In 2001, author and artist Maurice Sendak entered into an unusual collaboration with the Pilobolus Dance Company to create A Selection, a contemporary ballet inspired by true stories of the Holocaust. As Sendak and the Pilobolus creative team construct the piece from the ground up, they find themselves clashing over creative issues as they also juggle the weighty issues of how to honestly deal with the issues of the Holocaust within the context of a dance piece without trivializing them in the
process. Filmmaker Mirra Bank was on hand to document both the ballet and its creation, and Last Dance offers an intimate look at the creative process in action, as well as the striking ballet they produced. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Rehearsals are frequently more fascinating than the results. Last Dance, whatever its flaws, fulfills one facet of its mission in making me want to find out whether, in this case, that's true.
The movie provides an intimate glimpse of how sensibilities as compatible as oil and water forced themselves to blend and create a successful work despite their aesthetic differences.
I'll admit: I've never had much exposure to, or interest in, the world of interpretive dance. While I'm not necessarily a convert, I am grateful for at least the brief exposure to this stunning form of art.
an 83 minute document of a project which started in a muddle, seesawed back and forth between controlling interests multiple times, then found its sweet spot
What is captured during the conceptual process doesn't add up to a sufficient explanation of what the final dance work, The Selection, became in its final form.
No quotes approved yet for Last Dance. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Last Dance'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
