Dancing with my Dad
Dancing with My Dad is a short documentary-dance film made in collaboration with Lizzie’s dad David Klotz and filmmaker Alex Ayre.
Lizzie has danced since she was 6 and is now a professional contemporary dancer. David – a police officer – has saved his dancing for family parties.
This intergenerational film, which combines live performance with family archive material, follows David as he enters a new territory – the territory of contemporary dance.
A sensitive subverting of conventional family hierarchies, David becomes the student – and Lizzie the teacher. David relishes in the opportunity to learn – to play – and, as he edges into his retirement, finds a new way to express himself – physically.
At times David struggles, but through the bumps, bruises, aches and pains Lizzie and David find a new language to communicate with – that which is non-verbal, felt and deeply rooted in their shared history.
‘To start with, I didn’t really understand it. Aaah, it was something new to me – so I wanted to try and understand a bit more about that and what she does and her influences. Yeah, it’s just to understand a bit more about my daughter.’
Dancing with My Dad is a joyful and playful film, full of love and respect as father and daughter learn how to express themselves to one another, again.
Choreographers + Performers: David Klotz, Lizzie Klotz
Director, Camera + Editor: Alex Ayre
Composer: Jack Burton
Sound Recordist: John Barratt
Gaffer: Christopher J Orr
Production Assistant: Beth Veitch
Co-producer: Morag Iles
Photographer: Sel MacLean
13.5 minutes, 2018
“Smashing the firmament, taking her dad David by the hand and leading him on a contemporary dance odyssey, an intimate - and very funny - journey captured in scintillating flashbulb moments by director Alex Ayre.”
Dancing with My Dad was commissioned by Random Acts Network Centre North and supported by Tyneside Cinema, Northumberland County Council and Dance City, using public funding by Arts Council England.