Educational Media Reviews Online

Most people think of dance, and the arts in general, as something separate from daily life. Something to be seen on a stage. Something performed by other people. Liz Lerman and her dance company take the view that dance can be a part of anyone's life, that it is a way to celebrate and tell a story.

In this case, the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange of Washington, DC takes on the assignment to celebrate the history and tell the story of the Portsmouth, NH, Naval Shipyard. It is also an assignment to build a bridge between the military and the arts. The Shipyard Dance is the documentation of this year long project which culminated in a week long series of performances.

To create the various performances, Lerman and the dancers in her company spoke with members of the community as well as current and retired shipyard workers. They inquired about their memories of the shipyard, the meaning that it had in their lives, and the motions that they performed on the job. They looked into the impact that the shipyard had had on the community and the threat of it's possible closure. Many of these personal memories, feelings, and motions were woven into the dances and the narratives that accompanied them. And many of these dances were performed by members of the community, from retirees to school children.

The Shipyard Dance raises questions on the boundaries that United States culture, and particularly the military subculture, raise between work, creativity, freedom of expression and movement. It showed to at least some in the community that art can be a means to talking about subjects that would otherwise be too emotional or political to speak. While the success of the project was debated, it provided a bridge where movements in work can be movements in dance.

While well made, this documentary is some times slow moving. Suitable for ages 16 and older and for collections on dance and performing arts.