Dance Film Night

BIRDS & STARS

Part of being alive and feeling alive is to be awake. Awakening ourselves to what’s around us helps us to open our eyes and open our minds.

Director - Beth Daly
Videographer - Irenerose Castillo
Dancers - Kelsey Schober, Therese Brennan, Greta Nelson, Jessie Embley, Ariel Graham, Karlyn Glidewell, Beth Daly

Interference

"interference is a dance film created in 2020 that looks at the development of humanity's engagement with sharing personal information to the public world. the film was created in response to questions such as: are we meant to know so much about so many people's lives? is it good for us to share personal information with friends and strangers alike? how blurred are the lines between private and public, and how blurred should they be? do we change when we know others are watching, physically and/or digitally?"

Director - Katie O'Loughlin
Videographer - Katie O'Loughlin
Dancers - Brooke Gist, Kara Komarnitsky, Yukina Sato
Lighting Design - Meghan Stanford

Inside Yourself

Inside Yourself was created in partnership with Momentum Dance Collective and Phontonak as a release of their song of the same name, on their debut album, Tempered.

Original Song - Jeremy James Egger
Recorded/Performed - Photonak
Video Production- Momentum Dance Collective, WEAK Production, and Photonak LLC
Director of Photography - Mackenzie Banbur
Choreography - Bonnie Moring & Maia Draper-Reich
Dancers - Bonnie Moring & Maia Draper-Reich

Sifting

Born from a personal journey of healing and growth, Sifting explores the powerful shift from living by external expectations to embracing one's own values. Honest and reflective, this film invites viewers to reconnect with their bodies- wherever they are on their path.

Director - Summer Smith
Cinematographer - Bryce Smith
Dancer - Promise Smith
Choreography - Summer Smith

Raedeen

“Raedeen” by Quinn Christopherson is a deeply personal and evocative song that paints a vivid picture of his journey and struggles with his sister - Raedeen. This collaboration was part of an exploration in dance film-making for Momentum Dance Collective. It is a live single-shot recording on the Potter's Marsh boardwalk in Anchorage, filmed by Alex Troutman. Thank you to all of the collaborators who made this come together and especially Quinn, for his storytelling and artistry, and his trust in us to add some of our own.

Original Song - Quinn Christopherson
Performance - Quinn Christopherson and Nick Carpenter
Director- Kelsey Schober
Director of Photography - Alex Troutman of Blackfish Media with colorist Michael Dempsey of Ambitious.
Choreography - Kelsey Schober
Costume design - Ruby Kennel
Dancers - Karlyn Glidewell, Greta Nelson

Komorebi

The short dance film "Komorebi" is inspired by the translation of the Japanese-word describing the light and shadows that are created when sunlight filters through the leaves of trees. As dancers navigate a terrain illuminated by light, they explore the impact of this natural phenomenon as it heightens their potential for exchange and insight. This film premiered in June 2025, as part of a larger evening-length performance by Andiamo Dance Company. The performance, titled "Light", examined the myriad of ways light affects our understanding of ourselves and the surrounding world.

Director - Jess Berto
Choreographer - Jess Berto
Videographer - Christina Hughes

Elsewhere

Elsewhere is a dance film about turning inward when the weight of life presses in. It explores the strength found in creating a refuge within the mind—a place to find peace, resilience, and contentment.

Director / Choreography - Mikayla Phillips
Videographer - Cody Phillips
Dancer - Mikayla Phillips

Breathe Deep, Hold…Release

The pathway of grief is non-linear. It ranges from recalling treasured memories to crippling isolation, constantly going back and forth as we move through the routines of our life. In an instant our entire outlook on life can change as we grapple with reality, struggling to fight off the delusions. To stay grounded I’ve learned to breathe deep, hold for four seconds, and release my breath and any tension I can identify in my body with it. Repeat as necessary. Join me in my journey of grief as I continue to learn how to let go and how to navigate through waves of grief.

Director - Timothy Eby
Choreographer - Timothy Eby
Videographer/Editor - Ida Taylor

Dancer - Timothy Eby
Photographer - Amanda Kolstedt
Music- Irrepressibles

Chihiro

Chihiro is about fleeting encounters between two people - First strangers, but with each moment of connection, there is a feeling of yearning for more, only for that person to keep slipping away. In the end, they are back to where they started, alone and thinking about what might have been.

