Keith Glassman’s “Lives Beyond Motion” World-Renowned Dancers, Free Screening, Director-Cast Q&A
“Lives Beyond Motion,” the award-winning documentary by filmmaker, choreographer, and educator Keith Glassman, brings together more than thirty of America's most celebrated contemporary dancers and choreographers in an intimate portrait of lives devoted to artistic expression. A special free public screening will take place at the West Hollywood City Council Chambers (625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069) on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 2:00pm, with doors opening at 1:45pm.
The two-hour program, concluding at 4:00pm, will feature the screening followed by a live Q&A featuring Glassman, selected cast members, and Dr. David Gere, UCLA professor and author of “How to Make Dances in an Epidemic: Tracking Choreography in the Age of AIDS.” The conversation will further explore the film's themes of artistic legacy, creative resilience, and the evolving role of dance in contemporary culture. This program is supported, in part, by an arts grant from the City of West Hollywood. Admission is free and RSVP is encouraged. Email [email protected] to reserve your spot. For more information about the film, please visit https://whymendance.wixsite.com/lbmscroll.
“Lives Beyond Motion” brings together an extraordinary cast of intergenerational American movement artists whose work has helped shape contemporary dance in the United States and around the world, leaving an enduring legacy both on and off the stage. Featuring acclaimed performers and choreographers including Kennedy Center Honoree Bill T. Jones, Guggenheim Fellows Lar Lubovitch, David Rousseve, and Sean Curran, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham, and more than thirty distinguished artists, the documentary offers a thoughtful reflection on lives devoted to movement, creativity, and the art of dance.
Directed and produced by dancer and choreographer Keith Glassman, the 71-minute documentary—originally released in February 2025—explores the personal and professional journeys of internationally renowned male dancers and choreographers—many of whom identify in the LGBTQ+ community. Through candid interviews—conducted over a ten-year period—interwoven with rare archival performance footage, participants discuss their artistic beginnings, creative evolution, the realities of sustaining a life in dance, and the enduring question that connects them all: "Why do I dance?" Along the way, the film also examines broader social and cultural experiences—including the challenges involved in pursuing a dance career in the U.S., experiences with homophobia, the AIDS crisis, racial issues, and more. Viewers are given a rare level of transparency as participants share their sacrifices, triumphs, and struggles to transcend economic, racial, and sexual marginalization.
The film features an original score by composer The Angel and editing by veteran filmmaker Douglas Thompson. The two are also producers and Kevin Herlihy serves as co-producer, with Glassman as executive producer. Since its premiere, “Lives Beyond Motion” has received Best Documentary honors at Dance Camera West and Outstanding Editing at the Micheaux Film Festival, while screening at festivals and special presentations throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Europe.
