Dare to Dance in Public Film Festival

Founded in 2015, DARE TO DANCE IN PUBLIC FILM FESTIVAL (D2D) is a Los Angeles based, International Dance Film Festival. DARE TO DANCE IN PUBLIC FILM FESTIVAL believes in the power of dance and dance film (aka Screen Dance) as an urgent agent of change, a reflection of what connects us, and what it is to be alive and human in the world today. At D2D we see dance as a vital, inclusive means of self-expression belonging to all bodies.

At D2D we are deeply dedicated to the concept of democratizing dance, actively questioning when and where it can happen, what is and is not dance, using the power of dance & dance film to create community, and spreading, promoting, and supporting the international genre of Screen Dance. Unlike Dance Camera West, at D2D we DO NOT REQUIRE YOUR FILMS TO BE LOS ANGELES PREMIERES… At D2D we prioritize inclusivity, and we believe deeply that great dance films can be viewed multiple times and still move audiences. Your films can have played at other LA festivals, and play again at D2D where we invite audiences to see with new eyes and fresh perspectives.

At D2D, we are FILMMAKER FORWARD. D2D annually brings in Internationally renowned Choreographers, Directors, Curators, Producers, Agents and more in both our audiences and as Judges, promoting a rich dialogue about dance and film to determine our Award Winning and Honorably Mentioned Films. This year's judges include Choreographer/Directors Akira Uchida & Iker Karrera, and MSA Agency Co-Founder, Julie McDonald. Previous judges have included Kyle Abraham, Nina McNeely, Paul Lightfoot, Jasmine Albuquerque, Stephen Galloway, Desmond Richardson, Louise Lecavalier, Karole Armitage, Kristy Edmunds, d. Sabela Grimes, Julie McDonald, and many more.

D2D is run by working directors, choreographers and educators who are active at the intersections of pushing the boundaries of dance and feature film, commercials, music videos, stage, circus, site-specific, immersive performance, Screen Dance, and more. Founder/Director Sarah Elgart is an award winning, DGA DIRECTOR, choreographer and producer D2D routinely draws people from the industry to D2D in search of new talent. Sarah worked with Dance Camera West for nearly seven years in numerous capacities and was instrumental in bringing Dance Camera West to institutions such as the Getty, the Music Center, LA County Museum of Art, the Directors’ Guild of America, and much more. Today we are incentivizing D2D with all that experience.

D2D continues to support filmmakers and offer them with opportunities including paid streaming with our partners at LUCID and possibilities at other venues such as BodyVox in Portland and The Kennedy Center.