“A deep dive into the sharing, teaching, remembering, and learning of the process. This film conveys joy...”

—Jeff Seroy, Trustee, Merce Cunningham Trust

August Pace: 1989-2019

Directed by Daniel Madoff

54 minutes | 5.1 Surround Sound | SDH captions

Scene Selection

Thirty years after the world premiere of legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham’s "August Pace," the original cast members gather once again in a New York City studio to teach their roles to a younger generation. Their reunion is a grand experiment in group transmission where the older dancers rediscover the work only to let it go and see it anew as observers.

In this fly-on-the-wall documentary, we witness the original cast both in archival footage and in the studio as, with touching poignancy and humor, they grapple with movement they danced in their prime. The young artists, making the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, eagerly draw on their predecessor’s knowledge to take on these same challenges with fresh energy and determination.

August Pace: 1989-2019 is now available on DVD with public performance rights for purchase and rental by schools, libraries, and other organizations. Academic streaming can be licensed from Docuseek. Campus and community groups interested in hosting a community screening can book now through Bullfrog Communities.

WATCH THE TRAILER

“Madoff shares an inside peek of a meticulous process of reconstructing Cunningham’s August Pace. Weaving together the stories of the original dancers with the workshop dancers 30 years apart drives home the timeless impact of Cunningham’s work, and its impact on the dancers who bring it to life. It is a gift to witness the care taken for both the accuracy of the choreography and for the support of one another as artists and keepers of this enduring work.”

—Missy Pfohl Smith, Director, Institute for the Performing Arts, Program of Dance and Movement, University of Rochester

“Dances live on for one reason and one reason only: the dancers...An excellent demonstration of this is documented in August Pace. There is no overall stager, régisseur, or coach in evidence; the effort is entirely communal. The life of the dance belongs to its performers, and the intellectual independence and sense of responsibility that drive the giving of the movement by the originals and the absorption of it by the work-shoppers make a terrific case for the beauty, risk, and dignity inherent in the study and performance of dancing on an Olympian level.”

—Mindy Aloff, Author, Why Dance Matters

To order August Pace: 1989-2019,

visit the Bullfrog Films online catalog.

Order by phone at (610) 779-8226

or email us at info@bullfrogfilms.com

Bullfrog Films is the oldest and largest publisher of documentary films about the environment in the United States. We define "environment" broadly, and our catalog includes programs on ecology, energy, agriculture, indigenous peoples, women's studies, environmental justice, international relations, sustainable development, anthropology, economics, ethics, and conflict resolution.