From the moment I saw the beautiful dancers on stage, I was compelled to tell their story. It was an incredibly visceral experience for me. Having been a dancer all my life, I could so easily empathize with the joy and pride that they felt performing out there in front of the audience. But although I related to them as dancers, I had no idea what life was like with Down Syndrome. That day was the start of my journey making the short film, Free 2 Be Me.
Along with my cinematographer, Jeanne Vienne, we filmed the Free 2 Be Me dancers, during their spring 2013 semester, every week in ballet and hip hop class. Initially, I thought that I would get a bulk of the story from the dancers themselves; however, in getting to know them all, I found that many of them were not verbal enough to make that a viable option. So it was in the interviews with their parents and siblings that I found the thesis for this film, which is ultimately about the importance of self-expression through dance, and its effect on the whole family.
One shoot day in particular, Daisy, a young lady in the program who struggled the most with movement and usually had to be helped by a volunteer, shuffled to the center of the studio for her dance solo. She looked at herself in the mirror and suddenly started to pump her fist in the air to the beat of the music. That’s all she did, pump her fist. This was the most physical I had ever seen her be during the filming process. And while she pumped her fist, a tiny little smile crept across her face. It was a profound moment of expression for someone who is predominantly non-verbal.
Documenting these dancers and their families was a true passion project. I was fortunate in that the director of the program, Colleen Perry, and the dancers’ families allowed me so intimately into their worlds. Every time I left a shoot with them, I felt such a sense of purpose, both moral and creative. In making this film, I became truly aware of just how beneficial dance is for all people. Of course, I always knew what it did for me personally. During the ups and downs of growing up, it was my emotional outlet.
But to see these kids dance, when many of them cannot even really speak much, was enlightening. You could clearly tell how significantly the art of dance impacted their lives. It gave many of them a voice.
I hope my film will show the world how important it is to give all people the opportunity to express themselves and to hear the applause of an audience.
Director Jeannette Godoy is on the roster of production house The Traveling Picture Show Company (TPSC) for commercials and branded content.
