Never Stand Still
Never Stand Still
| 18 May 2012 (USA)
Never Stand Still Trailers

The film explores why dance matters - to those who create and perform it and to those who watch it. This documentary tells the remarkable story of how an abandoned Massachusetts farm has evolved into a National Historic Landmark and a nexus for dance throughout the world. Its unlikely purchase by choreographer Ted Shawn during the Great Depression allowed this secluded site in the Berkshires to become the internationally renowned Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. Through candid conversations with world-class choreographers and dancers, thrilling performances, backstage access, and rare footage from the Pillow's Archives, 'Never Stand Still' immerses the viewer in this most ephemeral of art forms, celebrating not only its value to our culture but to our lives.

Reviews
SparkMore

n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

... View More
SanEat

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

... View More
Micah Lloyd

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

... View More
Myron Clemons

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

... View More
atlasmb

Though I have seen many dance performances, I never had the pleasure of visiting Jacob's Pillow. This film explained what, in part, I was missing.Never Stand Still starts with the origin and early history of the performance center and school that would become a significant cultural center dedicated to dance in all its forms. Over the years, the focus of the center grew from a concentration on modern dance to embrace all variations of dance, and the music that accompanies.Using archival footage, Never Stand Still reminds us of the cultural debt we owe the pioneers of dance in America, from Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn to Paul Taylor. These film pieces are narrated by today's dance icons and others who are new to the conversation. By discussing the processes that are used at Jacob's Pillow to teach and to perform, we get a behind-the-scenes view of dance culture and an understanding of how this Massachusetts retreat fits into the fabric of American dance.I am glad this film could educate me as to the mission of Jacob's Pillow. Perhaps someday I will have an opportunity to experience it firsthand.

... View More