About the Festival
Dance Camera West aims to foster ground-breaking creation of dance film, by supporting teaching, production, distribution of dance films. DCW presents an annual international festival held at renowned arts venues throughout Los Angeles, along with informative and educational events throughout the year, to bring dance off the stage and onto the screen, utilizing the language of film to reach a wider audience.
DCW’s current core programs and services fall into three core categories: Prepare; Produce and Present.
DCW creates spaces for learning, funding for production, and audiences and revenue for screening films. DCW is a community organization that believes in affordable access to the arts and thus keeps ticket prices affordable as well as offering free events. Established presenters range from performing arts centers like The Getty Center, REDCAT/Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hammer Museum, Skirball Center, John Anson Ford Amphitheater, The Autry Museum, Theater Raymond Kabbaz, Track 16 / Bergamot Station; cinemas such as American Cinematheque’s Egyptian and Aero Theaters and the Laemmle Theaters have all presented Dance Camera West; and alternative spaces include city parks, pop up drive ins, and mobile film screen parades.
Ghostly Labor, 2023 | DCW 2023 Festival
MOTHER MELANCHOLIA, 2023.
DCW 2025 was affected by the Los Angeles wildfires but proceeded from January 29 - February 2, 2025, with modifications to ensure alignment with local community members in great need of support. Changes implemented included Pay-What-You-Can Screening Tickets; a free 5 day Co-Creation Lab structured to support community skills acquisition via daily drop-in attendance. Film events included the World Premiere by Benjamin Millepied’s Paris Dance Project; Wim Wender’s PINA in 3D; LA POPS UP showcase of LA choreographers’ films and premiere of the DCW Visibility Productions Plus over +50 International Short and Doc Films including the world premiere of BEYOND MOTION.
DCW 2024 included 40+ films from 20 countries making their International, U.S., or Los Angeles premieres, workshops, artist talks, and receptions. Opening Night, featured selected works from DCW's 2024. It also features a special presentation of the documentary Fenomenal!, Rompeforma 1989-1996, chronicling the legendary performance festival of Latino artists, with the directors Merian Soto and Vivicea Vazquez in attendance; a roundtable brunch discussion with the filmmakers hosted by dance film artist, author and scholar Cara Hagen.
DCW 2023 opening night featured the Los Angeles premiere of Bella by Bridget Murnane, celebrating L.A. dance icon and activist Bella Lewitsky. The closing night included Dance Camera West’s signature VISIBILITY program to support underrepresented artists, plus the premiere of Sheila, and other films by special guest artist Gabri Christa. Also included were a filmmaker lunch and discussion at Cara Hotel, followed by a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House. Plus, filmmakers were invited to explore their creativity at Dance Film Lab with Gabri Christa. .
DCW 2022 marked the Twentieth Season of this world renowned dance film festival. 11 distinct programs include six nights of festival finalist screenings featuring a selection of the top 75+ international films, with a record number of U.S. and Los Angeles-based artists. The 2022 festival included a return live in person and virtual screenings, over 2 weekends at 2 los angeles venues, Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz and 2220 Arts & Archives.
DCW 2021 ran January 7 - 31, 2021. We have partnered with LA presenters The Broad Stage and Theatre Raymond Kabbaz to present live and virtual screenings throughout the month. Programs include a Drive In featuring Festival Award Winners, a virtual selection of international films, Documentary Days, as well as the winners of our newly announced Finishing Fund for underrepresented filmmakers.
DCW 2020 was able to increase the number of film submissions to a record setting 325 from around the world, and present a diverse selection of 50+ films from over 40 countries. The number of submissions, the number and diversity of films presented, the audience attendance, the balancing of the budget, the touring opportunities, the fundraising, the ability to pay artist fees and the online distribution deals. DCW also created an online version of the 2020 festival to replace our postponed touring opportunities, cancelled due to the COVID 19 health crisis.
DCW 2019 annual festival was replaced by historic screenings celebrating the centenary of Merce Cunningham, while the 2020 was concentrated into one 4 day event into one location, to create a strong singular voice for the festival.
2018-2019 was a rebuilding period for DCW, with a new Artistic Director, new Board of Directors, new staff and a concentration on rebranding and rebuilding. The festival hired designers and producers to create a new website and graphic identity, and developed a robust film program.
Disconnect.