us a rare level of transparency and expressionism as they share their sacrifices, triumphs and struggles to transcend economic, racial and sexual marginalization. From the park bench to the Broadway stage, LIVES BEYOND MOTION uncovers rare performances, the legacy of legendary artists and spotlights the uncompromising quest to find individual expression and joy in the art of movement.
Thanks to all the interviewed artists: Kyle Abraham, Laurence Blake, Peter Boal, Donald Byrd, Liam Clancy, Sean Curran, Jacques D’Amboise, Nic De La Vega, Douglas Dunn, Ray Ejiofar, Arturo Fernandez, Vernon Gallegos, Eric Geiger, Lawrence Goldhuber, Sebastian Grubb, Mark Haim, Antoine Hunter, Andrew Jannetti, Keith Johnson, Lorin Johnson, Bill T. Jones, C. Derrick Jones, Alex Ketley, Eric Kupers, Lar Lubovitch, Wade Madsen, John Malashock, Donald McKayle, Robert Moses, Charlie Moulton, John Pennington, Stephen Petronio, David Rousseve, Matthew Rushing, Craig Salstein, Jim Self, Frank Shawl, Jeff Slayton, Gus Solomons, Jr., Jock Soto, David Thomson, Edward Villella, Scott Wells and George Willis.
A terrific screening @ the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia. Thanks to Clancey, Joe, Jase and Avis for helping make it happen. Thanks, too, to family and long time friends showing up in support. Lots of good energy and warm reception. One viewer called the movie “extraordinary and poignant!”
Fabulous! “Lives Beyond Motion” has been invited to be the double feature at the South Bay Film Society’s event on Wednesday, July 16 at the AMC Rolling Hills (CA). Thanks to Kiki, Jackie and Joshua at the Pacific UU Church in Palos Verdes for the lead and to Randy Berler for finding a spot for our movie.
Lives Beyond Motion is the closing film at the Special Event of Festival Videodanza de Puerto Rico on Saturday 5/17/25!! Thanks to Ana, Gabriel and team for this great honor!
A terrific range of dance films and docs all weekend and Lives Beyond Motion was named Best Feature Documentary of the festival! Big thanks to Kelly, Dillan and the DCW team for all their hard work and support.
Great introductory conversation with potential Canadian screening partner. Though all LBM dancers are American, our northern neighbors also felt impact of AIDS crisis in the dance communities of the 1980s.
Great screening at the National Dance Education Organization conference in Seattle, WA! Thanks to all who fit the movie into their busy schedules and to the Men In Dance Special Interest Group for making this happen. Thanks, too, to Donald Byrd and those who participated in the post-show discussion.
Setting up summer screening dates: 6/23/24 @ Frida Cinema (Santa Ana, CA) PRIDE, 7/13/24 PillowTalk @ Blake’s Barn @ Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival (Becket, MA)
Film cast member/Associate Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Matthew Rushing with composer/producer,The Angel and writer/director, Keith Glassman at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA 3/24/24
The Angel (composer/producer), KG (writer/director/executive producer), choreographer Kyle Abraham (LBM cast member) and Douglas Thompson (editor/producer) @ AIM show Carpenter Center, Long Beach, CA 9/30/23.
Big Changes Ready to Launch (Almost)
Since the last entry, the film has gone through two title changes, a locked picture, a completed soundscore, a re-recording mix and a couple film festival submissions. Our new name, Lives Beyond Motion comes from a collaborative effort by the Director, Producers (The Angel and Douglas), a handful of arts/dance writers and polls with colleagues. The score is outstanding and the selective few who’ve watched the movie have called it “inspiring,” “powerful,” “extraordinary” and “important.” We’ve partnered with a CSU Dance Department and a national dance organization to virtually share clips from the film-in-progress and are setting up more of these. Before we hit the festival circuit, we’ve had a number of private virtual cast and crew screenings. It has been a very moving experience to hear everyone’s reactions. I’m grateful to know that the film has resonated as “an emotional journey,” that there’s a consensus that “the film is important and has legacy value,” and that many of the men are “honored” to be part of the project. To be continued . . . .
A big shout out in gratitude for end of 2020 donations from JoAnne, David, Wendy, Diane, Sean, Nancy, Kayla, Lee and Joe. Moving forward!!
More about Editing
The process continues. I just watched the Orson Wells-directed film, Touch of Evil. The DVD included a Special Features memo that the artist wrote to the Universal Pictures studio after the latter had changed things around without the director’s approval. Wells had seen this new version of the film only once, but filled 58 pages with his responses to the company’s intervention. With only this single viewing, he was able to pinpoint many of the changes and defend his choices as to why he made the film the way he had. I mention this to highlight all the thinking that goes on in art making. Decisions and details that often slide by the viewer but cumulatively affect the overall result. In no way am I trying to compare myself to Orson Wells, but, maybe I am trying to justify the length of time it’s taking me to get this film in front of your eyes. Thanks for your patience.
