Ezra Hurwitz's New Film Asks Miami City Ballet Dancers Why They Dance

January 11, 2016

In his new film Why We Dance, director Ezra Hurwitz helps us understand what it looks and feels like for members of Miami City Ballet as they prepare for a performance. The film’s detailed shots of hands and feet, and its intimate behind-the-scenes footage, feels like an invisibility cloak that allows you to slip backstage. The propulsive score gives a sense of energy and excitement that builds throughout the day and culminates as the curtain rises, revealing the dancers onstage in Justin Peck’s Heatscape and George Balanchine’s Bourrée Fantasque.

Created for the company’s 30th anniversary season, Why We Dance also includes voiceovers of company members as they reflect on their art. As one dancer says, “We care so much about what we do here and being the best that we can be—collectively and individually.” If a ballet company could be summed up in a sentence, I think that’s getting pretty darn close.

As with his previous films, Hurwitz draws from his experience as a former member of MCB and uses his dancer’s sensibility to create something beautiful. We’ve loved all his films so far, and can’t wait to see what’s next!