“Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters” dives deeply into the creative process that culminated in choreographer-dancer-director Bill T. Jones’s tour de force ballet D-Man in the Waters. Born amidst the AIDS crisis in 1989, the production gave physical manifestation to the fear, anger, grief and, ultimately, hope for salvation that the emerging Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company (both business and life partners at the time) felt individually and as one.
The documentary spotlights a troupe of young dancers in the present day striving to re-interpret the work. In so doing, they collectively explore what is at stake in their own lives to fully commit to and perform the dance successfully. Utilizing an extraordinary collage of interviews, archival material, and uniquely powerful cinematography this lyrical documentary uses the story of an iconic dance to illuminate the power of art and the triumph of the human spirit.
Filmmakers ask “CAN YOU BRING IT?” in powerful new Dance Documentary
Co-Director Interviews
with John Smistad
“Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters” is about a lot of things.
Dance. Art. Grace. Loss. Devastation. Mourning. Resilience. Strength. Hope.
At it’s very core, however, what this remarkable documentary is really about is the limitless power of The Human Spirt. A power that we are all Blessed with. An innate power that, too often it seems, we forget we have.
“Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters” serves to remind us of our power.
In a way that can’t be forgotten.
I recently interviewed the film’s co-directors, Roz LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz, for my YouTube Channel.
Here’s our conversation:
“Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters” begins streaming on April 3 exclusively on WORLDChannel.org, Black Public Media’s YouTube Channel [ https://www.youtube.com/@BlackPublicMedia] and on the WORLD YouTube Channel (youtube.com/@worldchannel).
The film will make its national television premiere on WORLD Channel. Check local listings for your WORLD Channel station.
You can enjoy my all of my indie entertainment interviews PLUS film reviews on my YouTube Channel at this link:
JOHN SMISTAD (“TQFC”) Film Reviews & Interviews – YouTube
Filmmakers ask "CAN YOU BRING IT?" in powerful new Dance Documentary
- Cinematography/Visual Effects - 6.75/106.8/10
- Plot/Screenplay - 6.5/106.5/10
- Setting/Theme - 7.25/107.3/10
Overall
User Review
( votes)Filmmakers ask "CAN YOU BRING IT?" in powerful new Dance Documentary
“Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters” is about a lot of things.
Dance. Art. Grace. Loss. Devastation. Mourning. Resilience. Strength. Hope.