Editing: A Bittersweet Activity
I had a blast re-living my conversations with the artists when I edited the 70+ hours into a compelling 71-minute film. Downside is that, like in the dance studio, some of the juicy bits didn’t make it into the finished product. As I selected individual dancers to represent others with similar experiences, I’m still thinking about other platforms with which to share these jewels. Perhaps in a blog or in an official LBM website. TBD . . . .
2015 Year In Review
This year has been VERY exciting for Why American Men Dance! We started by interviewing 15 artists in NYC and began transcribing and cataloguing these conversations as soon as we got back to LA. We received a $10K grant from the California Institute for Contemporary Arts to get post-production started (editing) and have gone from the Top 40 to Top 20 to Top 10 applicants for the Roy Dean Film Grant, a very competitive foundation the supports unique films. Moving forward!!
New Yorkers Share Their Stories
It was an exciting and intense week in New York last month as I met and interviewed fifteen guys ranging from legends Jacques D’Amboise and Edward Villella, icons Lar Lubovitch, Stephen Petronio, Matthew Rushing, Jock Soto, Gus Solomons, Jr. and Douglas Dunn to younger men Craig Salstein (current ABT principal), Brandin Steffansen and David Thomson, Andrew Jannetti, Nick de la Vega, Sean Curren and Larry Goldhuber. Thanks to all of them for their openness and honesty. Thanks, too, to our hosts Doreen and Steve, to my consultant Kirk and to all the project donors. You’ve all helped make it happen. It was an honor, it was a pleasure and it was fun! Now onto the editing room.
Seattle Men State Their Cases
Thanks to Peter Boal, Donald Byrd, Mark Haim and Wade Madsen for sharing their stories. Interesting contrasts and similarities among this great group of dedicated guys.
Male Dance Educators in Chicago: “Why I Can’t Not Dance!”
A fantastic weekend of interviews in the can! Thanks to Sebastian, Eric, Alex, Charlie, Antoine, Robert, Frank and Scott for sharing their dynamite stories. Thanks, too, to Valerie, Christy and Sebastian (again) for making space to allow these meetings to happen. More to come!!
Male dance educators got together in November to dance/talk the Bill Evans-directed collaboration, “Why I Can’t Not Dance.” A diverse inter-generational group of men from all genres mixing it up. Moving and inspiring for audience (600+ women) and participants, alike.
San Francisco Explodes!
Crowdfunding Success!
On December 12, 2013, the two-month long online fundraising campaign to support the filming of the documentary closed with a total of $5151 in contributions. FANTASTIC!! About $1100 in other gifts combine to make $6200 total to get this show on the road (literally and figuratively). Thanks, again to the 74 generous donors. Immediately, Keith interviewed ex-Cunningham dancer/choreographer/educator Jeff Slayton and the show has begun!
Jeff was great. Willing and eager to share, the artist talked about his early life in rural Virginia, his introduction to the NY avant-garde and his relocation to southern California. An inspiring life history that he’s about to publish in hardcover very soon. Be on the lookout for that. Interviews will re-commence after the holidays. More to come!
From Facebook:
BIG THANKS to donors Richard Bailey, Vic Marks, Kirwan Rockefeller, Douglas Levine, Lee, Randy and Diane Girer, Christopher Cory and Joe Greenwald. ONLY 5 HOURS LEFT! If you’ve been thinking about helping make the film happen . . . NOW’s the time! (Nothing is too large or too small) Thanks
Way special THANKS to today’s donors–Ivan Sygoda, Damon Rago, Jim Self, Barbara Boolukos and Chris Pappas! Just 27 hours left; if you’ve been thinking about helping to make the film happen . . . NOW’s the time! (Nothing is too large or too small) Thanks
THANK YOU to Sean Curran, Tom Mallouk, Fran Eldridge, Barry Blumenfeld, Joseph William Dluzak and San Diegans George and Kate Willis, Melissa Nunn, Mary Reich and Karen Schaffman for donating to the making of Why American Men Dance. This Thanksgiving has been a truly memorable holiday.
BIG shout out to THANK the LA dance folk getting behind “Why American Men Dance!” Thanks to Rudy Perez, Joe Schenck, Arianne MacBean, Ilaan Egeland-Mazzini, Donna Sternberg, Sara Fenton, Christine Suarez, Jose Reynoso and Steve Koplowitz. 2 weeks to go on hatchfund campaign! Setting up LA interviews now;-)
Connect with us!