Private Project

Mama Dancers

Six diverse professional dancers navigate the dance of life as they balance the rhythms of motherhood and their demanding careers, unveiling the joys, struggles, and triumphs of pursuing their dreams.

  • Jingqiu Guan
    Director
  • Yang Tao
    Director
  • Jingqiu Guan
    Writer
  • Yang Tao
    Writer
  • Selena Leoni
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Feature
  • Runtime:
    50 minutes 39 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 15, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    Chinese, English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jingqiu Guan, Yang Tao

Originally from Chengdu, China, Jingqiu Guan is a filmmaker, choreographer and scholar. Her dance films and documentaries have been presented in a number of film festivals in the US, the UK, Norway, Spain, Austria, Mexico, India, mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau and won various awards. Centering voices and expressions of women, immigrants, people of color, as well as people of disabilities, her works explore cultural identities, motherhood, and address issues of racial and disability justice.

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Director Statement

“Mama Dancers” witnesses the lives of six women artists of diverse backgrounds who embody resilience and determination as they navigate the intricate choreography of pursuing their passion for dance while negotiating the demands of motherhood. As dancers and mothers ourselves, we found co-directing this film extremely meaningful and enlightening. Both of us deeply relate to these mothers’ experiences and aim to tell a story that paints an honest and intimate group portrait of their lives without either dramatizing or romanticizing motherhood. Through intimate storytelling and captivating performances, we hope this film can spark dialogue about necessary changes that would provide more support, inclusivity, and accommodation for artists who are or who desire to become mothers in the performing arts industry.