The Australian docu-series Dance Life offers a captivating glimpse into the demanding world of professional dance. Streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video from January 19th, this five-part series follows a group of dedicated students at Brent Street, Australia’s premier dance studio, during their crucial final year. For those seeking inspiration and raw talent, Dance Life on Amazon Prime is a must-watch.
These students arrive at Brent Street with a lifelong dedication to dance and a singular goal: to become professional dancers and stars. However, the path to success is far from easy. Dance Life showcases their relentless pursuit as they push their physical and emotional limits, working towards the pivotal year-end Grad performance. This performance is their ultimate audition, a chance to impress agents who hold the key to their professional dreams. The series delves into the diverse personalities within the group – from unwavering perfectionists to gifted prodigies and determined underdogs – each grappling with self-doubt while fueled by an unyielding ambition to succeed in the competitive dance industry. Dance Life on Amazon Prime captures this intense journey.
Ahead of the Dance Life premiere, series creator and director, documentary filmmaker Luke Cornish, shared insights into the making of the series. In an interview, Cornish discussed the process of selecting students to feature in Dance Life and revealed the story behind a seemingly simple yet impactful shot that became a signature moment in the show.
Students in energetic dance practice for Dance Life series.
Capturing the Cinematic Energy of Dance
Interviewer Nick L’Barrow inquired about the dynamic dance sequences in Dance Life and the approach to filming both the choreographed performances and the more intimate, documentary-style moments. He praised the “energetic and cinematic” quality of the dance scenes, asking about the process of capturing these performances without pre-planned choreography.
Luke Cornish explained his approach as blending observational documentary style with a cinematic vision. He emphasized elevating the visual experience, particularly for key dance routines. Interestingly, the cinematic feel wasn’t achieved through elaborate setups but rather through increased camera coverage. As rehearsals progressed and the final performances approached, the production team simply added more cameras to capture multiple angles. This strategy ensured that the energy and spontaneity of the dance were authentically captured, providing a wealth of material for the editing process and contributing to the immersive experience of Dance Life on Amazon Prime.
Dance as an Escape and Emotional Expression
Nick, admitting his lack of dance expertise, highlighted the powerful emotion conveyed in dancer Max’s performance in the first episode. He connected this to Cornish’s previous dance documentary, Keep Stepping, and questioned what Cornish had learned about dance as an art form capable of evoking such profound feelings. This exploration of dance’s emotional depth is central to Dance Life on Amazon Prime.
Cornish described dance, at its most impactful, as “an escape.” He elaborated that this escape is not only for the performers themselves but also for the audience who connect with their expression. For dedicated dancers, it becomes a cathartic release. He used Max as an example, noting that while Max initially appeared as a happy and well-adjusted individual, the documentary revealed deeper emotional complexities. Cornish realized that Max’s dance was a powerful outlet for expressing and processing these emotions. This emotional honesty is a key element that makes Dance Life on Amazon Prime so compelling.
Max, a dancer from Dance Life series, showcasing emotional depth.
Finding the Standout Stories in a Sea of Talent
The conversation shifted to the process of selecting which students to follow within the larger group. Nick drew a parallel to the “Light The Way” performance depicted in Dance Life, where agents scout for standout talent from a stage full of dancers. He asked if Cornish experienced a similar process in identifying the subjects for the documentary. This aspect of talent identification adds another layer of intrigue to Dance Life on Amazon Prime.
Cornish found the comparison insightful, realizing the parallels between his selection process and that of talent agents. He noted that agents and choreographers often describe standout talent as immediately apparent. Initially, Cornish felt less certain, lacking an expert dance background. However, during the initial video submissions and interviews, certain individuals did emerge as clearly compelling subjects. He was struck by the high level of on-camera presence among the dancers, creating a rich pool of potential stories. The diverse motivations and backgrounds of the students, all united by the same dream, presented a unique documentary opportunity.
Cornish humorously described the subjects “finding you,” recounting the example of Arabella, a student who initially wasn’t immediately selected but quickly made her dynamic personality known. Her proactive and “performing arts” approach convinced Cornish of her compelling story, highlighting the organic and sometimes unexpected nature of documentary filmmaking, a quality that viewers will appreciate in Dance Life on Amazon Prime.
The Power of a Single Shot: The “Broken Chair” Scene
Nick concluded by praising a particularly impactful shot from the second episode: a simple image of a chair with a handwritten sign reading “I AM BROKEN.” He emphasized the profound timing and context of the shot, occurring during a revealing conversation, and asked Cornish to discuss its creation and integration into the edit. This attention to detail and visual storytelling is a hallmark of Dance Life on Amazon Prime.
Cornish was enthusiastic about the question, recognizing Nick’s filmmaker’s eye. He reiterated the documentary filmmaking principle of “show, don’t tell,” emphasizing the search for visual representations of emotions and situations. The “broken chair” shot was a serendipitous discovery. After a long and tiring day of rehearsals in a demanding audition space, the crew arrived the next day to find the chair with the message. Cornish immediately recognized its symbolic power, seeing it as a perfect visual representation of the collective exhaustion and vulnerability felt by the students. He knew instantly he would incorporate it into an episode, appreciating its versatile symbolism.
Cornish concluded by emphasizing the crucial element of heightened awareness in documentary filmmaking. This constant attentiveness to the environment allows filmmakers to capture subtle yet powerful details, like the “broken chair,” that might be missed with a more casual approach. This dedication to observation and detail is evident throughout Dance Life on Amazon Prime.
Dance Life is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video starting January 19th. Don’t miss this inspiring and emotionally resonant docu-series.
