Never Stand Still (DVD REVIEW)

 

Never Stand Still

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Documentary Pays Tribute to Legendary Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

            The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival traces its roots back to the Thirties when it was founded on a farm nestled in the Berkshire Mountains by the legendary Ted Shawn (1891-1972). He envisioned the retreat as an oasis where modern dance might be practiced, choreographed and performed as a legitimate art form independent of classical ballet.

            Other than being derailed by a temporary setback during The Depression, the festival’s stature grew steadily over the ensuing years. In 1942, Shawn built a theater in a converted barn so that patrons could enjoy modern for modern’s sake, free of the distracting trappings of a big city opera house.

            Now celebrating its 80^th anniversary, Jacob’s Pillow is a veritable mecca recognized as America’s longest-running dance festival. Directed by Ron Honsa, Never Stand Still is an enchanting tribute destined to delight both modern dance devotees and the curious alike.

            Narrated by Bill T. Jones, this alternately educational and entertaining documentary divides its time between concert footage and informative interviews with industry icons like Merce Cunningham, Bill Irwin, Paul Taylor, Judith Jamison and Suzanne Farrell. We learn from the film that dance is definitely a calling and not a life for anyone who wants a secure career path, since you’re always just an ingénue or an injury away from losing the limelight forever.

            Jamison reminds us, however, that to reach the top, you have to be more than merely technically adept. Indeed, you need to be among those rarest of talents also capable of touching the human spirit.

            Modern dance appreciated as a sacred endeavor enabling one to fly above the fray, if not literally, at the very least, vicariously.

Excellent (4 stars)

Unrated

Running time: 74 minutes

Distributor: First Run Features  DVD Extras: Extended Interview with Merce Cunningham; Invisible Wings: The Carter Family Farm at Jacob’s Pillow; Performance footage of Chunky Move in I Want to Dance Better at Parties; Mimulus in On the Left-Hand Side of Who Goes up the Street; and The Lombard Twins’ C Jam Blues.

To see a trailer for Never Stand Still, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDIqB8-yioQ