High Strung Free Dance Review – World Class, High Energy, Electric Performances

Details: Category: Indies, Docs, Foreign Film; Published on Wednesday, 16 October 2019 21:36; Written by Janet Walker

High Strung Free Dance, from Endeavor Content and Atlas Distribution Company, presents the story of two young arts professionals in New York City, pursuing their creative dreams while working day jobs, hustling to live and make it.

Directed by Michael Damian, High Strung Free Dance stars Jane Seymour, Thomas Doherty, Harry Jarvis, Juliet Doherty, Ace Bhatti, Jorgen Makena, Kika Markham, Joshua Sinclair-Evans, Nigel Lythgoe, Nataly Santiago, Breck Gallini, Desmond Richardson, Kerrynton Jones, Sophie Tyler and Dan Irsu.

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High Strung Free Dance begins with the camera pan of a waiting in a well-appointed study, a grand piano sits in the middle, the keys polished and for the skilled sending a signal. On this day, a young pianist Charlie, played by Harry Jarvis, in his day job as deli delivering guy, is waiting and confident accepts the challenge of the keys and begins to play. He is very good.

Immediately we are at dance auditions, the camera follows a highly skilled dancer, known only today by her number which at the end of the day is not called. She hurries off to her day job as telemarketer. Bribing her cube mate, with a fresh pretzel we find she has another audition.

Friday arrives and Barlow, played by Juliet Doherty, is off to the dance audition for what is billed as the hottest Broadway show to light the Great White Way in decades. It is directed by a young choreographer, Zander, played by Thomas Doherty, more than talented, well known, and known to be highly temperamental with a keen eye.

Lucky number 100, Barlow, is having some trouble see the instructions and misses a turn. She’s cut. Determined she takes a chance, let’s her hair down, changes audition outfits and shoes, and tries again. This time, he clearly sees her, and again explains that she missed a turn and she’s cut. She pushes back and explains she has the skill.

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By the end of the day, she is one of the lucky ones to be cast. As she is walking home, Zander sees her walking and asks if she wants a ride. His driver cuts the corner to close and runs into Charlie, the pianist/ bicycle delivery guy, who is on his way to a gig. They agree to drop him off and get caught up in the vibe of the club, a mix of 1920’s jazz club style.

As fate would have it the productions pianist quits in frustration, and after a day unable to find anyone, Charlie decides to take some initiation, and hit the guy up who nearly ran him over for a job. And as luck, fate, kismet, happenstance, or chance would have it, destinies collided and by afternoon he was wowing them as the production’s newest members.

As no production is without drama, High Strung Free Dance is not either, Barlow, whom we find out is the daughter of Oskana, played by Jane Seymour, a former prima ballerina, and an internationally known dance instructor. The antagonist and rival dancer, Kayla Jordan, played by Jorgen Makena, is the marquee name and after negotiations fall through, the lead goes to Barlow, for a minute anyway. Soon she signs on and the tension explode.

For anyone who has ever pursued a dream, a goal, artistic expression, even a relationship, only to have the opportunity pulled away at the last minute, the unfairness of it all seems genuine.

As High-Strung Free Dance is all about the performance, the finale, opening night is showcased. The dances sequences are stunning. More than the production rehearsal, or the ballet auditions, the Jazz club scenes are high energy that literally bounces off the screen.

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High Strung Free Dance offers an alternative with a dedicated fine arts film, highlights the elegance of artistic expression, without watering down the dedication and pitfalls necessary to be the best. The film opens wide October 18, 2019. Check local listings.

Image courtesy of Endeavor Content.