Dance With Me (Director)
A short musical/dance/romance film inspired by the era of the 50s about a star performer faced with the decision between living the simple life with the man of her dreams, or the showbiz opportunity of a lifetime.
About the Project
Ruby is a star dancer who has just been fired from her job because male rival, Clark, gave show producer, Bill, an ultimatum. At her farewell party, she meets a bartender named Simon, who introduces her to the simple life; a life away from the glitz and glamour of show business.
Months later, the steadiness and comfort she built with Simon is threatened when ratings plummet and Bill offers her the deal of a lifetime, seeking to bring her back into the spotlight.
Working on this Project
This was a Sheridan Core 2 project I directed in 2022. One of my favourite parts about making this film was the music. Alexandr [Sasha] Zelenskiy and Anthony Kubelka composed an all original jazz score and got musicians to play the instruments live. It was amazing to be able to witness the music being recorded and highlight local Canadian talent. Incorporating dancing was also a fun way for me to bring back a sport that I loved growing up and translate it to the screen.
Through our contract with Sheridan, we were able to use ACTRA actors and it was a great learning experience of how unions sets work. Being a 50s inspired film, it was also great to take a look back into the golden age era, while also trying to tell a story that could be timeless.
Director's Statement
"Dance With Me" is a short film that was really fun to work on. Focusing on the era of the 50s, where women were stereotypically housewives, and men had all the big opportunities, we wanted to flip that notion and show that there are so many more layers to success. Ruby comes second to her male co-star, but when she meets Simon, who has a steady job away from the glitz and glamour, we see that happiness in life can be fulfilled if you surround yourself with the right people. Simon works a lower end job, but he is no less of a man who is successful in life. With Ruby, we wanted to showcase an ambitious woman because as a female filmmaker, there is so much to be said for seeing a woman on-screen, who goes for what she wants. In this film, we had an amazing cast and crew of artists with whom I'm so grateful to have been able to work with. The passion and hard work they all brought on set and off is unmatched.
"Dance With Me" Official Poster
"Dance With Me" Out Now
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