Uncover the story of the first quintessentially American dance company, the Joffrey Ballet. Founders Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino pioneered a new dance philosophy by daringly combining modern and traditional techniques and art with social statement, and integrating pop and rock music scores. Tracing the struggles and triumphs of the company from 1956 to the present, the film features interviews with former and current Joffrey dancers, the breakthroughs of choreographers Twyla Tharp, Laura Dean and Margo Sappington, and rare archival performance footage, including excerpts from signature works Astarte, Trinity and Billboards. Mandy Patinkin narrates.
American Masters "Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance" can be seen on Friday, December 28th at 9:00 pm and on Sunday, December 30th at 10:00 pm.