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Stuart Winter announces the film REBOOT: DANCING THROUGH A PANDEMIC

Robin Kent Photography

A behind the scenes documentary about dancers and dance projects run by Tracing Movement during the pandemic has been announced today, ‘Reboot: Dancing Through a Pandemic’ will follow Tracing Movement founded and led by choreographer Stuart Winter. In their two Reboot projects, and the two films they created during lockdown‘Tracing Movement Together’and‘Rebound’.

The film will be 35 minutes long and will premiere on YouTube on Sunday 18th July at 7pm and is made by Film by Harris and Tracing Movement.

The two Reboot projects featured were run at Jerwood Space in London, one in October 2020 and the second in May 2021 and they offered free daily classes for over 150 freelance dance professionals.

It allowed dancers the opportunity to train and maintain their skills during the pandemic and ensure they return in performance condition for the reopening of theatres and featured dancers from all top West End shows. Alongside this 2020 graduates were admitted after their final year of training was disrupted.

‘Tracing Movement Together’ and‘Rebound’wereshortfilmscreatedbyTracingMovementandthedocumentarywillfollow the creation of these.Tracing Movement Together’ featured over 100 dancers from 17 countries and Rebound’ was made with regular collaborators Director of Photography Ben Thomas and Editor Greg Bernstein and featured six of the dance artists from the Reboot project.

Stuart Winter said today, “Investment in dancers is crucial at the moment. Freelance performers don’t have the safety net that the national companies provide. Reboot gave time for dancers to reconnect with their athleticism and artistry away from the pressures of auditions and performance. It is so important that the correct support and investment is given to artists to help them perform safely and securely throughout their careers. I hope that this documentary can continue to highlight the pressures and difficulties facing these elite artists. This is just a drop in the ocean in terms of what is needed both now and moving forward as theatres start to reopen. I am so grateful to all our supporters, the Jerwood Foundation, Jerwood Space and Theatre Royal Stratford East for enabling these crucial projects to happen.”