As seen on PBS’ Great Performances
NEVER STAND STILL – Dancing at Jacob’s Pillow
Directed by Ron Honsa
Produced by Nan Penman
Narrated by Bill T. Jones
Distributed by First Run Features
Praise for Never Stand Still
Honsa manages to capture dancers ineffable beauty while offering a delectable glimpse into the art.”
– The Boston Globe
Highly recommended!” – The New York Times
Never Stand Still lovingly conveys the connection between place, performer, and audience.” – The New Yorker
Exhilarating! To thrill lovers of movement.”
– The Village Voice
Never Stand Still is a testament to our tradition and roots in movement.” – Huffington Post
An exhilarating documentary featuring every kind of dance form imaginable in rapid, kinesthetically gripping visuals.” – The San Francisco Examiner
Like Wim Wender’s Pina, Never Stand Still immerses us in the lives of extraordinary artists and the power of dance.” – Encore Magazine
Honsa and Nan Penman, have confidence in the more universal approach they’ve taken, and the beautiful artistry they’ve captured in Never Stand Still proves their point. Dance should appeal to everyone.”
– Los Angeles Times
From the opening shots of this transcendent documentary, Never Stand Still, we feel the tingling sensation of something other-worldly about to happen, we are transported into another realm. Thanks to Honsa’s sure directorial touch, the wings of the dancers in Never Stand Still are quite visible indeed.” – Galo Magazine
74 Minutes of Pure Joy” – Berkshire Onstage
Never Stand Still is an enchanting tribute destined to delight both modern dance devotees and the curious alike.”
– Kam Williams
A documentary filmmaker has two responsibilities. The first is to make an interesting subject even more interesting. The second is to make a good film. Director Ron Honsa hits both marks with Never Stand Still, an intimate look at dance that will galvanize anyone who’s ever moved his body to music.” – CityArts
Synopsis
Never Stand Still explores why dance matters as it transports the viewer into a world of non-stop dance, the daring artists who dedicate their lives to it, and the extraordinary place where it all happens. Directed by Ron Honsa, narrated by Tony Award-winner Bill T. Jones, and filmed on location at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Never Stand Still features world renowned choreographers and dancers and rare archival footage while chronicling the remarkable story of how an abandoned farm, in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, evolved into “the dance center of the nation.”
Intimate interviews with legendary dance artists include Judith Jamison, Paul Taylor, Mark Morris, Suzanne Farrell, and Frederic Franklin, as well as one of the last interviews with the iconic Merce Cunningham. Broadway stars Bill Irwin and Rasta Thomas share their personal stories and ideas about art alongside international artists Shantala Shivalingappa, Gideon Obarzanek, Jomar Mesquita and Nikolaj Hübbe.
Above all, the artists share with us their passion for the most ephemeral, physically demanding, and challenging art form, dance. Judith Jamison explains, “You have to touch the human spirit, don’t you? What’s the point otherwise? And as Mark Morris aptly puts it, “I like to say that my work – it’s not for everyone, it’s for anyone.” Never Stand Still is an inspiring film that will appeal to anyone.
Credits
Directed by
Ron Honsa
Produced and Written by
Ron Honsa, Nan Penman
Cinematography by
Jimmy O’Donnell, Etienne Sauret, Jeff Hodges
Edited by
Charles Yurick
Sound by
Jason Gillet, Chip Hogg
Narrator
Bill T. Jones
Featured Artists
Marge Champion, Merce Cunningham, Suzanne Farrell, Diane Ferlatte, Frederic Franklin, Joanna Haigood, Nikolaj Hubbe, Bill Irwin, Judith Jamison, Jomar Mesquita, Mark Morris, Gideon Obarzanek, Jens Rosen, Shantala Shivalingappa, Paul Taylor, Linda Tillery, Rasta Thomas
Trailer
Also Directed by Ron Honsa – The Men Who Danced
The Story of Ted Shawn's Men Dancers and the Birth of Jacob's Pillow 1933-1940
Directed by Ron Honsa
Produced by Ron Honsa and Nan Penman
Presenting the story of the first all-male dance company in the United States, known as Ted Shawn’s Men Dancers. Historic footage from the 1930s captures the beauty and rigor of Shawn’s choreography and reveals the story of the founding of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, America’s longest running dance festival.
John Gruen of Dance Magazine called this film, “One of the most authentic records we have of a most remarkable chapter in dance history.” And The New York Times stated, “Shawn’s passionate interest in everything about him is paid homage to … "
Winner of numerous festival awards, including Dance On Camera and the International Film and TV Festival of New York. Nationally aired on PBS and distributed worldwide.