Director- Jayden Coulson
Videography - Jacqueline Jones
Choreography - Alexa Geronimo & Jayden Coulson
Dancers - Alexa Geronimo & Jayden Coulson

Nature & Nurture

"Nature & Nurture" is a tribute to DanceWest and my love of film. The DanceWest community has always been made of passionate performers and where the best creatives I've ever met are. Thank you to the community that has shared the stage with me for the past four years and allowed me to grow creatively. The film encapsulates what I've learned though love and passion, to keep moving forward and don't stop creating. That is my nature.

Director- Suri Devillena Assi
Director - Irenerose Castillo
Videography - Suri Devillena Assi
Dancers - Winter Kreuze, Anna Zieserl, Emmaliese Jones, Nia Shelton-Brooks, Celestrelle Rambaud, Makayla Smith, Alexa Geronimo

Next To You

"Next to You" was first created in 2018 as a duo with my best friend, Stephen Grantier. What began as an open-ended creative project grew into a film that we released during the height of COVID in 2021. We're excited to share it again, this time together with all of you. At its heart, the film explores the ache of being close to someone yet feeling miles apart, caught between holding on and letting go.

Director - Irenerose Castillo and Stephen Grantier
Videography - Bryan Pentecostes
Choreography/Dancers - Irenerose Castillo and Stephen Grantier

Soul Bright

Soul Bright is a message from mothers to their children about the hope they inspire for the future. In telling a story of a family of women, this film highlights how ovarian cancer is often genetically linked. The Any Mountain Project seeks to summit the steepest challenges in GYN cancer through creative awareness and research. Visit www.anymountainsong.com to learn more. Know your history, save your future.

Original Song & Performance - Melissa Mitchell & the Any Mountain Campfire (Joanie Mayer Hope aka Dr J, Misha B, Kat Moore)
Director & Choreographer - Misha B
Cinematographer & Editor - Bryan Fidel Pentecostes
Cast - Randee Johnson, Galena Fechik, Ari Jazz Mayer Hope, Mirena Roemer, Charlotte Pericht
Dancers - Ari Jazz Mayer Hope, Jayden Coulson, Rhianna Jade Herbert, Amaya Murphy
Extras - Shayne Ohana, Ceyonna Henderson, Alaska Dance Moms

Look Into The Sky

Look Into The Sky illustrates the vital connections of community that help us live through any struggle. This film was created by the Any Mountain Project in collaboration with Bryan Fidel Films, Momentum Dance Collective, and the Aerial View Studio.

In addition to creative projects, Any Mountain fundraises through GYN cancer survivor, caregiver, and medical provider mountaineering trips to fund GYN cancer research throughout the country. This song and film, as well as more music, music videos, and information about ovarian & GYN cancers and the project’s efforts are available at www.anymountainsong.com.

Original Song & Performance - Dr. Joanie Mayer Hope & the Any Mountain Campfire (Ari Jazz Mayer Hope, Misha B, Melissa Mitchell, Kate Moore)
Director & Choreographer - Maia Draper-Reich
Cinematographer & Editor - Bryan Fidel Pentecostes
Dancers - Maia Draper-Reich, Ari Jazz Mayer Hope, Oliviah Meneses, Mary Rita Ely, Beth Daly, Ariel Graham, Therese Holtz, Amy Kofoid, Ashley Roylance McGee, Bonnie Moring, and Greta Nelson

Another Song

This showing of Another Song by Katie Martini marks the premiere of both the film and the fully produced song itself. This collaboration began with a live performance of Another Song at The Listening Room show with Momentum Dance Collective in November of 2024, featuring original choreography by Bonnie Moring and performances by Dancers Ariel Graham, Becky Kendall, and Mikayla Phillips. The film, shot in Anchorage by Bryan Pentecostes, features the same choreography and performances, and also marks Katie Martini’s directorial debut.

While the lyrics are inspired by Katie’s relationship with music, Another Song is ultimately about transition— leaving the safety of familiarity, stepping into the terrifying unknown, and finding a truer version of yourself in the process.

Original Song & Production -Katie Martini
Director - Katie Martini
Choreographer - Bonnie Moring
Videographer and Editor- Bryan Pentecostes (Bryan Fidel Films)
Assistant - Irenerose Castillo
Dancers - Ariel Graham, Becky Kendall, Mikayla Phillips
Dancers - Karlyn Glidewell, Greta Nelson

Production, Mix and Master: Emmanuel Ventura-Cruess
Vocals - Katie Martini
Guitar: Cody Allison
Oboe & Alto Sax - Brigid Donahue BukovichAssistant - Irenerose Castillo
Bass - Seth Boyer
Drums - Thomas Moore

Drum recording engineer - Levi Betz