The idea that dance is for everybody and every body is one that is often echoed through the arts, but not every dance educator follows through with that mission unless you're Bonnie Schlachte. She's the founder and director of Ballet For All Kids in Agoura Hills, California, the first ballet studio that offers classical ballet education to children of all abilities.
Her incredible story of developing a proven curriculum for teaching dance in an inclusive environment is captured on film in a touching dance documentary, Everybody Dance, directed by Dan Watt. He was inspired to follow Schlachte and five of her talented students because she "has this amazing talent to find a way" to tap into their creativity.
Over the 10 months of filming, Watt was able "to be able to witness the growth in each child" as they prepared for their dance recital. "As a former dancer and dance teacher myself, I understand the work and dedication needed to pull this off," he noted to News Break. Preparing for the performance was not only transformative for the dancers, but also for Watt, who was influenced by their incredible spirits.
"I reflected back on so many of these kids when I wanted to give up on this film – the process to get it released was more than I anticipated," he said. "I used them as my inspiration and motivation to keep going. As in all aspects of life, we can always learn from each other."
The film is a reminder that "studying an art form is beneficial in life" because it "encourages self-expression and creativity as well as a sense of individual identity." With that in mind, Watt hopes his film influences other arts programs to make inclusion a top priority for their students. "My hope is that teachers and studios will use this film as inspiration. If we focus on the similarities anything is possible," he shared. "Some may experience the world in different ways, and if we embrace this, it actually can help us see the wonders of dancing to our own rhythm while still dancing together."
Everybody Dance is now available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, iTunes, and Google Play.
Before you go, see our other articles on dance: Joy Womack & Adrian Blake Mitchell Give Back to Westside Ballet After Leaving Russia Amid War in Ukraine