In 2025 Dance Camera West (DCW), will celebrate its 25th year as the world-renowned, Los Angeles-based organization committed to exploring dance on screen.

Dance Camera West 2025 will take place on Wednesday, January 29 to Sunday, February 2, 2025 at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, atop the beautiful hilltop Barnsdall Art Park (4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027) with a special presentation at the Philosophical Research Society (3910 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027).

Single tickets are $25 and a full festival pass—which includes all screenings and receptions–is $250. Early Bird Special is $125 regular; $100 for students (before January 1).

Dance Camera West 2025 will showcase a curated selection of 50+ films from 20 countries that represent the pinnacle of dance film creativity—each making its World, U.S., or Los Angeles premiere. This year, programs will include DCW’s signature VISIBILITY program premieres, a retrospective of Los Angeles choreographer David Roussève, a world premiere feature doc from Benjamin Millepied’s Paris Dance Project, LA POPS UP, curated by Kitty McNamee | Hysterica, celebrating L.A.’s unique industry choreographers, plus a reprise screening of Wim Wender’s iconic dance film PINA in 3D.

The 2025 edition will also include a five day co-creation lab for filmmakers and dancers, artist Q&As, and receptions to enrich the community experience.

Opening Night Program 

Benjamin Millepied|Paris Dance Project

world premiere

Center Piece Programs

LA POPS UP curated by Kitty McNamee|Hysterica

DCW VISIBILITY Program and  Dance Film as a Cultural Language Wim Wenders’ PINA in 3D

Closing Night Program

Dance Icon David Roussève 

Retrospective and Reception

Schedule Details

Wednesday, January 29 

7:00 pm

International Shorts Program A

International Shorts Program A features short experimental dance films from Denmark, India, Iran, United Kingdom, Sweden, and France. 

Dance Map (Dense)

*World Premiere 

Artistic direction of the project: Benjamin Millepied. Artistic creation collective: Solenne du Haÿs-Mascré, Christian Longchamp, Fabien Truong.

Thursday. January 30

7:00 pm

International Shorts Program B

International Shorts Program B features short experimental dance films from Canada, China, the Russian Federation, France, Hong Kong, and the United States.

LA Pops Up 

The eclectic lineup in LA POPS UP celebrates a vibrant mix of styles, spanning contemporary, hip-hop, poppin’, jazz, bharatanatyam, and more, reflecting the multicultural social fabric of LA. This dynamic event provides a platform for raw, disruptive, and authentic artistry, offering both emerging and established creators a chance to push boundaries and showcase their work in a unique, immersive setting.Many of these creatives have worked behind-the-scenes on major film, TV, and music projects, from iconic shows like Euphoria and Pose, to artists such as Rihanna, Björk, and The Weeknd. The commercial success of these works, however, too often overshadows the personal artistry of the choreographers involved - and this project is here to challenge that! Featured artists include visionaries such as Tony Testa, Nina McNeely, Mike Tyus, along with many others who are shaping the future of performance on screens.

Friday, January 31 

7:00 pm

VISIBILITY 

Featuring six films created through DCW’s signature VISIBILITY production fund. Hosted by artist, educator, and scholar Irishia Hubbard Romaine. DCW’s current DCW VISIBILITY project is funded by the California Arts Council’s KDACC grant and the National Endowment for the Arts

Dance As a Cultural Language

A screening of shorts from Suriname, India, Finland and Fiji, in which the body participates in the restructuring of knowledge production. Films represent the range and richness of dance and ritual practice as a negotiation of past and present, an embodiment of ancestral history, and a re-imagination of cultural knowledge. A panel discussion with filmmakers explores the question how dance and cinema can offer an alternative and addition to western textual knowledge production.  

Saturday, February 1 

12 noon

International Shorts Program C

International Shorts Program B features short experimental dance films from United Kingdom, Slovenia, France, and the United States.

PINA in 3D directed by Wim Wenders

7:00 pm

LOCATION: Philosophical Research Society

Wim Wenders’ iconic film tribute to the genius choreographer Pina Bausch –whose stage work, The Rite of Spring, was seen recently at The Music Center– offers a rare contemporary dance-along in a vivid 3D format. PINA opened in December 2011 and was an Oscar nominee. Originally begun as a collaboration with choreographer Pina Bausch, Wenders conceived the film as an attempt to re-imagine her dance on the big screen. When Bausch died suddenly in 2009, Wenders forged on, turning the project into a moving tribute to her groundbreaking work with the Tanztheater Wuppertal ensemble. With longtime members of the troupe re-creating classic pieces, PINA delivers an exhilarating journey deep into Bausch’s world.

Sunday, February 2  

1:00 pm

Doc Day Afternoon 

Features 6 short and feature doc films exploring living a life of dance. 

6:00 pm

David Roussève 

Retrospective & Reception

"One of the country's most inspired and inspiring dancemakers." - San Francisco Chronicle

Choreographer/writer/director/filmmaker David Roussève is a magna *** laude graduate of Princeton University and a Guggenheim Fellow. He founded his company, David Roussève / REALITY in 1988 and has since choreographed, written and directed 14 evening-length works.  David has created three short films Two Seconds After Laughter, Twit  and Bittersweet, which have screened at over 40 film festivals in 12 countries and has been awarded at 13 festivals. David was twice a fellow in the Sundance Feature Film Screenwriter’s Lab and is the recipient of an award at the prestigious IMZ International Dance Film Festival. Twit, a feature screenplay based on his dance/theater work Stardust, was a finalist in two “Best Screenplay” categories at the Nashville Film Festival and a semi-finalist for the Los Angeles Outfest Screenwriter’s Lab. His screenplay adaptation of his dance/theater work Urban Scenes/Creole Dreams was a finalist for “Best Historical Screenplay” and a semifinalist for “Best Dramatic Screenplay” in the Feature Film Screenplay competition at the Nashville Film Festival. 

Buy Tickets

Date: January 29 - February 2, 2025

Location: Barnsdall Gallery Theatre

4814 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027

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